Re: [CR]Lambert, Viscount, cranks, etc.

(Example: Framebuilding)

To: OROBOYZ@aol.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: <youngc@NetReach.Net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Lambert, Viscount, cranks, etc.
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2002 10:55:31 US/Eastern

As Dale has noted, the loss of the Lambert fabbed (or badged) components was a gradual one in the Yamaha-owned Viscount line. My 1975 Aerospace Pro model retained the following Lambert-esque components:

sealed bottom bracket but with the tapered spindle instead of the earlier untapered one. wacky large chainring sealed bearing hubs and pedals centerpull brakes death fork seatpost Viscount-badged "Handcrafted for Trusty (by Middlemore) saddle fillet-brazed construction

Derailleurs were changed from the Lambert models to Shimano Titlist front and Crane rear with Shimano shifters. I seem to recall that there may have been a patent infringement issue with the Lambert derailleurs. Anyone know if that is the case?

Charlie Young Honeybrook, PA
>
> Lambert was not just rebadged into Viscount. Changes were made and a
> deviation from the original Lambert components and philosophy ensued. They
> were really pretty different.
>
> All Lamberts (and Reg Harris & Vikings of that brief period) were triples:
>
> http://www.classicrendezvous.com./British/LambertAd.html
>
> It is pretty much confirmed that TA made the crank arms under a private
> labeling contract. The designs were different from TA's regular line and had
> no TA markings.
> The first Lambert versions (1st year or two of production) were normal
> tapered spindles, later the straight shaft bb spindle with bumpers came
> along. These last designs spelt the end of the Lambert design thrust, as
> they chronically loosened and became, in the subsequent Viscount model
> evolution, conventional cranksets from Japanese manufacturers.
>
> I contend that the very first batches of Lamberts, into their all sealed
> bearing models, 2-3 years out, were one of the bravest, if fool hardy,
> attempts at bicycle manufacturing of all time! In the addition to Lambert
> being the first company to extensively use sealed precision bearings in a
> production bikes, they also really tried to think outside the box in the
> sense of either manufacturing or private labeling almost every component on
> the bikes.
>
> By the time Viscount really settled in, the new company slowly backed away
> from all those unique Lambert characteristics, making it become "just another
> bike"..
>
> Dale Brown
> Greensboro, North Carolina