To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "H.M. & S.S. Sachs" <sachs@erols.com>
Subject: re: [CR]Bivalents on Ebay
Date: Tue, 08 Oct 2002 22:21:15 -0400
Tom Dalton wrote, re Cinelli bivalents:
http://ebay.com/<blah
I suppose these are the very rare early version, but I find this selling
price remarkable. I know, I know, it's Ebay and all, but given the
essentially useless images and the reputation that these hubs have for
failures (stripping splines?) why would people bid so aggressively? I
suppose the bidders may have had more info than was on the auction.
Another thing: did bi-valents ever actually get used for actual racing?
Bivalents and M-71's are both groovy examples of Cinelli innovation that
never really caught on. I wasn't riding in the early 70's but aren't these
both items that were used by the tech-weeines of that day, items that never
found favor among racers?
I like the design of the bivalents, but have been careful with mine. Like
avoiding big freewheels, so I can't overtorque them (at my age?). One
series was 3-piece (steel barrel, alloy flange). There are also one-piece
alloy units. I don't know if both series had stripping problems. I do
have a friend who started with two sets (4 hubs) and gradually reduced them
to nono-valent: 3 fronts and one rear...
Your mileage may vary, but it was a great concept. Don't have to shift
gears to change wheels, since the FW part stays on the frame. Even
included a little "Y" that bolts to the little tube connecting the
chainstays, to make placement a bit more automatic!