In a message dated 6/8/02 6:21:01 PM Pacific Daylight Time, grisha2@juno.com writes:
<< As a rule of thumb, could it be said then that recessed brake bolts started in the mid 70s on custom bikes, and really did not start showing up on production bikes until the early 80s? Trickling down to the mid-range production bikes by '83-4?
Without checking the archives, one post pointed to a 70s Zeus catalog displaying the recessed bolts. At least the front could be readily modified post production. >>
Here's another wrinkle in the puzzle. The batch of frames from Matteo, badged Montelatici, that were built by Cinelli are as follows:
Recessed fittings and STANDARD reach brakes 120mm back end 1010a long drop outs Braze on cable guides on the top of the shell Cinelli pressed lugs and sand cast shell No top tube cable braze ons One set of bottle mounts
My supposition is that since Cinelli S.p.A. was the maker of the brake bridges, they put them on Cino's friend's frames making Montelatici an early adopter of the technology. 120 back ends started going out of favor in the early 70s? I certainly can't account for any "old fashioned" specifications that Sr. M. may have requested because that's just how he preferred them, but I think the frames can be pretty accurately dated from the "fashion" of the spec's. From conversations relayed through Matteo, I gather that Sr. M. would just call and say, "send me these sizes..." If that's the case then the specifics of the spec's were up to Cinelli and would probably reflect whatever their "latest" build spec was as related to the rest of the industry that they were supplying. The intended use of the frames was to: field a local racing team (very successful) as well as to have frames for sale with the "shop" name on them. I can certainly see Cinellis interest in having the latest stuff out there, even though they undoubtedly were left with considerable old stock in things like brake bridges. So if the specs on these frames puts them into the early 70s, I think that pushes back the introduction of recessed fasteners to then. It certainly goes back to standard reach brakes, not just short reach. Further clarification invited! Stevan Thomas Alameda, CA
In a message dated 6/7/02 8:19:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Bill_Bryant@prodigy.net writes:
<< At any rate, I clearly recall working on 1980 Colnagos with the recessed bolts and short reach brakes, so perhaps there was some variation in production runs for different exporters/importers (possibly sitting on a lot of long reach/nutted brake inventory), or bikes coming from different subcontractors, etc. >>
<<it is my 1976 brochure, referencing allen-keyed brake fittings. and i know that they weren't brand spankin' new then. SO... i change my vote to 1975 as the year that they were first seen. i'm convinced! e-RICHIE too sensitive today in chester, ct>>