Re: [CR]French lightweights

(Example: History)

Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 05:42:31 -0800 (PST)
From: "ken denny" <kendenny66@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]French lightweights
To: Jan Heine <heine@mindspring.com>, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
In-Reply-To: <a05010403ba81e27500e7@[66.167.253.63]>


Dear Jan (is it Jan or Yan?), I don't know where to start with you.You seem to have a hair across your derriere and I can certainly read between your envious lines. Where do you get off making comments like "I assume it is not original research" My work is my work, and references are certainly noted. I happen to correspond with Raymond Henry quite regularly, as I have for years. He is a friend and ICHC colleague. And BTW, if you have ever checked, the 2002 ICHC proceedings are not published. Your attempt at one-upsmanship is rather transparent. But let me address a couple of your rmarks. 1) Caminargents are quite rare, even women's models, which were somewhat different. How many can you count, compared to the rare Masi's and Cinelli's, Rene Herses and Alex singers on the continent, of whicjh I have seen more than my share on Ebay alone in the past few years. Caminade was quite an enterprise, and I am fascinated by the comprehensiveness of his company (he even made spokes!!), and the products hat they produced. 2) Why is it "funny" that women's cycles were offered by lightweight builders? I have seen womens frames from virtually every french builder, and several have come through my own door. Barra, Reyhand, Herse, Singer, you name them. What's your point? As a person who probably has the only collection of Barra cycles in this country, don't think that I have not collected information about them over the thirty years that i have built my collection. 3) If you are so intent upon providing information, why not provide your "papers" here, for free, to the group. That way the whole world can discuss them.

Lastly, if you don't have anything to say publicly to me, then keep it off-list. Ken Denny Boston Jan Heine <heine@mindspring.com> wrote:Ken,

Nice story on the Caminargent. Can you give us references where you read the story? I assume it's not original research.

The Caminargents don't seem quite so rare that breaking one would wipe out the brand. Especially women's bikes seem to have survived. I don't want to infer that women don't ride as hard - but perhaps more women who don't enjoy riding are given bikes by male companions in the hopes they'll join the sport? Funny that most of these "high tech" makers also offered women's frames.

Regarding Barra - Raymond Henry presented a paper on this builder at the last (2002) Cycling History Conference. I believe the proceedings have been published by Vanderplas, so the Barra piece should be in there.

Also, the next issue of Vintage Bicycle Quarterly (out in a couple of weeks) will have a reprint (and translation) of an article from 1936, featuring a 7.96 kg (17.5 lbs) 1936 steel Barra cyclotouring bike. The weight does not only include fenders, lights and rack, but even the pump! The article spells out the weight of each component...

Finally, the history of the French lightweight fanaticism will be discussed in detail (together with the history of the technical trials which brought all this about) in issue 4 of VBQ. You'll see details like headsets with exposed bearings, pedals with exposed spindles and more.

Sorry for the late reply - sick child kept me busy.

Jan Heine, Seattle

For information on Vintage Bicycle Quarterly, check out http://www.mindspring.com/~heine/bikesite/bikesite/index.html _______________________________________________

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