It's certainly common to have different brake bridge heights on a frame. I've got two bikes that work the same way, one American and one English. I don't know why they do this, but I would guess it has something to do with accomodating a rear fender, while not worrying about the front fender. However, I'm sure someone on the list has the authoritative story.
Tom Adams, Shrewsbury NJ, where I can hear the keyboards clacking away as bike weenies race to be the first to enlighten me---
>From: "Martin Appel"
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]Brake reach an 50ies frames
>Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 17:34:01 +0100
>
>Hello,
>
>i own a Girardengo frame from the early fifties (possibly 1951).
>
>unfortunately none of the original parts have survived. when i tried to
>fit SR brakes to the bike i noticed that while the "long reach" 57mm
>front brake fitted nicely, its rear counterpart was too short - the
>frame requires obviously a rear brake with longer reach, about 65mm.
>question: was it common in that period to have different brake reach?
>fork looks authentic to me - the bicycle had the original paint on it
>when i got it.
>
>thanks in advance,
>Martin Appel
>Munich, Germany
>
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