Hi Joe,
I can answer that. The Long Island Wheelmen is still (marginally) alive. My pal Craig Roberts, along with his brothers Jordan and Doug, were members starting in about 1957. At that time the Wheelmen actually owned a building that they used as a club house and they had a fleet of racing bikes that members could rent for $5 a year. Craig used one of those bikes to win the 1960 A.B.L.A. National Cub (8-10 year olds) Championship in Flushing Meadow Park. All of the gold medalists from that nationals were introduced to the crowd at the last 6 day held in Madison Square Garden in 1960. Many stars of the six day circuit including Charles "Mile a Minute Murphy" were Wheelmen. I've heard that the club house burned down; I think in the 60's.
I never met Andy Hamel but I've heard a lot about him. Besides frames he built a great set of racing rollers. They were used by Jackie Simes when he set the national roller record for the standing mile - 59.59 seconds. He was pushed to that record by Peter Senia Jr. who rode a minute flat. I think that record still stands. Pete's father, Pete Senia Sr., was a Wheelman as well. He was a long time U.S.C.F. official in the N.Y. area.
When I opened my shop in 1990 I thought that I would like to sponsor a racing club. At that time the L.I.W.A. had not been registered as a club for at least 20 years. Craig and I decided to bring it back to life. The first year we had 5 riders but before too long the roster was up to 50. We started to get some press and that brought a few old time Wheelmen out of the woodwork. One day a gentleman named George Metz stopped by my shop and gave a several six day race programs from races that he had actually ridden in. His name was right there on the start lists. He stood there for about an hour telling me all about what it was like to ride the sixes. He also went into great detail about bike fit, gearing, wheel building. The guy knew his stuff. I was astounded! It was like going back in time. I wish I had video taped it.
We had always heard that the rollers that Andy Hamel built were burned up in the fire so we were tickled pink when another old timer caught wind of the Wheelman renaissance and called Craig up to tell him that the rollers were in his basement. They needed a little work but I got them going again and for about 7 years we put on a series of roller races very winter. We even hosted the State Championships a few times.
Well the financial burden of sponsoring a team was at bit too much so I stepped off. Craig has kept it going but his enthusiasm isn't what it once was. I think he still has a few riders. Perhaps a new generation of Wheelmen will come along and get it going one day...
Jamie Swan - Northport, N.Y.
espresso18 wrote:
> > Hi Tom and Co:
>
> speaking of Long Island, have you/your buddies ever heard anything of the
> Long Island Wheelmen, specifically Andy Hamel?
>
> Andy did frame building and also imported Baines into this country, back in
> the 30s.... I have one of the bikes he built in the Baines style, lugless,
> really pretty, which I bought on Long Island almost 30 years ago.
>
> I don't know at what point in time the Wheelmen disbanded-- just wondrin'...
> Thanks
>
> Joe LaTassa
> Hellertown, PA
>
> Hey Tom,
> >
> > By all means, try to make the B.V.V.W. meeting Thursday evening.
> > I'll be there with Jamie Swan. We're from out on Long Island. The
> > meetings are fun.
> >
> > I've got a Raleigh Lenton Sports Reg Harris Racing Special, which
> > has cool decals (does yours have the torch and the snowflake?) but
> > is about as ratty as a bike could get. I have it set up as a SA
> > three speed with twist grip on tourist bars, AVA tubulars and Rudge
> > fenders (similar color and patina (rust)) and a well weathered B66.
> > Brakes are Universal side pulls.
> >
> > And, talking about liking larger frame sizes as one gains experience
> > (aging), I've really taken a liking towards 25.5" Raleighs (pro's,
> > competitions), 64 cm Fujis and the sort. Back a few years, I was
> > very happy riding 58-60 cm bikes, then I found 62 cm ones suited me
> > better and now I'm quite pleased to ride these large bikes, with 46
> > cm bars. It is nice to be able to utilize the Campagnolo seatposts
> > without venturing into the "illegal" zone. For way too many years
> > back as a teenager, I rode a too small Atala Record Professional and
> > was as happy as can be. I just didn't know any different.
> >
> > I still ride a wide variety of sizes but have slowed down on buying
> > ones on the small side (but have a hard time passing up anything on
> > the large side).
> >
> > Welcome to the list.
> >
> > Paul Lee
> > Huntington, NY