----- Original Message -----
From: "Hilary Stone" <hilary.stone@blueyonder.co.uk>
> Constrictor offered both their standard rim and the slightly narrower and
> lighter Asp. They also generally off a solid section rim mostly called the
> Boa and slightly flatter in section - this was really quite a heavy rim
> being heavier than a Dunlop HP steel rim!
>
> Hilary Stone, Bristol, England
Many thanks Hilary, I knew you'd fill in the gaps!
Two months ago the front wheel of my '51 Clubman did a good imitation of self-destructing en route from Washington to Leesburg, VA, with no fewer than three broken spokes. At one cycle shop en route (thank heavens for this!) the young repairman was intrigued by the Dunlop HP steel rims on this machine; astonished at their incredible lightness! They must still rank as the lightest non alloy rims ever made.
Apparently some folks find it hard to find tyres to fit properly on the Dunlop HP rims which have no beaded "hook". I've gotten wonderful performance from cheap Ascent 27 x 1 1/4" tyres called CST Super HP (90 psi) made by Cheng Shin which also closely resemble the old Dunlop HP Roadracing tyres. Nashbar sell them for $9.95 each.
Peter Kohler Washington, DC USA
> >> Please excuse my ignorance but were aluminum rims available in the mid
> >> to late 50's? If so were they available as 27", 700c or both?
>
> Peter Kohler wrote:
> > Jay.... I can't speak for non British makers, but alloy rims were common
on
> > better grade British machines from the late '40s onwards and introduced
> > before the war. The best known were those made by the Constrictor Tyre
Co.
> > Ltd. including the lovely Asp. Dunlop made alloy rims as well including
the
> > ones I have on my '49 Raleigh Clubman and '51 Lenton Tourist; these are
26"
> > x 1 1/4". I have never seen Dunlop alloy rims in 27" x 1 1/4", their
> > preference were the superb lightweight steel HP rims in this size. These
> > also came in stainless.
> >
> > Hilary Stone can doubtless add a lot to this story. My dream machine,
the
> > 1938 Rudge-Whitworth "Olympic-Aero" had Conloy rims, seat post,
handlebars
> > and stem, all of alloy (Hiduminium). It weighed 20 lbs. And we think
we're
> > so clever nowadays!