[CR]Palo Alto frame info

(Example: Framebuilders:Tony Beek)

Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 10:12:05 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Ted Baer" <wickedsky@sbcglobal.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Palo Alto frame info

Lou et all,

I have an old Palo Alto Bicycles catalog (1977-78) which shows what appear to be some of the first Palo Alto frames. These frames have no decals on the down-tube, and only the small white letters "P A B" on the front of the head-tube.

As per the catalog, these frames were offered in both lugged and lug-less construction.

At the top of page 49 (last page of catalog) under the PAB frame features, it reads as follows: "All frames will be built with Reynolds 531 double butted tubing throughtout, Campagnolo dropouts, Prugnant lugs (on lugged frames), round-oval-round chain stays, and DuPont Imron paint. Lugless frames will come with a sloping fork crown; lugged with a finely finished semi-flat fork crown. All lugged frames are silver soldered.

Oddly enough, there are no specifications for Bottom Bracket threading in the catalog.

Also, I have a Palo Alto Bicycles catalog (1983-84) which shows Palo Alto frames of which all are made of Columbus SL double-butted tubing. The seat stay caps are chromed and engraved. There are three models in this catalog; Racing, Touring, and Triathlon-Light Touring. Racing and Touring frames used Campagnolo dropouts. The Triathlon used Gipiemme dropouts. Like the 1977-78 catalog, the 1983-84 catalog makes no mention of the BB shell threading.

I have owned two of the Palo Alto Road frames in my lifetime; both being the latter version with the "Palo Alto" decals on the downtube and the old (and still standing) el Palo Alto tree decal on the headtube. However, I cannot remember what the BB threading was as this was 20 years ago. The first matter of business was to remove and discard all of the Avocet equipment and replace it with Suntour Superbe Pro (on the first one) and a Campagnolo (80's) Record grouppo on the second one..............

I scanned the Palo Alto Bicycle catalog pages from the 1977/78 catalog. You can see them and the following link:

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/wickedsky@sbcglobal.net/album?.dir=/fd95&.src=ph

Click on the desired photo, then click the download button to enlarge it. The photo will not download unless you choose to download it.

If anyone needs a scan of the 1983-84 catalog frame let me know and I will post one.

Ted Baer, Palo Alto, CA

<I don't know about the 70s Palo Alto frames, but I believe many of the 80s frames with Columbus tubing were built by Romani. I would think that a check of the threading for the bb would be a good indication as I believe the Romani built frames had Italian threading, although I don't know what type of bb threading Tom Ritchey would have used. Here is the information I have from the Used Bike Buyers Guide on Romani. Lou Deeter, Orlando FL>