Re: [CR]straddle wire / cable ends question (again!)

(Example: History:Norris Lockley)

From: "Raoul Delmare" <Raoul.L.Delmare@worldnet.att.net>
To: "C.R. List" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, "Bruce C." <BruceCumberland@comcast.net>
References: <7d.4e677577.2ddc9439@aol.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]straddle wire / cable ends question (again!)
Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 07:52:49 -0500


Reproduction Straddle Cables ??

I've been WAITING for SOMEBODY to do this!!!!!!

For years I've thought these would not be so very hard to have reproduced . There are certainly companies who have the technology to do the reproducing . Of course , such companies probably know nothing about bicycles . The task is to get some money together , find a company ( or a little one person shop somewhere ) who can do the work , and make sure the work is done properly .

There are still a few Weinmann , and Dia-Compe , straddle cables available , out in the "marketplace" . Sometimes they are still in their original plastic packages .

You could sell some straddle cables for Weinmann and / or Dia-Compe . But you might not be able to sell them at a price high enough to justify the cost of reproducing them .

MAFAC straddle cables , however , should sell at a decent price ! And MAFAC COMPETITION straddle cables would sell very well !!

The value of the original Mafac Competition straddle cables would plummet . Most folks would not be sad about that . Those short little chunks of cable are selling for ridiculous prices . And they do actually sell , even at those prices !! Meanwhile , there'd be a big rise in the value of all the Mafac Competition calipers which are currently missing their straddle cables !!

But , this brings up a question . If you need a straddle cable for your Mafac "RACER" brakes , can't you just shorten an old traditional "French-size" derailleur cable ??

Which brings up a question . What's going to happen when we run out of old-traditional-size derailleur cables ? And , isn't this happening already ?

Seriously , somebody with some knowledge about cables used on bicycles from perhaps 1920 through 1990 , could establish a nice little business !!

Whenever we need a bottom bracket , with obscure / rare / bizarre threading , we know that we CAN get one from Phil Wood & Co .

( I once worked at a shop which received a special thank you note - we'd sent Phil Wood the one remaining cup from a late 1930's English tandem frame , and asked for a complete bottom bracket so it could be returned to a the road - the thank-you note was because the folks at Phil Wood had to custom-make the dies , to make the retaining rings - they were saying thanks , because they hadn't added any new dies to their collection in a long time !!!!!! )

It'd be nice to know there was a resource for ANY kind of cable , with ANY kind of end , for those odd bicycles out there !

By the way , there are already custom cable makers for the antique automobiles , and vintage motorcycles . . .

Custom clutch cables for motorcycles , is it spelled "Barnett" ?? Are they still in business ??

Raoul Delmare
Marysville Kansas


----- Original Message -----
From: DTSHIFTER@aol.com
To: jvs@sonic.net
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 5:43 AM
Subject: Re: [CR]straddle wire / cable ends question (again!)



>
> In a message dated 5/19/04 1:37:01 AM, jvs@sonic.net writes:
>
> << Is there any need out in C.R. world for hard to find cables? >>
>
> Jay,
>
> How about Mafac Competition straddle cables? Put me down for six (6) pair!!
> Been trying to find a source for years.
>
> Regards,
>
> Chuck Brooks
> Malta, NY