Norris Lockley
Thanks for the replies, both on and off List to my recent query... but I = note that the hysteria is probably about to start up again with the = recent outing on eBay of a set of RH's cantilever brakes - Item = 3681456549.
As a framebuiler myself I can clearly appreciate the different qualities = of a Herse frame when compared with say, a Jack Taylor, differences = arising from the differences in the motivation of the builders = themselves, and I think I might be able to understand why some cyclists = are willing to shell out all those $$$$ to get their hands on an RH. = However I have greater difficulty in understanding why those same folk want to spend even more cash, sometimes great = quantities of it on a set of paltry brakes , particularly when Rene for = certain didn't produce those with his own hands. Or did he? Anyone out = there know? They seem to be forged to me.
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I once had the good fortune to be asked to reassemble and restore, as well as possible, an open frame RH tandem, fully chromed, with RH brakes and cranks. One side of one cantilever assembly was broken, but this may have been an accident. Otherwise, they were nice, but I didn't see them as something to die for. I substituted a Japanese unit that looked about the same and (as I recall) had a more sophisticated adjustment mechanism). On the other hand, the cranks had a feature I hope never to see again: On the left, he used LH threaded bolts as crank arm retainers. As pointed out by Tracy Kidder in "Truck" the LH threads attaching Dodge wheels weren't a reaction to wheels falling off other cars, they were just different. Same here. But it did assure that you couldn't get spares easily... They were lovely, but more art than engineering, in my humble opinion.
BTW, I believe that bike is now in the hands of a list member in New Jersey.
harvey sachs
mcLean va