Harvey Sachs gave some sensible reasons why some like twin plated fork crowns. I like them now because that was what came on my original '69 Hetchins and '72 Masi when I bought them from Alf and Faliero at that time. However I also remember that I didn't like them then. I recall a conversation I had with Alf telling him just that when I was ordering a curly stay Hetchins in 1973 that did not have a two plated crown as an option. Of course I don't remember my exact words but I said something to the effect of liking the new crowns that weren't double plated. At the time, I thought he had made an improvement. Now my guess is that they had run out of those crowns and were probably just making due with whatever was available. But I clearly remember his look and pause in our conversation, which mystified me then but I now understand with more knowledge. It was like he wanted to argue the advantages of that style but since they didn't have them any anymore, there wasn't any point on trying to promote what they didn't have so it was best to say nothing - which he did with some effort. He understood, it seemed in my many dealing with him, the value of the pound more than any other aesthetic or functional feature about a bicycle frame.
But I like them now because of the added nostalgic reasons besides agreeing with Harvey's points. They really are lighter, I just weighed some from my framebuilding supplies to make sure. As a matter of fact, it is the design that I choose to make the Ukrainian transportation bicycle forks with. Kirk Pacenti designed the crown (thank you Kirk!) to be just the right width for a 26 X 1.75 tires and 60 mm fenders. I had a sample laser cut and CNC milled in Ukraine. It was delayed because of the election mess and was finally sent January 7. I hope every day when I go to my mail box it has arrived.
Doug "digging out of a foot of new snow and pondering the advantages of putting the snow blower on the tractor in November rather than a 2 day in January" Fattic Niles, Michigan
From: HM & SS Sachs <sachs@erols.com>
Steve Maasland asks why people are so attracted to twin-plate crowns (and shows a beautiful example). I can't speak for others, but I'll give three reasons I find them attractive, none of which is compelling:
1) Simplicity. Indeed, round blades plate crowns can be made with patience, a drill press, and maybe a grinder. For ovals, add a file and much more patience. 2) Lightweight, compared to pre-investment-cast crowns. 3) "transparency." You can see the quality of all the brazing.
So, I find a sort of elemental elegance to the design. Hardly to die for.
Conversely, I find the internal-tanged Cinelli-style sloping crowns to be elegant in a completely different way: they almost brag of a confident builder. Because the thicker male crown has to be fully heated w/o burning the thinner female blade, somewhat more proficiency than I have with the torch would seem to be prudent.
harvey "cold-fingers" sachs mcLean va
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Italian brand Maino used triple-plate crowns on their bikes in the first half of the 20th century. The oldest one that I have seen is from the teens. They even used a depiction of this fork crown on their headbadges.
I also have one on my Ganna bike from the 40's shown here:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
It seems that this design feature gives wet dreams to many on this list. Personally, I have never understood the attraction apart from the fact that it is something 'different.' I am certain that had a frame builder offered me a choice of either twin-plate or 'standard' fork crown at the time, I would have selected the 'standard' one. It would be neat to hear what others have to say about this choice. I don't believe the twin-plate design was either lighter or stronger, so the question that comes to my mind is: why?
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Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ