I still have some of that aero tubing gathering dust in my inventory of framebuilding materials. One of the big problems was that because they were so squished, they didn't have any side to side strength. To make up for this, they added thickness to the walls and that of course added weight. These were heavy tubes! I just took the Tange "Champion" down tube out of it's long unopened box and weighed it - over 500 grams. For comparison a .7 X.4 X.7mm 1.125 dia. True Temper Platinum weighs 250 grms (one that I would use for myself). A .8 X .5 X .8mm 1.250" dia tube for big guys weighs 350 grams. Small wonder it didn't remain popular. In addition, the aero tubes don't fit jigs, and had to be fillet brazed which was less common back then.
I always loved those DD pedals and cranks but the brakes were awful. Shimano hadn't won over the hearts of racers yet and they don't tolerate something not being successful in the market place no matter how clever the concept.
Doug Fattic Niles, Michigan
Archive-URL:
http://search.bikelist.org/
In the early 80's I ran into a period of real or relatively real poverty. About the only extravagance I could afford was a bike because they were practical while at the same time being sensuous. The more you rode your bike the more money you could save for other things. The bikes I most hungered for were the aero bikes that later came with the Shimano AX groupos or the aero Suntour version of it. Those tear drop tubes were so beautiful. Now the bad part is that the bikes were rare then and still rarer now. I have no idea if the aero tubing made for a lesser or a greater bike or if the groupos that later came with them even functioned as well as the standard stuff that we have on most of our restorations now. No one here talks much about those bikes even though some of the nicest examples were available in 1981 or 82. I don't see pictures posted, nor does anyone mention if the tube sets were in any way superior or worse.
Garth Libre in rainy Miami Fl.
_______________________________________________ Classicrendezvous mailing list Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
_______________________________________________
Classicrendezvous mailing list
Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
http://www.bikelist.org/