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