RE: [CR]Flying Fence: the front hub & wheel stories

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Campagnolo)

Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2005 15:31:22 -0500
From: "Harvey M Sachs" <sachshm@cox.net>
To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, Mark@bulgier.net
Subject: RE: [CR]Flying Fence: the front hub & wheel stories


Missing from this discussion is some consideration of the front hub. I suspect it is ok for riding straight, but there is almost no bracing angle... This is not good, as two stories of tandems might attest:

1) Our Town & Country came with a 40 hole front, obviously made from a 40 hole rear, narrow flange separation like this "fence." Back when, when we have the cliker type of odometer. In turns, even under more-or-less "normal" conditions, the regular tick - tick would be interrupted. We would skip clicks, because the spokes unloaded enough to bend inwards and the striker would miss the device. I guess that it shortened up the ride?

2) Riding behind a buddy on another T&C, a triplet. Phil front wheel, but slightly dished for the Phil brake. Starting up, on a hill. Swerved. Wheel just buckled. Gone.

At my advanced age, I feel entitled to indulge my prejudices: I just don't ride front wheels that are not symmetrical and with widely spaced flanges. Contra rear wheels, there can be very big side loads on the front wheel.

Your mileage may vary. harvey sachs mcLean va

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6579939563

Wow, truly a piece of work, and the answer to the question no one was asking.

I hope that fork is strong enough without the "brace" (it probably is), because that extra two pounds of iron bolted on the front does absolutely nothing to strengthen the fork! Just another in a long history of people who misunderstand the girder principle.

In case you think I am ragging on Trevor Jarvis or Flying Gate, I am not. The frame, though silly in some ways, has some very good things where it counts - real big top and bottom tubes. The silly part that makes it a "Gate" doesn't really detract, since it's where it doesn't matter so much - the builder can show some creativity there as long as the top and bottom tubes are big enough. Which they are.

And the silly non-girder was added by the seller I believe, not the builder, and as an amateur he's allowed to not know how to design a girder. I've seen plenty of pros who got it wrong. I will state categorically that the fake struts don't weaken the fork at all, and it appears to have been made strong to begin with (as far as one can tell in such pictures), with Reynolds Jack Taylor tandem blades and a Haden crown, and what looks to be an oversized steerer.

Certainly at the current going price it's a screamin' deal. (Maybe literally?)

Mark Bulgier Seattle WA USA

(My OT '33 Excelsior has thoroughly well-designed, lightweight fork struts that massively strengthen the fork. Ignaz knew how to do it then, but then people forgot. Or more to the point, bikes were not designed by engineers anymore.)