An unattractive name for a bike, in my opinion. Not as bad as "Iron Horse" or "Land Shark," but close. I also wonder where it came from.
Drilled lugs, of some sort, seem to be the defining characteristic of a Keyhole. The pictures don't show the lugs well, so it's a little hard to tell, but I don't see any holes in them. So, it sounds to me like an Italia, too.
My 1972 keyhole at http://www.nonlintec.com/
I think it could be a sweet bike if restored intelligently.
Steve Maas Long Beach, California
oroboyz@aol.com wrote:
> Interesting...
>
> The seller describes it as a "Keyhole" model. That may very well be how
> it was described to him... That phrase has always struck me as being
> mis-used or confused in it's use as applies to Hetchins.
>
> My understanding was that originally it was a reference to old straight
> blank lugs, with a hole then drilled midways up the "socket" and then a
> connecting slot filed or hacksawed to the outer edge of the lug. After
> that basic operation, often there were elaborations around it, but the
> "key hole" hole with slot sets the initial format. I cannot imagine why
> this would be called a Keyhole model. I have even seen a bike described
> as Keyhole by David Miller himself that did not fit the definition as I
> know it, so who knows?
>
> This bike has modern stamped lugs (Prugnat?) that have little change
> made to their profile. The fork crown is a round track cast bit. The
> fastback seat stay cluster, straight stays and relatively plain style
> would have lead me to guess, if asked, that this would have been called
> an "Italia."
>
> The year of manufacture puts it a "genuine" Hetchins-shop-still-open
> bike frame...
>
> So let's see, after the buyer sends it to one of our fine CR list member
> businesses for refinishing & decaling, it should be a pretty striking
> bike. My vote? About midway up (or down) the hierarchy of Hetchins....
>
>
> Dale Brown
> cycles de ORO, Inc
> 1410 Mill Street
> Greensboro, NC 27408 USA
> 336-274-5959
> http://www.cyclesdeoro.com
> http://www.classicrendezvous.com
> Giant, Specialized, Bianchi, Felt, Orbea, Litespeed, Landshark, Townie
> and other exotica.
> Member, board of directors, National Bicycle Dealers Association
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: j.mccoin@comcast.net
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Sent: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 13:57:02 +0000
> Subject: [CR]Ebay Hetchins
>
> Greetings
>
> Would someone from the Hetchins community please take a look at Ebay
> #7161661536, and give their opinion as to date and where on the ladder of
> desiareability it sits.
>
> Jim McCoin
> Fremont Ca. Its my size
> .
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> .