In a message dated 7/23/2005 3:02:43 PM Eastern Standard Time, classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org writes:
> Can someone please provide a timeline for Regina freewheels. I checked
> the archives and found several discussions about Regina but nothing
> definitive. I would like to know years the following freewheels were
> available, the difference between them and how they ranked: Corsa,
> Extra, Oro, Extra Oro, 4-speed freewheels, 5-speed and 6-speed, Regina
> BX, CX and finally America.
>
Richard et. al.; please accept this info in the spirit of discovery in which
it was accumulated. I make no claims to the complete accuracy of this info -
on the contrary, I hope my posting this will elicit corrections and editions. I
was the person who put out the call for Regina Oro freewheel info a while
ago. Might as well offer what I learned now - heck, I promised to send it to Greg
Parker a while ago but have been remiss. Unfortunately, I have misplaced the
emails from John Jorgensen that contained many of the most important bits, so
memory will have to serve - again, corrections and additions welcome. I
initially set out to sort the various Regina freewheels from the late 60s, early 70s
as part of my '68 Cinelli restoration. I was mainly concerned about
top-of-the-line Reginas. Here's my tentative understanding:
Regina G.S. Corse - Gray freewheel body (or "grey" if it's on a Holdsworth), 1950s to about 1970 or 1971. I have one with what I believe is a 1955 date code. I think I saw a four-speed version on eBay not too long ago, but can't seem to find the listing now. These are date coded.
Regina "G.S. Corse" - brass oro-type finish, but otherwise identical to gray G.S. Corse body (i.e. not marked "Oro"). 1972 (perhaps as early as late '71) to about 1973-4. I have one of these that came on the original wheelset for a 1972 Schwinn Paramount. No date codes.
Regina "G.S. Oro" - brass finish, about 1974-1976. No date codes. At least one of these appeared recently on the 'Bay.
"Regina Oro" - 1977 to 198_ (?) These have date codes. I have one from '79. Not sure how many speeds these came in (5, 6, 7?) My '79 has a splined rather than the two-prong body - not sure when splines were introduced.
I believe the gray "Corsa" was a lesser model; the Extra a better, lightweight, later version. Someone else will know.
Hopefully this info, which intentionally centered around the Corse-Oro transition and pertinent models as a result of my Cinelli project, will help someone. It would be great if we could flesh it out even more - I know there's someone reading this who is sure his all-original '69 Legnano came with a brass-finish Oro freewheel. And the archives indicate that Chuck Schmidt has a Holdsworthy catalog that mentions Oro freewheels being used in the '67 Tour. On the other hand, freewheels were/are such a common service replacement item that dates can be tough to determine from the bikes on which they appear. Again, most of the the credit goes to John J., with a nod to Harvey S.; the errors are mine.
Ed Granger
Gearing up for an Oreo timeline in
Lancaster, PA