Bob Hanson wrote:
> (snip)
> This issue continued long after Mavic released their beautiful
> light weight "Module-E" rims (c.1975). These looked very much like
> Montlhery tubular rims, and had full stainless eyelets, narrow
> profile,
> double walled construction, polished surfaces, were for modern hooked
> bead tires. They were simultaneously released as both 700c and 27" and
> weighed only around 460 grams... which is somewhere between Open Pros
> and MA3s, today!
> But (and please do correct me if I'm wrong here), it was well into
> the 1980s before "Serious" higher quality and eventually even folding
> clinchers tires gradually began to appear - in either size.
The Michelin Elan folding clincher came out in conjunction with the Mavic Module-E (E stands for Elan) clincher rim that was introduced, like you stated, around 1975. Specialized folding clinchers (Mitsubishi ?) came out about three years later I believe.
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California
.