Re: Later chroming, was Re: [CR] Help date a Gitane Track frame?

(Example: Framebuilding:Norris Lockley)

From: "Bob Hanson" <theonetrueBob@webtv.net>
Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2006 13:48:03 -0600
To: sachshm@cox.net
Subject: Re: Later chroming, was Re: [CR] Help date a Gitane Track frame?
In-Reply-To: <sachshm@cox.net>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

Harvey Sachs wrote:

Here's a hint I learned a while back: One pretty good way to determine if a bike was factory-chromed is to look carefully at the BB. If the bike is going to get chromed, that will be polished before assembly, because it is almost impossible afterwards. So, if the BB shows lots of casting or file marks, and isn't really well polished, it was likely to have been plated sometime later in its life. Not infallible, but what is? :-)

harvey sachs mcLean VA USA

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Thanks Harvey,

That's a great insight; I never thought of that before! I've seen quite a few top quality production frames and bottom brackets with their paint removed and I know exactly what you mean - often really quite messy.

In this case, the plot thickens even further. This BB is as smooth as a baby's bum, all around. As you suggest, it would certainly have been a lot of work to completely hand polish the shell later - especially where the chainstay bridge would have obstructed access.

... But, then again, who would have also bothered to weld together sections of steering tube from two different forks? And why? Just to avoid replacing a rather cheap looking headset? The standard Tange "replacement forks" I've seen have all come with quite long steering tubes with an extremely long threaded section precisely so they could be easily cut down to fit a great many head tube lengths.

This odd duck truly boggles the mind.

Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA