Re: [CR] Speedwell? Was: A view of Teledyne Titan bikes from a long perspective.

(Example: Framebuilding:Restoration)

References: <cc1.445d4d9.3295b4c3@wmconnect.com> <8C8DC60498BF1F6-958-64F1@FWM-D06.sysops.aol.com> <a062309a6c18a27379b9b@[192.168.1.33]>
To: heine94@earthlink.net, Nipponcomet@wmconnect.com, Rnitro1969@aol.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR] Speedwell? Was: A view of Teledyne Titan bikes from a long perspective.
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:37:22 -0500
In-Reply-To:
From: <oroboyz@aol.com>


Well, as one of the older persons (!) I know that "in-the-day" both marques, Teledyne Titan and Speedwell, had similar qualities:

- Light as poop (for the era)

- Subject to break at unexpected moments... but many were ridden many miles with no problems. (15% failure rate?) [Both makes had a similar level problems, probably due to the use of Commerciallly Pure Titanium, rather than swaged down sections in the tubes (BTW,despite assumptions, that was not where the Teledynes usually broke.) Luis Ocana had the luxury of having any flawed frames immediately whisked away and seamlessly-to-the-public-eye replaced.]

- They both rode (if you were more than 150 lbs or lacking refined souplesse', i.e., a big gear masher) like a wet noodle.

BTW, there also was a German made ti bike in extremely limited use at that same approx. time... Anyone recall the maker (I don't!) I remember pics of a hugely reinforced fork including an X up inside the steerer tube ala' Francesco Cuevas' steel bikes....

Also, the Japanese Ti bikes came 5-6 years later .... Dale Brown Greensboro, North Carolina USA http://www.classicrendezvous.com -----Original Message----- From: heine94@earthlink.net To: oroboyz@aol.com; Nipponcomet@wmconnect.com; Rnitro1969@aol.com; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:15 AM Subject: Re: [CR] Speedwell? Was: A view of Teledyne Titan bikes from a long perspective.

At 10:16 AM -0500 11/22/06, oroboyz@aol.com wrote:

> I think I can safely say that this exotic and interesting early >titanium bike (in a close race for "earliest production Ti" with the >Birmingham Speedwell) has little practical appeal to a modern rider >beyond it's historical curiosity.

How about the Speedwell? Obviously, if Ocana used it in the TTs of the Tour he won, it can't have been all bad. Was it better than the Teledyne? Is the Teledyne then simply a flawed design, one of the "could have beens" if they had done it right?

Does anybody have information about the Speedwell? Production numbers? Ride quality? Durability? All I've seen are a few fuzzy photos and Rebour drawings of details.
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