Re: [CR]The Myth of the Tange Levin Headset

(Example: Framebuilders:Rene Herse)

Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 06:55:11 -0800 (PST)
From: "David Patrick" <patrick-ajdb@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]The Myth of the Tange Levin Headset
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
In-Reply-To: <D7997071-7267-4538-B739-16021B99398E@cadre.org>


Jeremy is right on this: the pic shows a Levin race w/Campy cup & bearings. I think you're grasping at straws & changing the argument in the middle of the stream, Don. It seemed your initial bitch w/the Levin was the lack of interchangability w/the Campy hs, not you're trying to pin it on the gap between race and cup shown in the photo. None of it flies. The Levin is a well-made, inexpensive headset. No hype. No myth. Keep this in mind: the Levin headset has been priced at $15-$25 thru the years. A great value and at that price, you can use one for a few years and then pitch it!!!

Dave Patrick Chelsea, Michigan

Jeremy Rauch <classic2@cadre.org> wrote: John's picture, as explained his his post of January 25, 2006: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous. 10501.1888.eml

is of a Levin race with campy cup + bearings. And notes the gap that ensues. It is not a picture of a complete Levin lower headset. Unless I'm misunderstanding the original post.

The Levin I have doesn't show such a significant gap, either.

Jeremy Rauch NY, NY

On Feb 26, 2006, at 9:08 AM, Galen wrote:
> Don and all,
>
> Thanks for posting the photo--its hard to argue with the facts. I'm
> not sure if yours is representative of all Tange headsets,
> however. The fit between crown race and cup on the Tange Levin
> headset that I have looks like the Campy headset you showed. Are
> you sure that the Tange parts were originally mated, or did they
> come from separate batches?
>
> Galen Poole
> Jackson, MS
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Donald Gillies"
>
> To:
> Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 12:12 AM
> Subject: Re: [CR]The Myth of the Tange Levin Headset
>
>
>> My point was that the Tange Levin may be nicely made, but it appears
>> to be the all-time winner as "most unsealed" headset in history. In
>> the picture depicted by John Thompson, almost 50% of each ball
>> bearing
>> is visible from below the headset.
>>
>> http://www.os2.dhs.org/~john/campy-vs-levin.jpg
>>
>> This is a recipe for early failure. If you use this headset, it
>> seems
>> that fenders would be an "absolute must", OR, you could use a campy
>> crown race together with the levin headset - exactly the OPPOSITE of
>> what people have been asking about in this forum.
>>
>> - Don Gillies
>> San Diego, CA