Theories:
Special model for the little known coasting trials. Also a favorite for bike exchanges at summits.
Test rider for customers you would rather not build a frame for. Typical review capsule: "mysteriously sluggish".
"Amis du vin" modification. Created long arguments at the bar about "counter weaving".
Joe Bender-Zanoni Great Notch, NJ
Ray Homiski wrote:
> I was preparing my Rene Herse bicycle frame today for a paint job that
> I am
> having done. I had only to remove the headset and BB. The headset came
> off
> without a problem. The BB also was fairly easy to remove. It is the RH BB
> set with bearing cartridges pressed into the BB. After removing the RH
> retainers to expose the cartridges I gently tapped the spindle to
> drive out
> the bearings, first one side then the other.
>
> To my surprise I saw inside the BB shell between the two bearing
> cartridges
> a load of what I can only describe as tiny metal spheres the size of
> poppy
> seeds. I mean there was a bunch of them in there. It was packed with
> them. I
> carefully removed the one side cartridge and brushed them into a plastic
> bag. I then tapped out the other bearing and brushed out more. I then
> took a
> flashlight and saw even more packed in the chainstays, seat tube and
> downtube. I took a wooden dowel and pushed from the top of the seat
> tube and
> out came more spheres and a wad of brown crepe paper. My guess is that
> the
> paper was used to prevent them from going up the seat tube. I then
> explored
> the downtube from inside the BB and found another wad of the same
> paper that
> I also removed. Like the last one it was clean at the top but dirty as it
> prevented these spheres from traveling up the tube.
>
> Next I turned my attention to the chain stays. There was more spheres
> so I
> oriented the frame so they would fall out as I tapped the frame with a
> rubber hammer. I put a piece of paper in the BB to catch all that came
> out.
> Once that was done, I could then see paper wads in them also. I could not
> get them out as they are pretty far up.
>
> This looks to be intentionally put in between the cartridges for some
> reason. They have a significant weight to them, probably more than a
> quarter
> pound. They are somewhat greasy but are not metal shavings, they are
> spheres. I took some photos so you all can see what I mean. I even took a
> close up shot of them. Then some placed on a penny for scale, then the
> whole
> bag full, minus one teaspoon full that dropped on the floor before I knew
> what was happening. I also took shots of the paper wads that I
> removed. The
> spheres can be picked up with a magnet so I know they are metal.
>
> I have never seen this before so I am going to the list and asking
> what can
> this be for? The frame is vintage late 60s or early 70s I am told. Could
> someone have put them there to add weight to the bike to slow someone
> down
> or lower the center of gravity. Again these are not shavings but in my
> opinion intentionally placed metal spheres. Click on the photo link
> and tell
> me what you think.
>
> http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/
>
>
> Ray Homiski
> Elizabeth, NJ