Len Diamond wrote:
LEN: I have a 1979 Claud Butler tandem and a couple of questions. Firstly it has Campagnolo Record brake levers controlling the 2 Mafac cantilevers and a Phil Wood disc brake. The Right lever controls both Mafacs. Was this a stock item and is it shown in any of the catalogs?
HARVEY: (1) I believe it possible that the Phil brake was original. However, it should not be used, ever, on a bicycle that is ridden. Unless disconnected. The early ones fail by spline failure, and I've seen the later metal-centered disk fried to a crisp. I have a bunch of them that I would dispose of, but only to someone who swore that they would not be used. (2) After an incident in which I locked up the rear wheel of a Jack Taylor tandem with a drum rear (left hand control) and both calipers controlled by the right hand, I concluded that this is a very bad idea. Not just that you can lock up the rear wheel, but that it is very hard to keep the proper balance for the two calipers. We now use a set-up like a single, but with the rear drum brake controlled by a roadster lever set low on the right handlebar drop. That way, I can only use one brake per wheel at any given time, but I have access to the drum for long hills and for rainy weather.
LEN: Also the rear derailleur is Huret and appears to be steel. The names Ecopar and Duopar keep popping into what is left of my mind. Which one is the steel model?
HARVEY: The DuoPar is aluminum, ecopar is not.
harvey sachs
mcLean va usa