Re: [CR]Repro Mafac RAIDs Anyone ?

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2004)

In-Reply-To: <JJEEKLDDELHGFDGDBELBIEBIGKAA.avitzur@013.net.il>
References:
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:57:14 -0700
To: Amir Avitzur <avitzur@013.net>, Classicrendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Jan Heine" <heine94@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Repro Mafac RAIDs Anyone ?
cc: Framebuilders <framebuilders@phred.org>

At 1:19 PM +0200 10/13/08, Amir Avitzur wrote:
>I was at an aluminum caster today to ask about making some brake calipers.
>I may pursue the idea if there is enough interest.
>
>So here goes:
>If Repro RAID brake calipers were available at around $100 a set, would
>anyone be interested?

Casting a copy of a Mafac Raid does not seem like a good idea. The originals were forged, and it is doubtful that a cast set would withstand the forces.

If you want a CNC-machined copy of the Raids (more or less), look at the Paul Racers. However, because they are not forged, they have to use more material. As a result, they are much beefier and 50% heavier, and some think, less elegant.

If you made a forged copy, that would be interesting.

Finally, does the $ 100 include the hardware? Or is it just for the arms?

The Raid's were made by the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, and many NOS sets are lying around in France. Because the interest in these is relatively new - they go together with wide 650B tires and fenders - there has been an artificial shortage over the last 9 months since they were featured in Bicycle Quarterly. Once people realize that these brakes now are worth more than the $ 15-20 that they used to fetch, more will become available. This is like the price for Campagnolo SR components, which used to cost more until people realized how many of those there really were. Eventually, even those supplies get exhausted, and then prices will rise again.

Jan Heine
Editor
Bicycle Quarterly
140 Lakeside Ave #C
Seattle WA 98122
http://www.bikequarterly.com