re: Re: [CR] Inspired first products; Was: - Why Stronglight?

(Example: Framebuilding:Brazing Technique)

Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2008 20:03:27 -0500
From: "Harvey Sachs" <hmsachs@verizon.net>
Subject: re: Re: [CR] Inspired first products; Was: - Why Stronglight?
To: heine94@earthlink.net, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net


Jerry Moos wrote:

>>Stronglight also made some superb 3-arm steel cottered cranks. These were slender and elegant and really not much heavier than alloy cranks from the 70's.

Jan Heine built on this: From what I can find in the literature, Stronglight started in 1933, with two products: The aluminum cranks (which later were renamed 49D), and the steel ones that Jerome described. Both were introduced at the same time.

The Stronglight 49D is one of those rare cases where a company's first product is so inspired that it remains unsurpassed for many decades. Campagnolo's quick release is another case. Perhaps to a lesser degree, Nivex' derailleur.

Any others? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I was not there, and have done no research on the topic, but I'd always assumed that the Stronglight "Competition" forged steel cottered cranks went back quite a ways. The 3-arm was the default on the Schwinn Paramount in the early 60s (Campy was a $25 option). Stronglight also made a very similar 5-pin steel cottered. I have a pair of those on my Hamel, in a 165 mm. English version.

harvey sachs
mcLean va.