Re: [CR] The Alex Singer on French Ebay

(Example: Framebuilders:Masi)

In-Reply-To: <68883C0C-F54D-49DE-8D85-E507EE2C38AC@cadre.org>
References: <355694.35008.qm@web44913.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> <a062309abc59f0859ac59@[192.168.1.33]>
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:32:54 -0800
To: Jeremy Rauch <classic2@cadre.org>, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Jan Heine" <heine94@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [CR] The Alex Singer on French Ebay


At 11:02 AM -0500 1/23/09, Jeremy Rauch wrote:
>On Jan 23, 2009, at 12:45 AM, Jan Heine wrote:
>>
>>The derailleurs aren't brazed on. Singer always brazed a little
>>piece on the seat tube that attaches to the hinge of the Huret
>>derailleur, and a little eyelet on the other side to which the bolt
>>attaches. That replaces the front part of the derailleur clamp.
>>Almost every Alex Singer from the 1970s onward has that system.
>
>What the upside to this system? Seems like it would make it
>impossible to raise or lower the front derailleur.

In the 1940s, French cyclotourists frowned upon clamps, because they tend to come loose. In the technical trials, all components had to be brazed-on.

This tradition carried forward, and thus Alex Singer, Rene Herse and a few others used braze-on derailleurs (or made them) in the 1970s on their cyclotouring bikes.

A constructeur bike is designed for a certain rider and with certain components. There never should be a need to raise or lower the front derailleur - you choose a good gear ratio when you buy the bike, and that is it. Of course, front chainrings with a few teeth difference can be accommodated anyhow. My Alex Singer was designed for a different rider who specified a 52-42-32 triple, but I prefer a 48-32 compact double, and the brazed-on front derailleur is just fine.

When you buy a car, you don't usually raise or lower the gear ratio after a few years, either. (Of course, in a car, the engine can be tuned up to restore its power, riders may age and thus have to live with decreasing horsepower ratings.)

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