[CR] The sound of freewheels - the perfect stalking iron

(Example: Framebuilders:Dario Pegoretti)

To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Toni Theilmeier" <toni.theilmeier@t-online.de>
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:59:08 +0100
Subject: [CR] The sound of freewheels - the perfect stalking iron


If it is silence people prefer in freewheels, my idea is that nothing is quieter than a good old Fichtel & Sachs Torpedo single speed coaster

hub.

It even came in a "Renntorpedo" (racing Torpedo) version, slightly narrower than the standard one, to accomodate up to five, more commonly

three, cogs for a derailleur. No pawls, no clicking, because it employs

the famous roller clutch system which was copied world wide, and not only in bikes, but also in car hub freewheels (DKW) and automatic winding watch mechanisms (Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic, some Soviet calibers).

For all those single-speed afficionados the standard version will do and certainly is to be found easily even now (which can´t be said of

the Renntorpedo).

It would be a real challenge to make the Torpedo lose weight from about

two pounds to something more acceptable by machining a light alloy shell with steel liners for clutch and braking surfaces.

Regards, Toni Theilmeier, Belm, Germany, who uses a Torpedo regularly

in his Post Office carrier bike to lug home the shopping.

P.S.: Still using analog dial-up internet, so please don´t send photos

or scans.