----- Original Message ----- Jerry wrote:
Finally, checking the storage yesterday, I was disappointed to find that the Zeus hoods on the NOS Super Cronos brakes I built this up with a year ago, plus NOS Zeus hoods I installed on the 2000 brakes on my wife's ALAN Competition at the same time have split already, just sitting in the enclosed, though not climate-controlled storage. Thus they lasted only about a year even with very little use. They were gum hood, which usually don't last as long as non-gum, but one year with nealy no use seems ridiculous. Anyone else experience Zeus gum hoods being fragile, even by gum standards?
To which I respond:
I had a similar experience. Although mine weren't in climate-controlled storage, they weren't exposed to UV or ozone from electrical motors. A NOS brakeset, they looked OK out of the box, if a bit thin, and have crumbled to bits in the space of about 3 years.
I'd like to know what the best fit would be for replacement hoods. It would certainly be nice if the Weinmann pattern ones that Velo-Orange offers for $10 would work but I expect that a Campagnolo pattern will be required.
Charlie Young
Honey Brook, Pennsylvania USA