Hello Dirk,
Thank You very much for Your kind and fast response - I post back my answer to the whole community, as this might be of some interest for more people.
Of course I know Norwid, from information I collected. I also know about the technical problems (the special drop outs). I was - for a while - thinking about going to Mr. Pallesen, Idworx and Velotraum and some others seem to be serious builders aswell, but they build Traveller-bicycles in a Trecking/MTB-look. ( I know, Mr. Pallesen builts Randonneurs in a "classic "style, equipped wit a racing handlebar.)
When I first saw Alex Singer bikes I immediately "fell in love" with them. I know the Norwid, and I am quite sure Mr. Pallesen is one of the best living German constructeurs. Also, I have no doubt about the perfect finish and the absolute quality of his bicycles.
The thing is: once I have taken a decision, I do it that way. I can live with the Campy-10 speed solution Olivier Csuka told me to put on the bike. The Rohloff - as a technical and very functionnal incredible invention - fascinates me. But I hope I'm still young enough to realize that idea on another bike, - maybe with Mr. Pallesen.
I shall follow Your advice and let Olivier do it the way he thinks is best.
I wanted to have some opinion about my idea, and in this case, I can see that if I go to A.S., I'll have a "modern classic", high quality bicycle. If I want to own a bike with the features I mentioned, I'll have to change my way of thinking and ... start another project !! ( don't let my wife know that)
I know, all this is a little bit off-topic here. But I'm working on another vintage project right now ( all by myself, that one) and I'll post some pics through Flickr as soon as it is done. It will be a total low-budget project: the "Champion" as an every-day classic. As it is, but technically working.
Best regards to all, thanks again, Dirk
Jean-Marie Biwer Basbellain, Luxembourg, Europe
Le 29 mars 10 à 20:53, Dirk Feeken a écrit :
> Jean Marie,
>
> I wouldn\u2019t order an Alex Singer with a Rohloff internal gear hub.
> This hub
> requires special drop outs, special parts, cable routing and Rohloff
> know
> how, if the result has to be an integrated constructeur bike and I
> doubt
> that the Singer shop has this kind of special Rohloff-experience.
> The Rohloff hub is quite famous here in Germany among \u201cserious
> everyday
> cyclists\u201d and the German high end frame builders know how to built
> Rohloff
> bikes, probably the best is Rudolf Pallesen with his Norwid bikes
> http://www.norwid.de
> For example http://www.norwid.de/
> He\u2019s not only a KOF but has an almost "modern Herse" like approach
> if it
> comes to construct an integrated bicycle with generator, gear hubs,
> first
> class light systems, internal cables, a lot of special parts,
> excellent
> workmanship, the combination of a Rohloff hub with randonneur bars
> (which is
> not foreseen by Rohloff) etc\u2026 etc.. His speciality are lugged
> stainless
> steel frames which last for eternity and are real workhorses for
> decades of
> everyday use.
> Another comparable tiny german manufacturer with a bit more French
> appeal is
> Guylaine http://www.guylaine.de who is famous for randonneurs but have also
> built a
> lot of Rohloff equipped bikes.
>
> If you really want an Alex Singer follow Oliviers recommendation,
> but if you
> want the best Rohloff equipped bike go for a Norwid.
>
> Dirk
> (An Alex Singer, a Norwid and a Guylaine in his stable, using his
> Guylaine
> for 20 years daily)
>
> --
> Dirk Feeken
> Heidelberg
> Germany
>
>
>
>
jmbr@pt.lu