Paul,
I agree with you on this one. I'm not a big fan of Italian frames, and maybe I'm overstating this but it seems to me that many Italian frames remained the same for quite a few years with almost no change in basic design, or maybe it's my ignorance of Italian frames showing through. I look at Hetchins, and many other British builders who over time continually changed frame designs. This is why I stay a fan of British frames.
Regards,
Peter Naiman
Glendale, WI
USA
From: Paul A. Grens <pgrens@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [CR] Hetchins keyhole lug pattern frame/fork To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010, 4:45 PM
Howdy Mike, Harvey,
Well, to present the other side of the coin, I rather like the keyholes in the lugs. It's nice to see lug cut-outs that differ from the card suit standard set by the Italians. The fork crown lug is also a nice departure, too. Were it my size, I'd be interested.
Cheers,
Paul Grens Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Message: 5 Date: Sun, 16 May 2010 14:58:09 -0400 From: Harvey Sachs <hmsachs@verizon.net> Subject: [CR] Hetchins keyhole lug pattern frame/fork...was Masi prices To: hersefan@comcast.net, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Message-ID: <4BF04041.7010001@verizon.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
Mike Kone wrote:
we just put a Hetchins keyhole lug pattern frame/fork on ebay - lots of patina but really really cool. It is 55ct and a bit over 56cm cc top tube.
It is from 1980's and according to the Hetchins org website, it is a pre-Bob Jackson example. The frame/fork, is set at $645 with buy-it-now.
The link is:
http://ebay.com/
Mike - My only Hetchins is from the 70's, and a "modern" Italia Spyder. I don't know much about the marque, but the one at auction saddens me a bit. Somehow, the lug slots/holes, the "keyhole" effect, just read funny to me. They don't seem to flow with the shorelines or shapes of the lugs. It's particularly true for those on the sides of the head lugs. Of course, this is just my esthetic opinion, just as some folks prefer brunettes to blondes. Has nothing to do with performance, but that and the fork just don't have coherence for me.
Good luck with finding her a new home; I'm sure that someone with different preferences will love the bike.
harvey sachs
mcLean va.