Thanks, Edward. It's nice to learn that Alan's designation was correct for the pre-war RRA. But, it seems weird that the top-line RRA actually started out with what I think is a second-rate, unattractive, splined, crankset. I wonder why. Any thoughts?
harvey sachs mcLean va
Edward Albert wrote:
> Harvey et. al.
> I am sorry to disagree but the early RRA's had the exact crankset that
> Allan has up on Ebay. Please to to my website http://www.vintagebikelife.com
> http://www.vintagebikelife.com click on main menu, then on "general
> update and information" There you will find a PDF file. It is an
> article from Cycling Oct 9, 1935 showing the RRA that was released the
> year before. Look closely at the crankset. It is definitely the one
> Allen is showing and not the one that Peter put up a picture of.
> Edward Albert
> Chappaqua, N.Y., U.S.A.
>
> On Sun, Jan 10, 2010 at 8:30 AM, Harvey Sachs <hmsachs@verizon.net
> <mailto:hmsachs@verizon.net>> wrote:
>
> Thanks, Peter Kohler, for pointing out Alan Cote's error, that his
> cranks for sale (eBay 180454670191) are lower line Lenton rather
> than Raleigh Record Ace, and for the reference to your pictures of
> the actual RRA cranks http://tinyurl.com/
>
> Given Alan's notes on the history of the item, I'm sure it was
> inadvertent. Still, for those grounded in cotterless aluminum who
> wonder how us old guys find some of the legacy steel so attractive,
> it's worthwhile to look at both pairs of cranks. I call out two
> differences: The first is construction. The real RRA is a forging,
> as used also by Magistroni, Stronglight, and others for their
> top-line units. Note the smooth fillet where spider joins arm. The
> Lenton attaches a stamped spider with a forged (or cast) crank with
> a splined fitting, a much less expensive manufacturing operation.
> The other difference is aesthetics. The RRA just plain has grace of
> form. slender everywhere, honoring the strength of the material and
> manufacturing process. The Lenton just plain looks cruder with its
> large circle of sheet metal surrounding the spline fitting.
>
> One of my favorite steel cranks is the late cotterless Campagnolo
> 3-arm, although I think the RRA is even prettier. Personally, I
> think I prefer the Paramount to the RRA. Of course, beauty is in the
> eye of the beholder, but construction methods are objective.
>
> harvey sachs
> mcLean VA
>
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