I would guess that it is cheap and easy to stamp. I believe Trek made some frames in the early 80s with lugged DOs. The lugs would make it easy to mass produce.
Steve Leitgen La Crosse, WI
On May 6, 2006, at 9:06 AM, Don Wilson wrote:
> I've always wondered why drop outs were attached
> tongue in groove rather than by a lug (i.e., a stay
> inserted into a cylindrical end on a dropout). A lug
> would seem a stronger joint and, could likely be
> engineered and machined to be quite light. Fabrication
> seems technologically feasible. Assembly seems no more
> difficult, perhaps even easier. A lugged bike might
> look more unified (and beautiful) in appearance with
> matching lugs at the frame ends and frame joints,
> rather than tongue in groove at the frame ends and
> lugs at the frame joints? Perhaps the KOF frame
> builders could weigh in here and explain why tongue in
> groove is preferred. I assume it must be superior for
> some reason, or it would not be done, but I'd like to
> understand why?
>
> Don Wilson
> Los Olivos, CA
>
> D.C. Wilson dcwilson3@yahoo.com
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