[Classicrendezvous] Record cranks, 3/16" balls, Frejus plug, Falcon and more ramblings

(Example: Framebuilders:Chris Pauley)

Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2000 22:44:00 -0700
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Joseph Bender-Zanoni" <jfbender@umich.edu>
Subject: [Classicrendezvous] Record cranks, 3/16" balls, Frejus plug, Falcon and more ramblings

By way of dates my '65 Frejus has 151mm BCD cranks and the 3/16" balls (I think they are the original set!). The bike has probably ridden this bike 400 miles since I got it together a month ago. It is one sweet ride. Cycling + shows Ferdi Kubler on his Frejus and with Frejus shorts circa 1950 in the new issue. Also the bike of world champions Olmo, Martano, Bartali, Cinelli, Bizzi, Valetti, Messina, Baldini, Poblet, Bobet, Balmamion and Maspes.

That sure looks like the top line Falcon with 531. I would expect great paint and chrome with a little extra brass here and there. When I was a junior racing in Brookdale Park in NJ there was a guy attending all the races who was a jeweler. He had the same Falcon, with all the parts polished and gold plated. I am talking about the aluminium parts. List member Chris Beyer just talked to me about a Falcon bought at a shop in Nutley NJ. I suspect that Ramon Orero's little shop in Nutley might have sold Falcon. If anyone has any information on Orero or knows where decals could be found please let me know.

Some interesting e-bay purchases came in this week. The poor mans ASC, a Dana 3-speed unit for an ashtabula style crank and a last generation Schwinn Superior for my wife. The Dana is heavy and has a Q factor of about 7" (ouch). On the other hand I have a circa 1910 frame it should go an nicely. It seems very rugged. The Superior is neat, the last of the Chicago built, fillet brazed bikes going back to the 1890's. A Nervar crank- what a misguided company. The unanodized aluminium dust caps were fuzed into the cranks. I'll spare the gory details but luckily the cap threads sheared before the crank threads! It has Huret retrofiction shifters. They are so nice feeling it is sinful!

Joe