[CR]RE: Cosmos,End of Zeus,Lever hoods

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2007)

From: "Stockwell, Brad" <BRAD.STOCKWELL@mpp.cpii.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2001 13:46:17 -0800
Subject: [CR]RE: Cosmos,End of Zeus,Lever hoods

COSMOS: In answer to Jerry's query regarding Zeus Cosmos: I never heard of it 'til yesterday! I steadfastly maintain my ignorance, er, innocence.

END OF ZEUS: Come to think of it, I don't even know when Zeus SA went sprockets-up. My last contact with Zeus Cyclery NY NY USA was in '86, after they had moved from Stone St. to Rockville Center or something. On that occasion I ordered a set of brake lever hoods - and was sorely disappointed to find that the excellent, thin, translucent, gel-soft natural gum hoods of the seventies had been replaced by opaque hard brown plastic-like hoods which cracked within a year. I had also ordered replacement brake quick-release-cam-mechanism parts for some 2001 sidepulls, and the replacement parts were all-around less good than their earlier forebears. The chrome was flaking, the fit was poor, and the stamped-in logo was so shallow it almost wasn't there.

I remember thinking back then: I don't know what's going on, but it looks like I'm on my own!

LEVER HOODS: Actually, one of the projects that's been on my list for awhile is an attempt to mold my own brake lever hoods using some light-brown RTV mold material from the TAP Plastics chain store. I envision making a dummy lever body of aluminum, and then temporarily gluing an old hood to it and making a 3-part outer mold of silicone mold-making material around it. If the mold-making went well enough, who knows, maybe I could try to find some natural gum rubber somewhere - anybody know where you get it? As you know, a Campy lover just has to raise the sum of $36 for new hoods, but if you have Zeus there's no amount of money that will get 'em (although I must admit I recently bought an entire brakeset and the motivation was mostly to get my hands on the hoods!).

Note for more credulous list members: I'll probably never actually accomplish the aforementioned scheme, but a guy can dream, can't he?

Brad Stockwell
Palo Alto