[CR]NOW:Curly Myth WAS:Hetchins

(Example: Framebuilders:Richard Moon)

From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
References: <12a.1ca5772f.2b22392b@aol.com>
Subject: [CR]NOW:Curly Myth WAS:Hetchins
Date: Fri, 06 Dec 2002 10:07:18 -0700

Bob Hovey wrote:
>
> Please don't think I'm trying to get the Hetchins thread started again
> (heavens no), but Nick Crook sent me this message and I thought the bit about
> the curly stays might be of interest to some folks so I'm reposting it with
> his permission:
>
> ******
> Strange so much fuss about Hetchins, as Harry and family never built the
> frames themselves, leaving it to Jack Denny and others. Also they were quite
>
> a factory, not hand-built in the Richard Sachs sense. Also according to John
>
> Bell, a knowledgeable Yorkshireman who has bought a couple of frames from
>
> me, Hetchins never designed the 'vibrant' or curly back-end. Jack Denny saw
>
> it in Maurice Selbach's workshop and showed interest. Selbach said it did
>
> not work and Denny could use it, which of course he did!
>
> I think it was all down to visual impact at a time when racers were not
>
> allowed to put names on frames - a curly was the best way to advertise a
>
> Hetchins, just as a Diadrant fork advertised a Bates.

Old posting from Hilary Stone:

"This is mostly a myth that bore out of a misunderstanding that has been perpetuated in quite a few places. The RTTC (Road Time Trials Council) did enact a rule in 1938 stating that maker's transfers should not be of a size readily seen in photographs. However this was AFTER most of the funny designs had come into being – Hetchins curly, Bates Cantiflex, Baines Flying Gate, Saxon twin-tube, Granby taper tube, Sun Wasp etc. In fact the only two major funny designs that came after in Britain were the Paris that was built for Road racing (not affected by the rule being governed by the outlaw BLRC organisation) and the Thanet Silverlight built mostly for touring. Hilary Stone"

Chuck Schmidt SoPas, SoCal

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