Re: [CR]In defense of "bike boom" French equipment (& Singer report)

(Example: Framebuilding:Restoration)

To: mpetry@bainbridgeisland.net
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 13:44:45 -0500
Subject: Re: [CR]In defense of "bike boom" French equipment (& Singer report)
From: "Richard M Sachs" <richardsachs@juno.com>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

" The bike's fit (62 seat x 59 top) is spot-on for me, and the handlebar bend (a 3-ttt engraved bar that I've never seen before) is really great, very similar to a Cinelli ref. 65 criterium bend - really like it!"

mark those 3T bars have the 'Gimondi' bend. e-RICHIE chester, ct

On Sun, 9 Mar 2003 09:56:06 -0800 "Mark Petry" <mpetry@bainbridgeisland.net> writes:
> I saw this thread from Jan and realized that I owed the list a
> little
> more detailed commentary on the new Singer, inasmuch as it has just
> arrived and has some components that might be considered relevant to
> the
> french bike boom discussion - the Maxicar hubs being a notable
> exception.
>
> Overall - the bike is fabulous - it has a wonderful ride and it is
> a
> thing of beauty to look at. The ride is much more lively than my
> "old"
> Singer, which is a randonneur design - while this one is they call
> a
> "Sportif". It feels responsive and zippy while being very stable -
> no
> flex around the BB, and no front wheel flop (the old bike has a bit
> of
> this). I am planning to RIDE this bike - it will NOT be a wall
> hanger -
> in fact it has already been in a bit of rain - so I may make some
> changes that deviate slightly from the "all classic french"
> configuration.
>
> I concur with Joe B-Z's assessment of the Huret Jubilee's shifting
> characteristics - the lever throw required for a given shift
> (reference
> the Frank Berto derailleur test rig with the protractor on the
> lever) is
> quite a bit more than what I'm used to. The 24t is the biggest cog
> it
> will handle - a 26t is nice to have on hilly Bainbridge Island, and
> altho I do have the 30t front ring, I just don't like to go down on
> the
> granny that much, does'nt feel "macho", ya know? Plus, once the
> freewheel threaded down fully (after I rode it a bit) the Jubilee
> rear
> would not deflect over to the inner cog - the parallelogram would
> not
> deform that far. So I had to add a 1mm spacer under the freewheel
> and
> now it's fine. Changing the rear housing to stainless steel helped
> a
> bit too. I do have to say in the Jubilee's favor is that it never
> feels
> like it is not centered on the gear - there is quite a wide zone
> where
> it sounds "happy" - in contrast to the Campy which wants to be tuned
> "just right" and needs fiddling if the cable slips even a tiny bit.
> The
> front changer is mounted a bit higher than I would have done, and
> the
> levers (Huret design but marked "sachs") are just wonderful -
> smooooth
> as butter and the friction is much easier to adjust to my liking
> than
> with the Campy equivalents.
>
> I added a set of Mathauser pads to the front brakes (mafac racers)
> and
> they now are more than adequate, with very solid feel and good
> modulation. This bike was ordered with a mafac brake setup
> featuring
> the pivots brazed directly into the frame - eliminating the yoke
> and
> single center bolt which is a big source of slop in centerpulls -
> and
> the braking forces are imparted to the frame thru 2 very solidly
> mounted
> brake pivots. Singer used a cross wire with a ball end from the
> Competition series brake - impossible to find - but I have had
> great
> luck with a derailleur cable that fits right into the floating nut
> on
> the Racer and feels VERY solid - that's a mod I'll make "later",
> for
> sure. I have Mafacs on 3 bikes - one set of Racers with the
> "Spence
> Booster Plates - all of which work well but the Mathauser pads are
> a
> vital addition even today. The new style Mafac levers have a large
> and
> flat surface which feels much friendlier to the fingers than the
> old
> style.
>
> The bike's fit (62 seat x 59 top) is spot-on for me, and the
> handlebar
> bend (a 3-ttt engraved bar that I've never seen before) is really
> great,
> very similar to a Cinelli ref. 65 criterium bend - really like it!
> Might add some blue foam tape just to damp out the "pave" if you
> know
> what I mean, vice the single layer of Tressostar that is on there
> now.
> And that fabricated Singer stem - slender, chromed, very elegant -
> with
> my name engraved on the top button is even nicer to look at than
> the
> embossed cap on a threadless Chris King. Singer also installed
> some
> cool "old style" TA bolts - acorn nut style - on the chainwheels
> that
> remind me of the set Grant Handley had on ebay - no bid at $50.00!
> They
> did not install the tres cool TA sealed bearing BB - I'm going to
> order
> that however.
>
> Couple other neat details worth mentioning - the Maxicar hubs are
> really
> pretty (altho the axle hardware is a bit less refined in appearance
> than
> the equivalent parts on a Campy hub) and the rear dropouts -
> vertical,
> machined from plate - are FAR superior to the 1010As when fenders
> are
> installed. That rear wheel just drops right out of there. And the
> alloy fenders - with blue stripe painted to match the bike - offer
> excellent rain protection (that's important here in the Pacific
> Northwest) and they DO NOT RATTLE.
>
> All in all, quite a machine, and I'm very pleased with it - but
> just
> like any new bike there are fine adjustments and some "tuning"
> required
> to get it to the point where it truly becomes an extension of your
> body
> - which I think is the essence of a really fine machine, that is,
> you
> are'nt even aware of it. And the Singer definitely qualifies on
> that
> score.
>
> Special offer - I will have this bike at the "cirque" (sans fenders)
> and
> anybody who can get over it can take it around the block!
>
> =====================================================
> Mark Petry 206.618.9642
> Beautiful Bainbridge Island, WA
> mpetry@bainbridgeisland.net
>
> =====================================================
> "Most of American life consists of driving
> somewhere and then returning home, wondering
> why the hell you went."
>
> John Updike, "Rabbit at Rest"
> =====================================================