Alf Hetchin stocked and sold these Triplex rear mechs in about 1973. Alf was always very generous to the Norland Combine schoolboys and use to let them have these gears for free or next to nothing. There were two reasons for his generosity,he liked to encourage the next generation of cyclists and he got some excellent free road testing on products he might want to sell. The Norland Combine is the Association of North London Cycling Clubs. My old club the Stevenage CC. had some very promising schoolboys about this time, they all road free Triplex rear mechs courtesy of Hetchins. The Triplex was a good cheap gear of its time, and stood up to a lot of punishment and wear. I used one on my hack (everyday) bike for a long time and was riding at least 14000 miles a year way back then. Now lucky to get in about 5200 per year. We in the Stevenage CC. mostly rode Hetchins as hacks in the 70's wish we had all hung onto them. My old Brilliant curly No.2 is still about and is ridden my a VCC member to a lot of events. Regarding the other Spanish equipment makers I have used Zeus hubs and chain sets and have found them to be of excellent quality. I still have a Zeus 2000 Criterium chain set, the one with the crank cut-outs and ring drilling's. Use to ride this way back when, I weighed all of 9 stone wet through then. Would not want to trust putting my 13 stone on it now! Finally a lot of people use to say Alf Hetchin was a miserable old b---er I always found the opposite he was always kind, generous and very helpful. Wish I could say this about his builder Jack ? now there was a old misery.
Thats all for now. Keep those wheels spinning, in your memories if not still on the road. Be lucky Mick Butler Huntingdon UK.
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