In the '70s I heard of acid-dipping frames to reduce tubind wall thickness, but I can't say I saw an example.
Drilling was common, of course, and at least the Chicago shops like Turin and the old Village Cyclery knew that less weight sells for more. Lot's of us kids dreamed about less weight for free, and now we can get less weight as the norm, at least from a '70s perspective.
Ken Freeman Ann Arbor, MI
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of neil foddering Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2005 7:00 AM To: martin@camelot.de; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: RE: [CR]serious "Weight Weenieism - when did it start?
In the 1930's, Buckley Brothers of London advertised their Model C as "The Lightest Racing Cycle Built", weighing 13 pounds. Various makers listed models below 18 pounds (Fenton's 17 pound "Super-Zip" for example). In the 1800's, I believe that a racing Ordinary (high bicycle) was built at around 11 pounds by a well-known maker (I forget whcih one, and can't find the reference). And perhaps hobby horse owners infested their machines with woodworm in a quest for lightness...? :-)
Neil Foddering Weymouth, England
>From: "Martin Appel" <martin@camelot.de>
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]serious "Weight Weenieism - when did it start?
>Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 12:26:58 +0100
>
>i had a discussion with a friend last night about "serious weight
>weenieism" - the hunt for grams.... (in lack of a better word for it).
>in its modern sense.
>
>But what about the history.
>So, this list has "The vintage lightweight racing bike" as title.
>Sure it must have been known even to the founders of our sport back in
>the beginning of the 20th century, that a bike (usually) is faster,
>esp. uphill, when its lighter.
>
>But when started Weight Weenieism? Can there be a date put to it?
>
>i can see a few milestones, like
>
>- first Titanium production frames (~1974)
>- occurrence of "Drillium" (seventies????)
>- ultralight rims by Nisi, Mavic scratch 260g (late 70ies)
>
>what other Milestones can you think of?
>
>but what was earlier, 60ies, 50ies? did everybody just put stock parts
>on his bike and that was it?
>
>Or has even back then existed a group of riders who went shopping with
>lab scales...?
>
>Martin Appel
>Munich, BY