[CR]this could only happen to me..right? (was re: the virtues of grinding compound)

(Example: History:Norris Lockley)

From: "C. Andrews" <chasds@mindspring.com>
To: <sachshm@cox.net>
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2005 13:38:07 -0700
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]this could only happen to me..right? (was re: the virtues of grinding compound)

Harvey's post about his "what the hell threading is that anyway" inch-pitch cog, reminded me yet again of how it seems like every time I go to assemble another bike in the waiting queue of interesting projects, I run up against some obstacle that just seems designed to thwart me... as if I'm the only person this would ever happen to. Surely no-one else would ever have encountered some of the stuff I have over years of trying to assemble period-correct bikes.

The latest: an interesting Masi Special I'm assembling for the Velo needed some wheels. I had bought some just for this project some months ago on ebay. High-flange Record, Fiamme red rims with the labels still showing, with nice period stainless Stella spokes (the ones with the cool stars stamped in the ends, anyway. Stellas, right?). I had just stuck them on a bike for storage, and never really examined them closely (this is a congenital defect of mine: I tend to discover interesting anomalies in my purchases long after I buy them..).

The rear had a late Shimano freewheel. Which I removed. Lo and behold, whadaya know? No bearing dust-cover. The poor little balls just left out there to fend for themselves. Someone had thoughtfully re-built the hub with new Bullseye grease..as if that would take care of matters. I could not believe it. That was a first. Naturally, the seller did not inform me of that little detail.

Then I started looking at the spokes. And, whadaya know? FIVE of them are replacements. And not just any replacements. But thick straight-guage galvanized, with mile-long spoke nipples .. The original spokes were elegant stainless with small brass nipples. Naturally...the seller did not mention this either.

Lucky for me, I have another wheel with these same spokes, same hub, with a ruined rim, so I took care of the spoke problem..and I cannibalized a dust-cover from a donor hub I've been slowly denuding of its parts for awhile now..

Moral of the story? Not much of one, beyond the entertainment value of no-dust-cover-under-that-freewheel... except that it pays to ask ahead of time, rather than three months after purchase..<g>

Charles Andrews SoCal

Carmen and I will be up at Jay Sexton's ride in Sebastopol next Saturday... we're looking forward to it..I hope folks we know from the Bay area will be there. Be nice to see you again.. And meet some people we've never met!

"What concerns me is not the way things are, but rather the way people think things are."

- Epictitus