[CR]Mid 70s Component Choices in the UK

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Chater-Lea)

From: "Peter Brown" <peterg.brown@ntlworld.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 07:15:55 -0000
Subject: [CR]Mid 70s Component Choices in the UK

Peter Kohler wrote:

OK, a general question for our British members...

Suppose it's mid 1970s and you have a top o' the heap British frameset lik e a Harry Quinn. You want to spec the components. Pure racing stuff, no touring or puttering about. So fast and light. What was the prevailing stuff in the clubs back then? In the USA it was of course the usual Campy/Cinelli mix. But what if you want something different? I was thinking it would be nice to have a Huret Jubilee/TA chainset/Maillard 700 hubs/Weinmann or Mavac brakes set up. Of course it's "MY" choice. But did the lads do this back then in the UK i.e. French components or Zeus or did they, like us overhere, go the Campy route if money was no object. I want to be different but I don't want to be laughed out of the club.

You are correct Peter in assuming that Campagnolo were beginning to dominate the market by then, but there were other choices. Last year I sold most of Nephew's equipment for him, and he was racing throughout the mid 70s to early 80s. Transmission was a mixture of Stronglight/TA, with Simplex LJ mechs (though Huret Challenger would also have been a nice choice), coupled with Marcel Berthet pedals. Most of the Super Champion rims were popular then, but he did use Campagnolo hubs (some racing men were still relying on their old Airlites etc.). Brakes were Universal 68s, and bars and stem were Fiamme, although some were still using GB. His saddle was what I thought was a dreadful cheap Unicantor - if he'd had any sense he would have stuck with Brooks.

The good news about the above is that it is all reasonably easy to find in decent condition, and need not cost you a fortune.

Peter Brown. Lincolnshire, England