Hi Peter,
Thanks for your note. I never intended to say that Robergel were the first, but they are the first datapoint I have. So I say "Robergel in 1939" and you push it back further by saying "Raleigh in 1938." Any others?
One question is have is how "stainless" these spokes really were. I have heard some French grousing that the early stainless spokes were anything but...
I'll post the reply to the CR list, as it is of interest to all.
Jan Heine Editor/Publisher Vintage Bicycle Quarterly c/o Il Vecchio Bicycles 140 Lakeside Ave, Ste. C Seattle WA 98122 http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com
At 6:23 PM -0400 5/29/06, P.C. Kohler wrote:
>Hi Jan
>
>I saw your CR List posting... ss spokes are slightly older than
>1939... Raleigh had them starung the 1938 model year as standard on
>most of their models. Prior to that, c. 1935, they introduced
>chromium plated spokes. Of course, maybe someone else beat Raleigh
>but you know I'd never admit to that.
>
>Kind rgds
>
>Peter