Jan wrote, in part:
>
> However, modern bottom brackets are lighter than traditional ones... so
> when you compare a TA or Stronglight BB and crank together with a modern
> integrated system, you end up with a few extra grams.
>
True, but remember that Stronglight made a really nice, sturdy and very light weight titanium BB spindle with alloy cups. Although not an eBay staple, they certainly show up every few months. A bit exotic, but to my mind, no more so than Campag's current Record BB. Curious how the complete Stronglight set-up with the ti BB would compare to the current Campag Record set-up. I'd wager the older Stronglight setup weighs less.
Eric Elman
Somers, CT USA
<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 1:24 AM Subject: Re: [CR]lightest 70s cranks?
> At 5:15 PM -0800 12/1/07, Charles Andrews wrote:
>>what was the lightest crank in the 1970s? If you were a weight-geek
>>then, and you wanted to put the lightest possible double-chainring alloy
>>crankset on your bike, which one would you use? I'm thinking a factory
>>crank, not one milled and drilled aftermarket.
>
> The TA Pro 5 vis (also known as "Cyclotourist") or Stronglight 49D were
> very light, even by today's standards. The current Bicycle Quarterly has
> an article on these cranks. We weighed them at 533 g. for a set of 175 mm
> arms, 46-32 rings, all hardware. These are the current-production ones.
> The 1940s Stronglight 49D were a bit lighter...
>
> These cranks weigh a little less than a 2006 Campagnolo Record Carbon
> crankset.
>
> However, modern bottom brackets are lighter than traditional ones... so
> when you compare a TA or Stronglight BB and crank together with a modern
> integrated system, you end up with a few extra grams.
>
> Jan Heine
> Editor
> Bicycle Quarterly
> 140 Lakeside Ave #C
> Seattle WA 98122
> http://www.bikequarterly.com