Re: [CR]The Dreaded Helicomatic

(Example: Framebuilders:Jack Taylor)

Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:19:01 -0700
From: "Rich Pinder" <rpinder@usc.edu>
Subject: Re: [CR]The Dreaded Helicomatic
In-reply-to: <841431.16277.qm@web82203.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
To: classic <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <841431.16277.qm@web82203.mail.mud.yahoo.com>


My Trek 610 has one - and I've ridden the heck out of it (I'm about 205'lbs.... ). Couple years of my 'ride to work' bike, plus several trips up north - no problems to report.

rich pinder van nuys ca

Jerome & Elizabeth Moos wrote:
> I have a couple of Helicomatics, and I like them. It's been written that they wore out bearings and maybe broke spokes, but I have seen no evidence of this. Now, I am usually about 165 lbs (about 10 llbs overweight), and I don't ride any one bike thousands of miles a year. So if a 250 lb owner put in 200 miles a week on this stuff maybe the supposed issues would arise. But that is true of a lot of European lightweight equipment, it simply wasn't designed with large overweight Americans in mind.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jerry Moos
> Big Spring, Texas, USA
>
> Tromper <growfmonster@comcast.net> wrote:
> Howdy again folks,
>
> I have actual acquired & am in process of drooling on my old Trek 720 - it
> has minimal miles on it, but it does have the dreaded Helicomatic.
> Actually I kinda like 'em but you mostly can't get parts for 'em. I have
> the old tool around somewhere... I checked out
> http://www.yellowjersey.org/helico.html which was great data, but I'm
> curious - are these as bad as folks say aka should I swap it to a cassette
> hub of some flavor,& save this wheel for special occasions or if I decide to
> donate the bike to a museum, or is it reasonably safe to ride (aka tour) on
> this?
>
> Additionally if anyone knows which helicomatic was used on the 720 that
> would be real helpful.
>
> Thanks for your thoughts on this.

>

> Jon Tromp

> Seattle, WA