To be very clear about this, the very first Lambert's had tapered bb spindles and standard cup and cone bottom brackets. They looked very like TA or Stronglight stuff.
I sold those bikes from the beginning at my second bike shop job, in about 1973.
Then, in the 2nd or 3rd year, they phased in their unique (and ill advised) straight non-taper version.
I think it was not until change to the Viscount name that the tapered spindle came back.
The original rear derailleur was a copy of the Huret Svelto. Brakes were more like Universal 61s than Weinamnn as the had no "balance button" in between the arms and thus were (are) a pain to center.
The company did change ownership a number of times and the "death fork" had at least two versions until the recall happened under Yamaha (the Japanese motorcycle co.) a few years ago Ken Toda and I took apart a death fork at the crown juncture and it was indeed scary. What could they have been thinking?
Dale Brown cycles de ORO Bike Shop 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 USA 336-274-5959 http://cyclesdeoro.com http://www.classicrendezvous.com http://www.carolinacup.com http://www.greensborovelo.com http://www.bikegso.org http://nbda.com
-----Original Message----- From: Mark Stonich <mark@bikesmithdesign.com> To: Sent: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 3:20 pm Subject: Re: [CR]Lambert-Viscount sealed B-B
At 3/20/2008 09:44 AM -0700, Mike Larsen wrote:?
> I know the value of good tubing?
?
Really?? ?
?I've never seen a Lambert that wasn't 1020 steel. The same soft crap Raleigh 3 speeds were made from, but just not enough of it to survive much of an impact. In appropriate diameter to thickness ratios 1020 fails "nice", but too thin it will fold like a house of cards. Which a few Lamberts did.? ?
When I bought one I mentioned the 1020 sticker to the salesman. He assured me that British alloy designations were different than US and that their 1020 was equivalent to our 4130. I was a newbie and got suckered in.? ?
"Light, cheap, strong - Pick any two."? ?
BTW later Vicounts had a tapered BB spindle that fit the original bearings. My Lambert sat unusable for a couple of years, only to be resurrected (with steel fork) when the new spindle became available.? ?
Mark Stonich;?
? BikeSmith Design & Fabrication?
? 5349 Elliot Ave S. Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417 USA?
? Ph. (612) 824-2372 http://bikesmithdesign.com
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