Re: [CR] Stainless steel frame before there was stainless? eBay outing...

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing)

In-Reply-To: <900056.68612.qm@web110305.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
References: <900056.68612.qm@web110305.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:48:40 -0700
To: Tom Jue <fyrtom@yahoo.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Jan Heine" <heine94@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [CR] Stainless steel frame before there was stainless? eBay outing...


At 7:57 PM -0700 3/29/09, Tom Jue wrote:
>A very unique example of something for the vintage time capsule. Not min
>e nor related to it:
>http://tinyurl.com/dhdqz7
>
>Tom M. Jue
>San Francisco, CA USA

In the late 1940s (1947?), Rene Herse showed a stainless steel frame at a bike show. I don't know what happened to it, and I don't think any more were built. But stainless steel has been around much longer than just since the 1970s. I have a vague memory that British builders experimented with the material as well.

Stainless steel spokes (Robergel) have been around since the 1930s. They had a reputation for premature failure, but they were stainless steel nonetheless.

Jan Heine
Editor
Bicycle Quarterly
140 Lakeside Ave #C
Seattle WA 98122
http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com