...Dr. H is right in all respects...
I found Mr. Juner, whose day-job was machinist at American Cystoscope Inc.) most fascinating in that he remembered many long forgotten NYC/Bronx builders, like Willi Applehans, Lance Claudell, and others (Claudell's story is most interesting-- his near- invalid but iron-willed wife continued to run a bike shop after his death; right up until 1990 or so, her shop was located on Broadway in upper Manhattan, in the shadow of what had once been the Bronx Velodrome)...
Any Bronxites know more about this lady? I remember her vividly-- used to visit the shop in my high scholl days, having no idea her husband had been a frame builder (on Heath Avenue)...
A well-remembered quote of Adolph's regarding build-quality that I recall ( in praphrase) to this day: with the British, the quality of the frames imported was the same on the 1st, the hundreth, and the five-hundreth. With the Italians, you had to keep going back to the works to complain every few frames or so..
Joe LaTassa
Hellertown, PA
From: George Hollenberg <ghollmd@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [CR] Juner bike shop To: oroboyz@aol.com Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Thursday, August 13, 2009, 9:43 PM
I met Adolph Juner in about 1957, when I was a teenager. He was one of the best people I have ever known and had a profound influence on my young life. As a member of the German Bicycle Sport Club (GBSC) he mentored me and helped me to train, etc. I admired him and he tolerated me. My folks didn't approve of me racing bikes, but they liked Mr. Juner so much that that my dad would bring me to train and to events if Mr. Juner was there. He supplied the GBSC members with bikes and parts, etc., at very reasonable prices. He worked out of his home, 60 Earley Street, City, Island, Bronx NY (I still remember his old phone number). In the 1950's he sold mostly bikes like Frejus and Fiorelli, etc. Cinellis were the top of the line. Hetchins, etc. came later. Aside from being an excellent cyclist, Mr. Juner was an first rate sailor and machinist. But more importantly he was a first class person. George Hollenberg MD CT, USA PS: What was left of his bikes, etc., was quickly bought up after his demise. The real treasure, his spirit, like the Treasure of the Sierra Madre, couldn't be bought.
On Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 9:04 PM, <oroboyz@aol.com> wrote:
> <<?r. ADOLPH ?Juner's shop on City Island, was redolent of both
> fiberglass-curing boat-hull smells, as well as the more pedestrian old-bike
> cycle-shop smells to which Bianca refers...
> Adolph pursued?both loves, while also importing Hetchins, Olmo and sundry
> other classy cycle-stuff...>>
>
>
>
>
> Thanks Joe:
>
> While we are talking about legendary bike shops, do you know the story of
> this "East coast" Juner shop? I had heard that they were a major importer of
> Hetchins in it's hey day.. I also heard that this shop was boarded up for
> years with treasure locked inside? Anyone know the truth?
>
>
>
>
> Thanks,
> Dale
>
>
> Dale Brown
> Greensboro, North Carolina USA
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joseph LaTassa <coffee18@verizon.net>
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org; Bianca Pratorius <biankita@comcast.net
> >
> Sent: Thu, Aug 13, 2009 8:24 pm
> Subject: Re: [CR] Juner/Special bike shop smells
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ...It's worth noting that Mr Juner, that is, Mr. ADOLPH ?Juner's shop on
> City
> Island, was redolent of both fiberglass-curing boat-hull smells, as well as
> the
> more pedestrian old-bike cycle-shop smells to which Bianca refers...
> ?
> Adolph pursued?both loves, while also importing Hetchins, Olmo and sundry
> other
> classy cycle-stuff...?
> Joe LaTassa
> Hellertown, PA
>
> --- On Thu, 8/13/09, Bianca Pratorius <biankita@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> From: Bianca Pratorius <biankita@comcast.net>
> Subject: [CR] Special bike shop smells
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Date: Thursday, August 13, 2009, 6:09 PM
>
>
> Old bike shops used to have a special smell of rubber, wood, grease,
> proofhide,
> and sweat. When biking became an upper middle class venture that attracts
> the
> fancy of yuppie dilletants, the special smells had to go. Guys who are
> fresh
> from work who have polished nails or designer jeans if it's their day off,
> would
> be repulsed by those smells. If they brought the girlfriend for matching
> his and
> hers helmets, there would be the expectation that bottled water would be
> provided, there should be ample and complimentary lighting and a nice
> carpeted
> area complete with a clean well padded couch and chairs. When you and your
> significant other are dropping ten thousand dollars you want a non
> threatening
> stylish environment in which to shop. The dark stuffy confusing shops like
> Mr.
> Juners American Cylery or Avenia's NYC shop are just as much a put off for
> the
> dilletants as they catnip for we, the scoundrels of old steel.
>
> Now, that said, the new riders who like the new bike plastic smells (if
> there
> are any to be had) are not worse riders for all their misguided confusion.
> They
> are just as fast or faster than the steel scoundrels of our past. But I
> insist
> the magic is not there in those carbon fibers. The speed is ... the
> handling is
> ... the excitement and endorphin high of a hard ride is still there but
> there is
> still something so important missing. Where is the oddness ... the
> individuality
> ... the small manufacturer quirkiness? Where is the artfullness for the
> sake of
> art? Where did the mystery go? Where is the leather, the fine delicate
> lines of
> small diameter tubes that almost unbelievably can support our weight? Where
> are
> the beautiful metal riveted headbadges? Where are the embellishments, the
> artisan's interpretation of lug design? Where is the skill in reaching down
> to
> find the perfect rear derailleur placement?
>
> Those special smells are the like the smell of leather of an old vintage
> car or
> wood when its been freshly sanded down. Ever walk near a boat shop when
> they're
> repairing a fiberglass hull? If you like that odor maybe you'll have
> trouble
> liking the smell of old bike.
>
> Garth Libre in Miami Fl. USA
> _______________________________________________
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
-- George
George Hollenberg MD
CT, USA