[CR] Poor design, was FREJUS Hubs Revisited

(Example: History)

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:29:01 -0500
From: "Harvey Sachs" <hmsachs@verizon.net>
To: <devotion_finesse@hotmail.com>, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR] Poor design, was FREJUS Hubs Revisited


Matthew Bowne wrote: A few days back, I posted an inquiry as to who might have manufactured a pair of hubs I saw that were stamped "Frejus" on the barrel. They were quite lovely 1-piece alloy shells with "D" shaped cut-outs, sort of reminiscent of the first-gen Dura Ace high-flange hubs. Most Frejus bikes I have seen have been outfitted with either F.B. or Campy a bit later. I snapped some pics of the mystery hubs last evening, only to have them identified moments later by our own Steven Maasland. The hubs were manufactured by S.I.A.M.T., a Torino-based company (like Frejus) who mostly made motorcycle parts. The hubs date to the 1940's-50's. If anybody has any further info on either SIAMT or these hubs in particular, please share with The List. I have posted pics to my Wool Jersey Gallery at the link below:

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/Devotion/Frejus/

Lastly, I of course now have a burning in my heart and a hole in my life that can only be filled by owning a pair. If you dig some up and want them to have a happy, polished, re-packed home in sunny Brooklyn, you know who to look up... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Matthew, be careful what you wish for: you might not want it if you get it. Seriously, the pictures are excellent and much appreciated. Very dramatic design of the flanges. But, the picture from the back shows that the rear hub left flange is about as far outboard (to the left) as possible, maximizing the dish on that track hub. Now, I'm not a rocket scientist, but the lateral forces on a rear wheel are small (until you slide sideways into a curb) relative to those on a front wheel. I'm quite convinced that the less dish the better, for all sorts of reasons, and that the flange could have been brought in a cm or more w/o any hazard.

To be sure, this is less an issue with a track hub than a road one. The late 50s early 60s Normandy HF was configured like this, and was a notorious right-side spoke-breaker, because of the huge forces required to compensate for the near perpendicular lacing. They eventually moved the flange in, to a position like that on the Campy HF road hubs. Worked better.

harvey sachs
mcLean VA