Re: [CR] Nervex or Vagner fork crowns???

Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:19:53 -0800
From: "verktyg" <verktyg@aol.com>
To: Jay Dubiel <zoomdog@pure.net>, Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, verktyg@aol.com
References: <4BA6174E.9080701@pure.net>
In-Reply-To: <4BA6174E.9080701@pure.net>
Subject: Re: [CR] Nervex or Vagner fork crowns???

Greetings Jay,

The orange fork has a Nervex DuBois style fork crown. The purple fork has what looks like a Nervex D/B.Randonneur Feature Cut No. 7 crown.

Check out the 2 Nervex crowns at the bottom of the page in this link:

>http://tinyurl.com/y8a38dx<

Note, the Professional Racing Feature Cut No. 5 fork crown had the fancy "tines".

The chevrons on the tops of Nervex crowns ended with a flat at the outside edge. They appear to have been stamped in when the crowns were being formed.

Scroll down to the bottom of this excellent link on Nervex lugs. The top of the fork crown in the box of Nervex lugs show the chevrons clearly.

>http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/components/nervex.html<

Nervex also made DuBois fork crowns with smooth tops, sans chevrons. They were slightly "semi-sloping". Scroll down to the closeups on page 2:

>http://tinyurl.com/ybhqn3q<

Also, many Nervex crowns had V shaped blade supports on the inner surfaces like on the orange fork. The purple fork doesn't have that feature which would match the Feature Cut No. 7 crown.

Wagner fork crowns had chevrons that came to a point. These crowns were also available with a flat top sans chevrons.

They were were forged steel Nervex crowns were stamped from heavy gage steel sheet metal then welded across the bottom. See CR link for pictures of Wagner crowns:

>http://www.classicrendezvous.com/France/wagner_fork_crowns.htm<

I'm sure there were lots of exceptions to this information. Those crowns went through many changes and variations over the span of those company's life times. There were lots of knock-off crowns too.

Chas. Colerich Oakland, CA USA

Jay Dubiel wrote:
> In the attached photo links to early 70's fork crowns, I have seen these
> described/called Nervex and also Vagner. Did they copy each other? If
> they did, are there distinctions between them to determine which is
> which? Can someone one this list please identify and clarify? Or maybe a
> member of the Frame Builders List ( of which I am not a member ) can
> chime in?
>
> http://s517.photobucket.com/albums/u335/gypsybike/RESEARCH%20MATERIALS/?action=view&current=000acrown1.jpg
>
> http://s517.photobucket.com/albums/u335/gypsybike/RESEARCH%20MATERIALS/?action=view&current=000acrown2.jpg
>
> Jay Dubiel
> Halifax, VA USA