[CR] Frame stiffness NOW Frames Getting Soft and 753

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Date: Tue, 6 Jul 2010 20:49:04 -0400
From: "Angel Garcia" <veronaman@gmail.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR] Frame stiffness NOW Frames Getting Soft and 753

re: frame testing: I did come across a photo of a Bianchi test jig in 1981: http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2009/03/bianchi-frame-testing-circa-1981.html you can click on photo to enlarge it.

Angel Garcia Long Valley NJ

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jim Merz <jameshmerz@gmail.com> Date: Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 7:29 PM Subject: Re: [CR] Frame stiffness NOW Frames Getting Soft and 753 To: WILLIAM HACKETT <wfhackett@cox.net> Cc: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

I never saw anything from tubing makers regarding tubing recommendations. Maybe 531SL had some rider weight limit, also these really marginal tube sets did not come in larger sizes. Because steel bike frames have been made for so many years there is quite a bit of experience with what works and what doesn't. I had the chance to see bike frames made throughout the world when steel frames were the norm, I never saw much testing. Most production frames were made with conservative tubing choices. Real testing of bikes did not happen until after new frame materials started coming into use. When you change to a material that has never been used for making bikes it becomes very important to know if they will be safe. And it is not such a good idea to have the customers do your testing by using the bike. The large bike companies will not send any frame out the door without really serious tests on the frame.

Jim Merz
Big Sur CA