Classic & Vintage - Enlighten me on some cool defunct stuff

I grew up around a machine shop but was a little too young to remember the CNC craze. I am tentatively planning a road build with as many cool parts from out of business companies as possible. I was thinking along the lines of: topline cranks, a proshift dérailleur, nuke proof hubs, possibly some ringle or kooka and other stuff like that. Even suggestions for the frame are appreciated. The problem is I simply don't know what was out there and what i should be looking for. So if you have any input or leads on nifty parts let me know! Im a huge fan of billet stuff but just curious in general. Thanks a ton

Couple of small but cool doodads I had in the day......

1. Tire saver. Ther were small rings of wire that mounted onto your brake caliper bolt and rode on top of the tire to help clean off debris.

2. Back in the day of toe clips we would point the toe clip down and use it as a kick stand. Problem was the bike would roll and fall over. Someone came up with this little device that mounted under the bottom tube that when flicked down, would keep the front tire from rolling and the bike from falling.

Not exactly CNC type of stuff but they popped into my mind.

Someone came up with this little device that mounted under the bottom tube that when flicked down, would keep the front tire from rolling and the bike from falling.


rhode gear flickstand- neat doodads

http://wermenh.com/biketour/flickstand.jpg

rhode gear flickstand- neat doodads



Yea :) Thats it.

Rhode Gear also made a water bottle holder that I have that's a sleeve with a V notched out of it, which goes on the seat tube or downtube, and then the water bottle has a corresponding protruding V to fit into the holder. It's works pretty well though if you lose the bottle, you're out of luck.

I also have a neat Blackburn water bottle cage/clamp that fits over the handlebar stem and clamps up from below. Kind of hard to describe.

Both items I purchased new around 1983.

Neal

T.N.T. made some super light hubs during the era I believe you're thinking about (early '90s). If you were building a mtb this would be easier, because that was my main focus then. :D Fast Feather made some nice looking seatposts and quick release skewers. Machine Tech made hubs that looked like little barrels, but I don't know if they made them in a road size. The also made a crazy CNC stem. More cranks: Caramba, Hershey, Grafton, Magic Motorcycle, Sampson, Cook Bros., Onza (titanium and may not come in a road version). That's all I can think of at the moment.

European tire savers:

http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/4172/2256462930068014369S500x500Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2256462930068014369FxHEFz)

American Classic bottle cage (http://www.amclassic.com/bottle_cages.html). I was thinking about this the other day. Very tidy installation.

Also, who can forget the Cannondale bottle "cage" (velcro!)

Tubular tire socks,

Eclipse handlebar bag (& Transcontinental panniers)

Zeus components (campy or simplex clones sometimes)

Silca frame pumps with Campy heads.

Spenco seat covers (ugh!)

I've got two of the Blackburn bar cages. I can't understand why they aren't made anymore. They were great for the third bottle on century rides.

Still have my 20+ year old Silca w/Campy head. I just can't find the little blue tips for the pump head anymore. They used to be in the Campy catalog and in most shops.

I think he is looking for some type of old BMX parts. I am sure the makes he listed are BMX or MTB stuff.

I grew up around a machine shop but was a little too young to remember the CNC craze. I am tentatively planning a road build with as many cool parts from out of business companies as possible. I was thinking along the lines of: topline cranks, a proshift dérailleur, nuke proof hubs, possibly some ringle or kooka and other stuff like that. Even suggestions for the frame are appreciated. The problem is I simply don't know what was out there and what i should be looking for. So if you have any input or leads on nifty parts let me know! Im a huge fan of billet stuff but just curious in general. Thanks a ton

Like, oh my god, tubular with a spoon. Gag me with a double edged razor blade. Narly to the max. Knock my gizza witha nizza. Zippy to Miami dude.

Still have my 20+ year old Silca w/Campy head. I just can't find the little blue tips for the pump head anymore. They used to be in the Campy catalog and in most shops.
Do you mean the rubber tips for the chrome fingers that straddle the tube? I lost mine to entropy long ago, and have substituted small lengths of silicone tubing. If anyone wants some, I'll be glad to provide, in clear. If you go to a hobby shop, you may be able to find it in green, pink, blue, what-have-you.

Do you mean the rubber tips for the chrome fingers that straddle the tube? I lost mine to entropy long ago, and have substituted small lengths of silicone tubing. If anyone wants some, I'll be glad to provide, in clear. If you go to a hobby shop, you may be able to find it in green, pink, blue, what-have-you.

I use what I believe are called "Thread Protectors" or something of that sort. Usually sold in Home Centers and basic hardware stores, they are soft flexible rubbery plastic caps, sold in different colors and different diameters. Usually found in drawers among various screws and bolts. I don't know their "correct" usage, but they make fine replacements for the Campy pump head "socks" and you can sometimes even match them to your bike's paint color (sort of).

Still have my 20+ year old Silca w/Campy head. I just can't find the little blue tips for the pump head anymore. They used to be in the Campy catalog and in most shops.

Try pressing presta valve caps onto the pegs. Sometimes the caps will split, some will stretch to fit.

Um...Paul. Paul Brakes, or Ringle, or Marinovator if you have access to really esoteric stuff. Paul Derailleurs, if you have a gazillion dollars. Ringle anything, from that era. White, Nuke, maybe Mavic Paris/Dakar hubs. Cook anything, from any era. Syncros was very trendy. More than likely Mavic rims, or possibly if you are really lucky, some hand-rolled Bontragers - not that goofy Trek crap, but the Mavic roadies rerolled to mountain bike sized.

You are talking about a mountain bike, right?

Oh. A road build. Well then, don't try to find the bontrager rims.

Ironically I was looking at an old Bicycle Guide where they build a "US" bike with a lot of those components. I dunno where the magazine is now since I put it back in one of the many boxes of bike junk I have.

Sounds like fun, good luck.
cdr

I like the Paul derailleurs too, but of course Paul is still in business. You don't see Hi-E hubs every day.

I remember pauls derailleurs in the mid 90s for MTBs. I think...

But you'll have to get syncros hardcore titanium BB, seatpost and stem.
Ibis seatposts and stems are rad.
Ibis bikes are pretty awesome as well.

Still have my 20+ year old Silca w/Campy head. I just can't find the little blue tips for the pump head anymore. They used to be in the Campy catalog and in most shops.

Home Depot, Lowes and most other large hardware stores carry vinyl caps in their fastener departments.often available in black, white, yellow , green and brown - tho no campy powder blue, tmk.


http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s269/caterham1700/derosa005-1.jpg

They look like the ends that they sell for wire closet shelving. Not sure about the size though. And I have only seen white and grey.

I grew up around a machine shop but was a little too young to remember the CNC craze. I am tentatively planning a road build with as many cool parts from out of business companies as possible. I was thinking along the lines of: topline cranks, a proshift dérailleur, nuke proof hubs, possibly some ringle or kooka and other stuff like that. Even suggestions for the frame are appreciated. The problem is I simply don't know what was out there and what i should be looking for. So if you have any input or leads on nifty parts let me know! Im a huge fan of billet stuff but just curious in general. Thanks a ton

lots of middle to late 90's stuff here:

http://www.bikepro.com/

earlier stuff here:

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/USA/USA_parts.htm

Zeus had some nice stuff

And a few of my fondest old bike memories included my first pair of Bata bike shoes and my grab on foam "grips". I recall how hard they would get after a Maryland summer rain shower.

And a few of my fondest old bike memories included my first pair of Bata bike shoes...

I found an old pair while cleaning up over the holidays... I wish they were still available!!!

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee161/baxter67/P3130008.jpg

Nuke proof hubs are awesome, if you get them dialed, they are smoother than campy.

I have a rhode gear v-notch waterbottle and cradle that are virtually unused. if anyone is interested PM me

I just saw a Cannondale R-2000 in a local shop that must have been from this era. It was a road bike with a headshock and had some very shiny CNC'd Coda cranks. The cranks were nice but the CNC'd chainrings really made it sparkle. The rest of the parts were 8-spd Dura Ace. The bike looked almost new.

I like the Paul derailleurs too, but of course Paul is still in business. You don't see Hi-E hubs every day.

I see a Hi-E hub everyday... it's on my Raleigh Team Pro's front wheel! :D

The Hi-E stuff dates back to the mid 70's, from what I recall. Neat stuff, but some of it approaches the "stupid light" catagory.

In the same general catagory and time line is the Bullseye stuff. Nice derailleur pulleys and hubs, primarily. The hubs were a good value, and easy to service yourself. I bought a Bullseye bottom bracket once. Very, very rugged, due to the use of roller bearings. A bit quirky, since it was supposed to be lubed with engine oil. The gaskets were marginal, and it was intended to have oil ooze out along the axle.

Lastly, the Phil Wood components have been very reliable. The hubs and bottom brackets are best known. They made some pedals back in the 70's that were light and used sealed bearings. Didn't stay on the market too long, as far as I can recall. Don't know why.

The BikePro catalog is probably the most available source for the CNC stuff of the 80's and 90's. The end of the Cold War caused a lot of machine shops to look for non-military business, and the bike market was available. The downside is that CNC'ed parts are just not as strong as cold forged parts. For that reason, highly stressed parts like cranks and stems are not good candidates for CNC techniques.


Steve K.

rhode gear flickstand- neat doodads

http://wermenh.com/biketour/flickstand.jpg

The one on my '84 Gran Prix is braze on.

PMP cranks. (http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Italy/PMP_crk_ad.htm)

PMP cranks. (http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Italy/PMP_crk_ad.htm)

I'm trying to figure out why those are any different than cranks with straight arms. The pedal hole rotaion in relation to the BB shaft shouldn't be effected by the "L" Shape. Unless I'm missing something. Or it was just a silly marketing ploy.

must be good for something, campy had a version too. the bent arm cranks with the pre-biopace rings
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3696/la55b670c39a154fa64f52cdr6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Somewhere in my parts box is an odometer that bolts on to the front wheel and only records mileage. It's not electronic, it works off of gears. If I find it, I'll post pics.
I also have a hook that attaches to the rear axle, the bike apparently hangs from this hook.

If I was searching for a classic MTB frame, I'd go for an elevated chain stay frame. But then I'm biased because that's what I did.

I didn't find the odometer, but I came upon one of these, a bicycle license plate issued by the town of Durham, North Carolina. It was attached to an ancient Schwinn. The plate was the only part that could be salvaged. I'm going to give this to the owner of the LBS that does the difficult repairs on my vintage bikes. I offered to repaint it, but they want it the way it is.

must be good for something, campy had a version too. the bent arm cranks with the pre-biopace rings


Where did you find that picture? Those parts are permanently swage-locked to the cables!

Somewhere in my parts box is an odometer that bolts on to the front wheel and only records mileage. It's not electronic, it works off of gears.

Huret Multito? They were the best because they were quiet, not the like the star toothed ones that relied on a pin type thing screwed onto the spokes to turn the star wheel.

http://jitensya.co.jp/group/shops/y_bicycles/images/old-parts/Huret-Multito.jpg

The funny part is the two different pulley sizes for two different size tires - 27" and 700c. lol. Back in the day it didn't get too much more precise than that.

cdr

Huret Multito? They were the best because they were quiet, not the like the star toothed ones that relied on a pin type thing screwed onto the spokes to turn the star wheel.

http://jitensya.co.jp/group/shops/y_bicycles/images/old-parts/Huret-Multito.jpg

The funny part is the two different pulley sizes for two different size tires - 27" and 700c. lol. Back in the day it didn't get too much more precise than that.

cdr

Yup, that's the one. I've got it somewhere, but since you posted your pic, I'll pass.

I have some Weyless sealed bearing hubs from the 1970's. They're a bit out of the ordinary and I'm thinking of selling them.

PMP cranks. (http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Italy/PMP_crk_ad.htm)

I saw pictures of those in a book many years ago. Their only purpose is to increase weight and flexibility .... assuming it's not an April fool's joke.