Originally Posted by
Bandera
....Raleigh was no different w/ their "proprietary" standards in Nottingham production that satisfied the "All Steel Bicycle" requirements of durability just as Schwinn did here by manufacturing components and setting strict QC/QA for "Schwinn Approved" components. With the many millions of Chicago built bikes that are nearly immortal due to OEM design, Mfg and sourcing standards for outstanding reliability and durability out there Kenda or whoever will make rubber to fit their spec as long as there are customers to buy them. Likely for decades more of service.
While I'm not as much a curmudgeon about unusual bolt head sizes or thread pitches as Bad Lag - I do get irked when the non-standard parts have a bad reputation.
It's one of the reasons I started to swear off most high-end French stuff. Want a French FD to go with it? Expect lousy shifting or crack-prone clamps. Stem? 22.0, and some of the nice ones are as death-prone as the AVAs.
For me, Schwinn steel rims fall into this category. While some would argue that these rims were durable because kids could jump 'em off curbs, I don't agree. They survived only because they were slightly thicker gauge than the rest of the competition. Otherwise, the knurling that every last redneck Schwinn fan seems to rave over is really just an underchromed area that attracts rust, and the braking surface - particularly on the 27" rims - are often wavier than a Ruffles potato chip.
Those who say that Schwinn Approved rims are "good" have
never seen an early 1950's Raleigh steel Westrick rim.
I also don't buy into the whole "Schwinn Approved" meant extensive quality and testing thing. Those 5-speed Atom freewheels that they used in the '60s and '70s are garbage. They're extremely prone to chain skate, even with the widest of chains, while I've never seen the same trend from other freewheels of the same era.
Originally Posted by
Bandera
"
In the late 50s and early 60s, it was used by racers and cyclotourists alike, and was installed on some very nice bicycles, including those from such respected names as René Herse."
The Retrogrouch: Huret Allvit
Still doesn't make 'em good. The heavy springs in the Allvit make them difficult to operate and vague (yes, even on a wide 5 speed freewheel), plus that spring tends to fight the shifter lever tension.
Admittedly, I've never tried putting Shimano jockey wheels on one, which would accommodate a bit more side-to-side play than the bearing wheels. Might improve the vagueness.
-Kurt