What are those?!
10-07-16, 04:17 PM
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What are those?!
Hi all,
So I just picked up a Ross Professional Gran Tour frame that will hopefully become my winter bike. Paid $15 in gift certificates at a local shop so I didn't think too hard about it. Got it home and looked closer ... what the hell? Super weird C slot forkends, never seen that before and I'm not sure what to think. Anyone have any ideas? My first thought was that it was meant to let you use 27" or 700c wheels, but the slot is way too long. I haven't put a wheel on to see where it fits, but I would be pretty sketched out having it at the bottom of the groove. I tried googling and all I found was that yes it is a thing, Ross patented it but despite whatever purpose they thought that it served, it didn't pan out.
Image gets rotated when I upload, but I think it's clear anyway.
So I just picked up a Ross Professional Gran Tour frame that will hopefully become my winter bike. Paid $15 in gift certificates at a local shop so I didn't think too hard about it. Got it home and looked closer ... what the hell? Super weird C slot forkends, never seen that before and I'm not sure what to think. Anyone have any ideas? My first thought was that it was meant to let you use 27" or 700c wheels, but the slot is way too long. I haven't put a wheel on to see where it fits, but I would be pretty sketched out having it at the bottom of the groove. I tried googling and all I found was that yes it is a thing, Ross patented it but despite whatever purpose they thought that it served, it didn't pan out.
Image gets rotated when I upload, but I think it's clear anyway.
10-07-16, 05:09 PM
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I had the same fork on an old Ross. I think it's their way of reducing the risk of losing your front wheel if your front QR comes loose. In practice, it was probably pretty effective; I remember it took a little extra wiggling to get the front wheel off of that old Ross. I swapped in three or four different wheel sets to try to make it a tolerable ride. I failed 
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
Last edited by Lascauxcaveman; 10-07-16 at 05:18 PM.
10-07-16, 08:06 PM
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I've got a Ross frame with those same exact dropouts. Got the frame for almost free. Of course, I'll heat them up with a torch, pull them out like a dentist yanks a molar, and braze in some real dropouts.
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10-07-16, 10:03 PM
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Stop reading my posts!
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Yep, just like the weird Schwinn-only spring steel flippers, this was Ross's solution to the bake-head's dilemma: DUDE! I think I forgot to...something..something...WHEEL!
DUDE!
So until the industry settled upon Lawyer's Nubbins, you had these half-baked home-growns that never caught on...fugly but harmless.
DUDE!
So until the industry settled upon Lawyer's Nubbins, you had these half-baked home-growns that never caught on...fugly but harmless.
10-07-16, 10:18 PM
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
10-08-16, 09:42 AM
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True, true, but then there WAS the Signature line of (uncommon for Ross) high quality frames, this quote from T-Mar:
I just stumbled across a few more tidbits on Ross. The top line Signature series was established in 1981. As noted in an earlier post, the builder was Tom Kellog, who left in 1983 and was replaced by Jim Redcay. In 1984 there were 5 Signature series bicycles and 7 "sub-Signature" models using CrMO tubing. The top line Signature Road Criterium cost $2100.00 US - not a typo! In addition to these 12 top and mid-range models, Ross apparently produced 90+ models of low end bicycles, tricyles and wagons. No wonder their entry-level reputation was/is hard to shake off!
I just stumbled across a few more tidbits on Ross. The top line Signature series was established in 1981. As noted in an earlier post, the builder was Tom Kellog, who left in 1983 and was replaced by Jim Redcay. In 1984 there were 5 Signature series bicycles and 7 "sub-Signature" models using CrMO tubing. The top line Signature Road Criterium cost $2100.00 US - not a typo! In addition to these 12 top and mid-range models, Ross apparently produced 90+ models of low end bicycles, tricyles and wagons. No wonder their entry-level reputation was/is hard to shake off!
10-08-16, 06:18 PM
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Bikes are okay, I guess.
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I worked on plenty of those Ross bikes back in the day and the forks with those tips were almost always out of alignment. If you are tempted to try aligning the fork tips with a Park FFG-2 tool...DON'T. The metal was embrittled and they have a tendency to snap off when muscle is applied. Trust me on this.
10-08-16, 10:10 PM
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10-09-16, 12:02 AM
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No chrome on mine. I've done a bit of research on hexavalent chrome. The amount of exposure from brazing a few frames now and then is quite low, however I still use a dynafile to remove the chrome, hand sand, use a lot of flux up and down the heat affected area to "trap" any emissions, and use a mask when brazing on chromed areas, in a well ventilated place. At any rate, I've only had to do this a few times.
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
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