Sieber drop-outs
02-10-25 | 02:09 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 42
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From: Montana
Bikes: Bianchi Brava, Schwinn Crosscut, Miyata 1000
Sieber drop-outs
I went to look at a Sieber today and it had horizontal drop-outs instead of track ends. It was advertised as a track bike so I just assumed I’d find track ends. I’ve seen Siebers with track ends and a quick google search shows them all with track ends.
I’m wondering why this particular bike has horizontal drop-outs instead of track ends? And is it okay to ride this bike fixed or is it maybe a SS?
Do we have a resident Sieber expert? Any input is appreciated.
I’m wondering why this particular bike has horizontal drop-outs instead of track ends? And is it okay to ride this bike fixed or is it maybe a SS?
Do we have a resident Sieber expert? Any input is appreciated.
02-10-25 | 03:27 PM
#3
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From: Montana
Bikes: Bianchi Brava, Schwinn Crosscut, Miyata 1000
02-10-25 | 03:44 PM
#4
Those are pretty long slots in the dropouts -- quite a bit longer than, say, a Campagnolo 1010 type. That much is helpful for having extended chain/chainwheel/cog adjustment. I'm no trackie, but I suspect a major advantage of rear-opening dropouts is that you don't have the limitation of the wheel meeting the chainstay bridge when trying to remove it, and it makes it easier to install those threaded axle pullers on the rear.
02-10-25 | 04:21 PM
#5
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Joined: Sep 2021
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From: Montana
Bikes: Bianchi Brava, Schwinn Crosscut, Miyata 1000
Those are pretty long slots in the dropouts -- quite a bit longer than, say, a Campagnolo 1010 type. That much is helpful for having extended chain/chainwheel/cog adjustment. I'm no trackie, but I suspect a major advantage of rear-opening dropouts is that you don't have the limitation of the wheel meeting the chainstay bridge when trying to remove it, and it makes it easier to install those threaded axle pullers on the rear.
02-10-25 | 05:41 PM
#6
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From: Newport RI
Bikes: enough one would think, but thinking isn't my strong point
on the steel-vintage website, if you go to the books page https://steel-vintage.com/products/t...cing-bike-book the vintage bianchi fausto coppi track bike images page show what looks like fwd facing dropouts with a double rear cog set. i'm thinking this was for the purpose of manually changing the gear ratio and the dropout was to make for ease of removal and or manual chain tension adjustment?
02-10-25 | 06:01 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 42
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From: Montana
Bikes: Bianchi Brava, Schwinn Crosscut, Miyata 1000
on the steel-vintage website, if you go to the books page https://steel-vintage.com/products/t...cing-bike-book the vintage bianchi fausto coppi track bike images page show what looks like fwd facing dropouts with a double rear cog set. i'm thinking this was for the purpose of manually changing the gear ratio and the dropout was to make for ease of removal and or manual chain tension adjustment?
02-10-25 | 07:03 PM
#8
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 15,369
Likes: 4,391
From: Alta California
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for readers unfamiliar with the Sieber marque, it is CH and there is an entry for it at CR:
https://classicrendezvous.com/countr...erland/sieber/
Sieber was related by marriage to Cino Cinelli, one married the other's sister but no longer recall which way that goes
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"Thanks juvela. Any idea if folks in the 40s were putting these on track bikes? Maybe more of a training bike?"
there is also the British concept of a "path racer" - a machine with rear-facing dropouts which is not employed/designed for the track
owned a Sieber derailleur geared distaffer of 1948 with forward-facing dropouts; it went to R. Brian Baylis who restored for his missus
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for readers unfamiliar with the Sieber marque, it is CH and there is an entry for it at CR:
https://classicrendezvous.com/countr...erland/sieber/
Sieber was related by marriage to Cino Cinelli, one married the other's sister but no longer recall which way that goes
---
"Thanks juvela. Any idea if folks in the 40s were putting these on track bikes? Maybe more of a training bike?"
there is also the British concept of a "path racer" - a machine with rear-facing dropouts which is not employed/designed for the track
owned a Sieber derailleur geared distaffer of 1948 with forward-facing dropouts; it went to R. Brian Baylis who restored for his missus
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