First shaped tubes?
08-10-08 | 10:51 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 298
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From: Madison, WI
Bikes: Cannondale CAAD9, Trek 4300
First shaped tubes?
My dad owned a bike in the mid '80s, which he says was the first to have aerodynamically-shaped frame tubes. I'm wondering what it might have been?
Thanks.
Thanks.
08-10-08 | 11:17 AM
#2
Panasonic Nut
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 605
Likes: 18
From: Plymouth, MN
Bikes: 2000 Pinarello Paris | Panasonics: '88 DX-5000 / '88 DX-4000 / '88 MC-5500 (sold) / '86 Team America / '86 Team Japan (2) / '85 Team / '84 DX-4000 (sold) / '91 PR-6000 / '89 PICS Team Custom / '83 AR-6000 Aero / '89 DX-1000 / '89 Team MC Custom (sold
Tange Aero tubing?
There were a number of builders playing with the Aero thing at the time. I think there was a thread about it on here recently.
There were a number of builders playing with the Aero thing at the time. I think there was a thread about it on here recently.
08-10-08 | 11:31 AM
#3
There's a lot of cheapo bikes that have oval tubing, I'm not sure how old that is. Not necessarily intended as "aero" since it's on cheap mountain bikes, but could be perceived that way.
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08-10-08 | 03:29 PM
#5
Panasonic Nut
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 605
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From: Plymouth, MN
Bikes: 2000 Pinarello Paris | Panasonics: '88 DX-5000 / '88 DX-4000 / '88 MC-5500 (sold) / '86 Team America / '86 Team Japan (2) / '85 Team / '84 DX-4000 (sold) / '91 PR-6000 / '89 PICS Team Custom / '83 AR-6000 Aero / '89 DX-1000 / '89 Team MC Custom (sold
Here are some pics of the Panasonic Aero Road (AR-6000) with Tange Aero tubing...
https://picasaweb.google.com/scarsgo/PanasonicAero
08-10-08 | 07:13 PM
#7
First "shaped tubes" other than square chainstays from the turn of the last century would be Bates using "Cantiflex" tubing from 1936.
https://classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Bates.htm
the tubes got bigger between the lugs.
https://classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Bates.htm
the tubes got bigger between the lugs.
08-10-08 | 08:47 PM
#8
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 12,769
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From: Rocket City, No'ala
Bikes: 2014 Trek Domane 5.2, 1985 Pinarello Treviso, 1990 Gardin Shred, 2006 Bianchi San Jose
Columbus MS tubing. multi-shaped, no two tubes on the bike were the same. There's a Basso with MS tubing on eBay right now, going for big bucks.
Certainly not the earliest but very interesting.
Certainly not the earliest but very interesting.
08-10-08 | 09:17 PM
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,234
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From: ontario
Unless you are going perfectly straight all the time with a dead on head/tail wind I can't see much benefit from tubing like this, overall I think it would slow you down a bigger % of the time more than it would make you faster.
