Hetchins bicycles

John Pitts said:

Photos of some gorgeous lugged steel frames here:
<http://www.hetchins.org/504.htm>

--
John
Write a wise saying and your name will live forever. - Anonymous

Beautiful bikes, and really nice to ride. I had one for many years in the late 60's and early 70's. All Campy Nuovo Record running gear (nothing else worth having in those days). The psychological impact of riding such a beautiful steed was worth quite a bit.

I hate to think what percentage of my pay packet went into my bikes in that era!

DB

John Pitts said:

Photos of some gorgeous lugged steel frames here:
<http://www.hetchins.org/504.htm>

You could lose yourself in there gazing upon that lugged loveliness, for example:
http://www.hetchins.org/504vm-03.htm.

Phoarrr!

Essentials for men (and women) who love handmade bikes and tartan kilts:
http://www.handmadebicycleshow.com/2008/

[quote="cfsmtb"]You could lose yourself in there gazing upon that lugged loveliness, for example:
hetchins.org504vm 03.htmOpen ↗.

Phoarrr!


That's very, very close to the model I had ... only in powder blue. Sent it down to Alf Hetchins himself for a respray, did a lovely job for me. Went down to London by train to pick it up as I didn't trust the transport company to truck it back in one piece.

Those Campag handlebar controls took a little getting used to (no indexing in those days) but once you'd mastered them, they gave you a distinct advantage in time trials especially.

I'm very glad the cleats have come a long way since those little aluminium slots you used to have nailed onto the soles of your shoes - removal of feet in a hurry just was not possible!

Karen

Duracell Bunny said:

I'm very glad the cleats have come a long way since those little aluminium slots you used to have nailed onto the soles of your shoes - removal of feet in a hurry just was not possible!

Karen

Think I've got a pair of those in the shed. Flat aluminium, shapely slightly like rhombus with nail holes around the side and a raised centre slot? Same thing or different? Did you use them with toe straps as well?

cfsmtb said:

Duracell Bunny said:

I'm very glad the cleats have come a long way since those little
aluminium slots you used to have nailed onto the soles of your shoes -
removal of feet in a hurry just was not possible!

Karen

Think I've got a pair of those in the shed. Flat aluminium, shapely
slightly like rhombus with nail holes around the side and a raised
centre slot? Same thing or different? Did you use them with toe straps
as well?

Have some? I still use a pair of slotted cleats on my road bike, that is now
being actively used for Audax. Well they're plastic, not aluminium, bolted
into slots in the plastic sole, and are shaped, so entry is really not too
hard. Detto Pietro shoes, for those who were racing in the early 80s... a
classic shoe.

Why still use the cleats? Long story, but certain parts on the bike are not
conducive to a change to Look. It is now a bit of a classic, however as all
the components are original from 1981. It's only onto it's second chain and
cluster, and second set of tyres! Almost a museum piece, the lovely Cecil
Walker.

--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ _@
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~~ (*)/ (*)

cfsmtb said:

Think I've got a pair of those in the shed. Flat aluminium, shapely slightly like rhombus with nail holes around the side and a raised centre slot? Same thing or different? Did you use them with toe straps as well?

Yes, I did - leather ones with a little slot in the open end, you turned the end through the slot to give you a finger hold to tighten them quickly. Toe clips were chrome steel that rusted through after a couple of years when the chrome scraped off. Salt on the British roads (to melt ice & snow) in the winter didn't help rust either, of course.

Karen