Online Brake Museum

Snortley said:

I don't know if anyone's posted this before, but in case no
one has, have a look:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/

Very interesting!

- Frank Krygowski

Snortley said:

I don't know if anyone's posted this before, but in case no
one has, have a look:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/

You got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there.

- Yogi Berra

Thanks for the link.

This shows that we should all be thankful that we have access to well
designed vbrake, disc or dual pivot designs that actually WORK.

Stan Cox

On Sat, 28 Oct 2006 14:52:56 GMT, Snortley <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I don't know if anyone's posted this before, but in case no
one has, have a look:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/

You got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there.

- Yogi Berra

Dear Snortley,

Ooh! Ooh! Weird old bicycling stuff all over the site!

***

Huge translated E. Christophe how-to-cyclocross with pictures, circa
1914:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/christopheoncx

***

French ad for Mavic full-coverage mud-guards:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/ephemera/images/mavic.jpg

Can't tell if they're aluminum, much less anodized.

***

Alas, the Wright in Morgan & Wright Tires is Rufus Wright, not Orville
or Wilbur:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/m-w/

Lots of strange quick-repair extra-flap tire stuff.

***

Morgan & Wright "Nobby Tread Tires":

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/m-w/images/stopyourskidding.jpg

"The knobs will stop your skidding," a bicycle policeman with goggles
assures the public, wearing goggles on his hat and waving a
nightstick.

***

"Facts and Figures Count" ad from Morgan & Wright, with 1892 and 1893
tire mileage figures for 20 riders:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/m-w/images/factsandfigures.jpg

"Draw your own conclusions" says the ad--Robert Chung could use this
for his wallpaper.

***

1893 bicycle helmet on M&W catalogue cover:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/m-w/images/1893catalogue.jpg

***

A tire mouse, a tool that should be in every rider's seat bag:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/m-w/images/tiremouse.jpg

The tubes were long strips, not circles, with the ends closed and
feathered, so you dragged them through the sewn-up tire, starting and
ending at the same small hole. Here's an example from a whole
catalogue:

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/morley/10.jpg

It's the butt-end style inner tube in the middle.

***

Instructions for the double tube repair kit, which mentions impromptu
substitutes for those who forgot to carry a tire mouse:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/m-w/images/doubletubebooklet.jpg

Remember your powdered soapstone, in case the tube comes out hard!

***

Tube horn, for those who forgot their powdered soapstone and whose
tire mouse was feeble:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/m-w/images/tubehorn.jpg

You can see a tire mouse and tube horn, with prices, here:

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/morley/12.jpg

***

My favorite, a tire repair instruction booklet:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/m-w/images/simpletirerepair.jpg

"1st. Turn wheel so as to rest on saddle and handlebars."

At first, I read this as flipping the bike upside-down to stand on its
seat and handlebars, but it really doesn't say that--the wheel is
supposed to rest on the seat and handlebars.

I even grabbed a wheel and checked. Yes, a 700c wheel will lay flat on
the seat and handlebars.

But even if you manage to balance it, a bike with one wheel removed
isn't going to be stable enough to use as a tire workstand.

Maybe the bicycle was expected to have a hefty motorcycle-style center
stand?

Maybe you were expected to have another bicycle handy to use as a
workstand, possibly a friend's bike?

Maybe you were supposed to grip the bike between your knees while
working on the tire?

Maybe it's just a goofy misprint of "wheel" for "bicycle" or an
awkward set of instructions, the kind that we see nowadays in badly
translated instructions?

Or maybe "wheel" was a common term for the whole bicycle at the time
and you were supposed to turn your whole bicycle upside-down, which
would be a hell of a lot easier.

Still, I'd love to see an illustration of whatever was meant by
"turn-wheel-so-as-to-rest-on-saddle-and-handlebars" when repairing an
1890's tire.

***

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

Quoted message said:

On Sat, 28 Oct 2006 14:52:56 GMT, Snortley <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I don't know if anyone's posted this before, but in case no
one has, have a look:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/

You got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there.

- Yogi Berra

Dear Snortley,

Ooh! Ooh! Weird old bicycling stuff all over the site!

***

Huge translated E. Christophe how-to-cyclocross with pictures, circa
1914:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/christopheoncx

I'd venture to say you'd get a 95% whinge rate if modern 'crossers were
asked to ride that stuff, especially if they had to ride through a
thicket. "Oh, but I might rip my Rabobank team jersey."

Greg

--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons

J T Kirk said:

I don't know if anyone's posted this before, but in case no
one has, have a look:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/

I find odd that nearly all of these brakes are not center pivot, ones
with close to zero cosine error but are mostly pivoted like cantilever
brakes.

Missing among these was the Modolo Kronos, the forerunner of the
Campagnolo delta, that had all the bad features in one design.

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Italy/modolo/Modolo_Kronos.htm

Jobst Brandt

Quoted message said:

My favorite, a tire repair instruction booklet:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/m-w/images/simpletirerepair.jpg

"1st. Turn wheel so as to rest on saddle and handlebars."

At first, I read this as flipping the bike upside-down to stand on its
seat and handlebars, but it really doesn't say that--the wheel is
supposed to rest on the seat and handlebars.

I even grabbed a wheel and checked. Yes, a 700c wheel will lay flat on
the seat and handlebars.

But even if you manage to balance it, a bike with one wheel removed
isn't going to be stable enough to use as a tire workstand.

....

Quoted message said:

Maybe it's just a goofy misprint of "wheel" for "bicycle" or an
awkward set of instructions, the kind that we see nowadays in badly
translated instructions?

It's not a goofy misprint. In the 1890s, "wheel" was an almost
universal synonym for "bicycle." I'm not sure if it had an air of cool
slang about it (like "my ride" as a substitute for "my car"😉, but it
was used a _lot_.

I've got a collection of bicycle poetry from those days, _The Art of
Bicycling, A Treasury of Poems_, Justin Daniel Belmont editor,
Breakaway Books, 2005, ISBN 1-891369-56-3. Dozens of poems use "wheel"
as a synonym for "bicycle."

That was in the day when poems actually rhymed. And it seems the poets
were almost compelled to rhyme "wheel" with "steel" - the ultra-modern,
high-tech material of the day.

(I looked for a poem extolling the "compliant, yet rigid" ride
qualities of steel compared with ordinary iron. I didn't find one, but
I'm sure it's in there somewhere!)

- Frank Krygowski

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Maybe it's just a goofy misprint of "wheel" for "bicycle" or an
awkward set of instructions, the kind that we see nowadays in badly
translated instructions?

It's not a goofy misprint. In the 1890s, "wheel" was an almost
universal synonym for "bicycle." I'm not sure if it had an air of cool
slang about it (like "my ride" as a substitute for "my car"😉, but it
was used a _lot_.
[snip]
- Frank Krygowski

The use of "wheel" for "bicycle" has persisted even into the present in
some areas. A friend's father, born in rural Ontario in 1912 and never
traveled far from there, told us to "move your wheels from the driveway"
when he wanted to back his car out.

--
Ted Bennett

Quoted message said:

J T Kirk said:

I don't know if anyone's posted this before, but in case no
one has, have a look:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/

I find odd that nearly all of these brakes are not center pivot, ones
with close to zero cosine error but are mostly pivoted like cantilever
brakes.

Missing among these was the Modolo Kronos, the forerunner of the
Campagnolo delta, that had all the bad features in one design.

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Italy/modolo/Modolo_Kronos.htm

Also missing is the Weinmann Delta Pro.

FWIW, Jobst, I've had a set of Campy Deltas (the Croce d'Aune version
as pictured in the blackbird site) since 1990. IMO, they are just
wonderful to use and they look just stunning.

Quoted message said:

Jobst Brandt

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My favorite, a tire repair instruction booklet:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/m-w/images/simpletirerepair.jpg

"1st. Turn wheel so as to rest on saddle and handlebars."

At first, I read this as flipping the bike upside-down to stand on its
seat and handlebars, but it really doesn't say that--the wheel is
supposed to rest on the seat and handlebars.

I even grabbed a wheel and checked. Yes, a 700c wheel will lay flat on
the seat and handlebars.

But even if you manage to balance it, a bike with one wheel removed
isn't going to be stable enough to use as a tire workstand.

...

Quoted message said:

Maybe it's just a goofy misprint of "wheel" for "bicycle" or an
awkward set of instructions, the kind that we see nowadays in badly
translated instructions?

It's not a goofy misprint. In the 1890s, "wheel" was an almost
universal synonym for "bicycle." I'm not sure if it had an air of cool
slang about it (like "my ride" as a substitute for "my car"😉, but it
was used a _lot_.

I've got a collection of bicycle poetry from those days, _The Art of
Bicycling, A Treasury of Poems_, Justin Daniel Belmont editor,
Breakaway Books, 2005, ISBN 1-891369-56-3. Dozens of poems use "wheel"
as a synonym for "bicycle."

That was in the day when poems actually rhymed. And it seems the poets
were almost compelled to rhyme "wheel" with "steel" - the ultra-modern,
high-tech material of the day.

(I looked for a poem extolling the "compliant, yet rigid" ride
qualities of steel compared with ordinary iron. I didn't find one, but
I'm sure it's in there somewhere!)

- Frank Krygowski

Dear Frank,

So the anti-Jobstian explanation was correct:

"Or maybe 'wheel' was a common term for the whole bicycle at the time
and you were supposed to turn your whole bicycle upside-down, which
would be a hell of a lot easier."

As for the literature, rhyming is more highly prized in languages like
English, where it is easy, but not effortless, than in Italian, where
Dante could hardly help rhyming endlessly.

My library contains a tattered fragment that I reproduce here:

Ode to a One-Speed Steel-Steed

I think that we shall never see
Our bicycles made from any tree.

For any wheel, the stuff is steel,
That rigid yet compliant feel!

A hub of iron hangs from the highest spoke,
Unless, of course, the wheel is broke.

The "nobby" grip reduces slip
On any kind of bicycle trip.

More than one gear is useless here,
No mountains need we riders fear!

An oily chain relieves the strain;
Those who wax must wax in vain.

A leather saddle helps us paddle,
Brooks--

At this point, the manuscript ends. An angry but illegible note in the
margin appears to say something about "Brooks are just fine, you don't
know what you're talking about!" It is unclear whether this refers to
a bicyclist named Brooks or some strained bucolic imagery likening
easy bicycle pedaling to paddling in brooks.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

Ozark Bicycle said:

FWIW, Jobst, I've had a set of Campy Deltas (the Croce d'Aune version
as pictured in the blackbird site) since 1990. IMO, they are just
wonderful to use and they look just stunning.

A triumph of form over function.

Not that, in this case, the battle was difficult.

Quoted message said:

Ozark Bicycle said:

FWIW, Jobst, I've had a set of Campy Deltas (the Croce d'Aune version
as pictured in the blackbird site) since 1990. IMO, they are just
wonderful to use and they look just stunning.

A triumph of form over function.

Not that, in this case, the battle was difficult.

Ask Nanny to change yer diaper, post humper.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Ted Bennett said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Maybe it's just a goofy misprint of "wheel" for "bicycle" or an
awkward set of instructions, the kind that we see nowadays in badly
translated instructions?

It's not a goofy misprint. In the 1890s, "wheel" was an almost
universal synonym for "bicycle." I'm not sure if it had an air of cool
slang about it (like "my ride" as a substitute for "my car"😉, but it
was used a _lot_.
[snip]
- Frank Krygowski

The use of "wheel" for "bicycle" has persisted even into the present in
some areas. A friend's father, born in rural Ontario in 1912 and never
traveled far from there, told us to "move your wheels from the driveway"
when he wanted to back his car out.

23 skidoo! This is a phrase I must cleave to forthwith.

Too many wheels,

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

Ozark Bicycle said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I don't know if anyone's posted this before, but in case no one
has, have a look:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I find odd that nearly all of these brakes are not center pivot,
ones with close to zero cosine error but are mostly pivoted like
cantilever brakes.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Missing among these was the Modolo Kronos, the forerunner of the
Campagnolo delta, that had all the bad features in one design.

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Italy/modolo/Modolo_Kronos.htm

Quoted message said:

Also missing is the Weinmann Delta Pro.

Quoted message said:

FWIW, Jobst, I've had a set of Campy Deltas (the Croce d'Aune
version as pictured in the blackbird site) since 1990. IMO, they are
just wonderful to use and they look just stunning.

You must wonder why the Delta and Kronos were discontinued. For most
riders, they were not good brakes and cause crashes especially when
wet. That was discussed here when Campagnolo finally dumped the
design.

Jobst Brandt

Ryan Cousineau said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Maybe it's just a goofy misprint of "wheel" for "bicycle" or an
> awkward set of instructions, the kind that we see nowadays in badly
> translated instructions?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's not a goofy misprint. In the 1890s, "wheel" was an almost
universal synonym for "bicycle." I'm not sure if it had an air of
cool slang about it (like "my ride" as a substitute for "my car"😉,
but it was used a _lot_.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The use of "wheel" for "bicycle" has persisted even into the
present in some areas. A friend's father, born in rural Ontario in
1912 and never traveled far from there, told us to "move your
wheels from the driveway" when he wanted to back his car out.

Quoted message said:

23 skidoo! This is a phrase I must cleave to forthwith.

Quoted message said:

Too many wheels,

Considering high wheelers, it should be apparent that there is almost
nothing to them other than THE WHEEL, and parked, all you see is a huge
wheel. That the name persisted is not unusual with languages as we
have seen in this thread., but it did have a logical origin as I see it.

Jobst Brandt

Quoted message said:

Ozark Bicycle said:

Quoted message said:

> I don't know if anyone's posted this before, but in case no one
> has, have a look:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I find odd that nearly all of these brakes are not center pivot,
ones with close to zero cosine error but are mostly pivoted like
cantilever brakes.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Missing among these was the Modolo Kronos, the forerunner of the
Campagnolo delta, that had all the bad features in one design.

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Italy/modolo/Modolo_Kronos.htm

Quoted message said:

Also missing is the Weinmann Delta Pro.

Quoted message said:

FWIW, Jobst, I've had a set of Campy Deltas (the Croce d'Aune
version as pictured in the blackbird site) since 1990. IMO, they are
just wonderful to use and they look just stunning.

You must wonder why the Delta and Kronos were discontinued.

Why were Mavic MA-2 rims discontinued? Cost cutting and marketing. Same
forces were at play here, IMO.

Quoted message said:

For most
riders, they were not good brakes and cause crashes especially when
wet. That was discussed here when Campagnolo finally dumped the
design.

I've only dealt with Campy Deltas (Record and CdA). Yes, they need
proper setup; they reward that with superior modulation v. sidepulls
and, especially, dual pivots.

Snortley said:

I don't know if anyone's posted this before, but in case no
one has, have a look:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/

You got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there.

- Yogi Berra

man, i had no idea how much i wanted a bike with dura ace ax brakes
until i saw those.

he says he's not interested in disc brakes of any kind, but i'm
surprised the ancient phil and shimano discs don't find a place here.

On 28 Oct 2006 23:08:28 -0700, "Nate Knutson" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Snortley said:

I don't know if anyone's posted this before, but in case no
one has, have a look:

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/

You got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there.

- Yogi Berra

man, i had no idea how much i wanted a bike with dura ace ax brakes
until i saw those.

he says he's not interested in disc brakes of any kind, but i'm
surprised the ancient phil and shimano discs don't find a place here.

In the 70's I put those Shimano cable disks on a cheap tange frame;
they were a bit heavier that a good pair of Mafacs, but they did have
advantages - the rims did not distort when braking, nor was there any
juddering due to inconsistent braking surface - so you could brake
better while turning.