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TDF history & old bicycles

Started by Zelda · · Last activity · 3 posts · 3,617 views

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Original section
Road Cycling
Published
17 July 2003
Last activity
17 July 2003
Original author
Zelda
Posts
3
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Public discussion
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3,617
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Topics
Tour de France

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  1. Original post
    Zelda
    Archived post
    #1

    With the publicity about the 100th anniversery of the TDF, I started wondering what the bicycles
    were like in 1903. I found a good web site, though I wish it had more pictures:

    homepage.ntlworld.comindex.htm

    This page homepage.ntlworld.com1908.htm has a pretty good picture of
    the bike, which has only one sprocket on the back, and no brakes that I can see.

    This page homepage.ntlworld.com1922.htm shows that at the top of a
    mountain, "two riders stop to change to a higher gear for the descent". Does anyone know what they
    are actually doing - are they removing the sprocket and installing a larger one? And where are
    their brakes??

    The 1938 page says, "Note the primitive derailleur gears, allowed in the Tour for the first time in
    1938." Interesting stuff.

    Report
  2. Arthg
    Archived post
    #2
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Does anyone know what they are actually doing - are they removing the


    sprocket and installing a larger one?

    I believe there was a single gear on both sides of the hub, so the riders would just 180 the wheel.

    "Zelda" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    With the publicity about the 100th anniversery of the TDF, I started wondering what the bicycles
    were like in 1903. I found a good web site, though I wish it had more pictures:

    homepage.ntlworld.comindex.htm

    This page homepage.ntlworld.com1908.htm has a pretty good picture
    of the bike, which has only one sprocket on the back, and no brakes that I can see.

    This page homepage.ntlworld.com1922.htm shows that at the top of a
    mountain, "two riders stop to change to a higher gear for the descent". Does anyone know what they
    are actually doing - are they removing the sprocket and installing a larger one? And where are
    their brakes??

    The 1938 page says, "Note the primitive derailleur gears, allowed in the Tour for the first time
    in 1938." Interesting stuff.

    -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- newsfeeds.comnewsfeeds.com - The #1
    Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----

    Report
  3. Benjo Maso
    Archived post
    #3

    "Arthg" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Does anyone know what they are actually doing - are they removing the


    sprocket and installing a larger one?

    I believe there was a single gear on both sides of the hub, so the riders would just 180
    the wheel.

    Right.

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    The 1938 page says, "Note the primitive derailleur gears, allowed in the Tour for the first time
    in 1938." Interesting stuff.


    Not quite correct. Derailleurs were already allowed before the First World War (some kind of Sturmey
    Archer-model), but only for individual riders and only for a few years. From 1937 on (not 1938) they
    were allowed for everybody.

    Benjo Maso

    Report

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