tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-170914412024-03-14T01:19:42.455-04:00tears for gearsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-89088607814042999752015-11-22T17:39:00.000-05:002015-11-22T18:18:56.990-05:002002 Mercatone Uno Time Trial frame<p>Hey! How goes? I'm doing ok - been a while huh?</p>
<p>Lest you think I've abandoned bikes for motorcycles or cars, or whatever it is people spend their time on, I'm still very much collecting. Picked up a few cool things over the last, oh, year or two since I posted anything actually bike related on here. I figure it'd be ok to show off a little.</p>
<center><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/mercatone/DSC_9629.jpg" width=600px></center>
<p>We'll start with this frame. It's a 2002 Wilier-Triestina time trial frame, issued to Roberto Savoldi of the Mercatone Uno team. It was his last year with the team he got his start in as a stagiaire in 2000. </p>
<center><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/mercatone/DSC_9630.jpg" width=600px></center>
<p>Not a lot of documentation on these frames. It's labeled as an Izoard, but it's not - and doesn't really match up with anything I've seen in catalogs. Custom? Likely. Built by Wilier? Maybe. It's aluminum - Easton Aero if we're to believe the label. The carbon is a wrap on the tube - Wilier did this on the actual Izoard of the same timeframe. The claims were stiffer than, more dampened than mumble mumble mumble. I suspect it was a majority marketing and aesthetics.</p>
<center><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/mercatone/DSC_9632.jpg" width=600px></center>
<p>I suspect these frames were used the prior year by the Liquigas team - maybe even <a href="http://www.sirotti.it/foto.asp?id=429986&evento=&anno=2001&squadra=Liquigas+-+Pata&corridore=Rebellin+Davide&tag=cronometro&luogo=Montesilvano">literally the same frames.</a></p>
<p>Savoldi, and if we're honest, the entire Mercatone team was largely anonymous in 2002 - they barely left a mark on the Giro, and didn't get a Tour de France invite. They'd limp on - sans Savoldi - for another year before Pantani died in 2004.<p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-39143785796882430382014-07-03T19:20:00.001-04:002014-07-03T19:20:29.846-04:00Last Year's Tour Revelations and Their Prospects<a href="http://www.squadralytics.com/2014/07/last-years-tour-revelations-and-their.html">Last Year's Tour Revelations and Their Prospects</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-4867968988507956342014-05-09T10:28:00.000-04:002014-05-09T10:28:26.735-04:00Cool tools<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--NiDIrfH9H8/U2zcAcQIfCI/AAAAAAAAAKE/S9hM_kW9zM4/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--NiDIrfH9H8/U2zcAcQIfCI/AAAAAAAAAKE/S9hM_kW9zM4/s1600/photo.JPG" /></a></div>
I'm a big proponent of the idea that the <a href="http://www.tearsforgears.com/2013/02/syncro-2-insert-tool.html">correct tool can make even the most painful job a little easier</a>. There are certain tools that, while I suppose technically are the right tool, I rarely use. Socket wrenches are a great example - I find them to be heavy and awkward to use on a bike. That's totally not the case with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=thumbwheel+ratchets&pldnSite=1">thumbwheel ratchets, palm ratchets - whatever you want to call them</a>, I've found myself using them frequently since I acquired them. The above are the ones I went with - I like the large rubberized grip, but there are all metal and gimbaled versions available.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ix49PrXx8u4/U2zd-et-N4I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/YnAML0V-lnM/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ix49PrXx8u4/U2zd-et-N4I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/YnAML0V-lnM/s1600/photo-1.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>Because there's no extension, there's no leverage - so you can't generate a ton of torque. But because you can put force parallel with the fastener, you're less likely to strip a bolt head or nut. Their diminutive size also means you can chuck one with a few frequently used sockets in a small saddlebag.</p>
<p><a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Wilmar-W38125-Drive-Thumbwheel-Ratchet/dp/B004JCKSZ2/">3/8" drive</a>, <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JCI1OW">1/4" drive</a> and a <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BTO1BU">3 piece set that also includes a 1/2" drive</a>. If you have any, or pick some up, let me know what you think - are they as useful for you as they've proven to be for me?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-21683858595287901012013-06-27T12:50:00.000-04:002013-06-27T12:50:41.636-04:00Mavic's 640 Pedals<p>Picking a favorite Mavic component is a lot like picking which of your children is your favorite. It's unseemly, when we should be celebrating the unique beauty of all of them. But in the recesses of our minds, we all know there's one we favor just a tiny bit more. Sometimes it's rational, sometimes it's just because.</p>
<center><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Pedals/640/IMG_2694.JPG" width=600px"></center>
<p>If you pushed me - and I mean really pushed me, it's possible I might admit a slight bias towards the 640 pedal, which is a little odd given that I never ride quill pedals. It's just one of those irrational loves for an unorthodox design. A design which probably isn't Mavic's at all.</p>
<p>The Mavic 640 is a traditionally shaped quill pedal, with a finish quality that has few rivals - with the innards to match. The more common version was intro'd in the early 80's, though a version was available in the 70's as well. Similar inside, but with a riveted (or maybe domed/hammered on, I don't know) cage.</p>
<center><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Pedals/640/IMG_2710.JPG" width=600px"></center>
<p>This generation of 640 has replaceable, hard anodized cages, secured with hex head screws. They varied somewhat over the years, with slight color variations in the anodization color, and slightly different logos. I believe the one labeled 'Made In France' on the same side as the Mavic name is the older one, with the other two cages in the picture above being later. </p>
<center><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Pedals/640/IMG_2697.JPG" width=125px><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Pedals/640/IMG_2701.JPG" width=125px><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Pedals/640/IMG_2703.JPG" width=125px><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Pedals/640/IMG_2701.JPG" width=125px></center>
<center><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Pedals/640/IMG_2704.JPG" width=300px></center>
<p>Inside things get get interesting. After removing the the aluminum dust cap, removing the spindle nut and spindle, the inner roller bearing and a traditional sealed bearing are exposed. Roller bearing on the inside bearing surface, traditional on the outer.</p>
<center><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Pedals/640/pedal_big.jpg"></center>
<p>If you think the 640 bears an uncanny resemblance to the Specialites TA pedal, you're not alone. While I can't find definitive proof, I think it's a given that the 640 is at least based on the TA pedal. It's possible that Mavic licensed the design, worked from forgings provided by TA, or had TA do everything - the latter two possibilities all things they're known to have done with other components and manufacturers. By all rights, the TA version is nicer - grease port in the end cap, replaceable flip tabs, curvier cage. A very elegant quill pedal - if you're in to that sort of thing.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Pedals/640/IMG_2714.JPG"><IMG SRC="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Pedals/640/IMG_2714.JPG" width=600px></a></center>
<p>Parts explosion for those who find themselves with 640's in need of a rebuild.</p>
<p><em>Kids, if years from now you're reading this, know that it's totally you (whoever is reading this) that is my secret favorite. I never liked that other kid.</em></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-46820326947718667782013-06-04T10:02:00.000-04:002013-06-04T10:14:59.480-04:00Mavic's other flight of fancy<p>Besides electronic shifting, that is. The scale of this, however, was a little grander...</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Catalog/air%20department/airdept.jpeg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Catalog/air%20department/airdept.jpeg"></a></center>
<p>Apparently, around 1984, <a href="http://www.mavicusa.com/en/history/1983/1987/Mavic-air-department">Mavic opened their <i>Air Department</i></a>. Bruno Gormand, head of Mavic and the driving force behind their innovation since the mid-60s, was, it would seem, something of a modern renaissance man, pushing Mavic beyond the earth-bound limitations of bicycles. Those limitations would return following his death in 1985, and the dissolution of the Air Department.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Catalog/air%20department/airdept2.jpeg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Catalog/air%20department/airdept2.jpeg" width=200px></a> <a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Catalog/air%20department/airdept3.jpeg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Catalog/air%20department/airdept3.jpeg" width=200px></a></center>
<p><i>The top image is of the 'Airplume' plane, an open cockpit 2 seater. The 2nd image is its spec sheet. The third shows photos and specs for the '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avid_Flyer">Avid Flyer</a>' variant Mavic made, which is simply labeled 'Avion Experimental' in the photocopied sheet I have. I haven't included the cover as the quality is fairly low - but would be happy to if requested. </i></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-42592372434015601892013-05-31T11:13:00.003-04:002013-05-31T11:29:46.759-04:00Patent Searching<P>Patent searches are tons of fun. Here are a couple of patents I found that I wanted to share:</p>
<center><a href="http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&II=7&ND=3&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19930113&CC=EP&NR=0522983A1&KC=A1"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/articles/support/571.jpg" width=400px></a></center>
<center><a href="http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&II=335&ND=3&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19890926&CC=US&NR=4869351A&KC=A"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/articles/support/delta.jpg" width=400px></a></center>
<center><a href="http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/originalDocument?FT=D&date=19881130&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_EP&CC=IT&NR=1197192B&KC=B&ND=4"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/articles/support/syncro.png" width=400px></a></center>
<center><a href="http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&II=6&ND=4&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19900606&CC=JP&NR=H02225191A&KC=A"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/articles/support/STI.jpg" width=400px></a></center>
<p>Online patent searches provide a wealth of information about the workings of some of our favorite equipment - as well as the innovations, successful and otherwise, that preceded them. The slight variations and changes that happened from patent submission to real world implementation (note the spring setup on the Syncro patent, for instance) are really cool. Even cooler are the abortive attempts - take for instance <a href="http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&II=27&ND=3&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19891107&CC=US&NR=4878395A&KC=A">this patent from Campagnolo</a>, which was issued around the same time - it seems to be a slip-proof shift lever where the hinged part sort of acts as a brake on the spring (???), the need for which was probably negated by their "success" with Syncro. WTF indeed.</p>
<p>The pictures are truly worth the thousands of words that comprise the patents. If you come across anything cool, leave it in a comment below.</p>
<p><i>The picture-linked patents above are for the Mavic 571 face-pawl cassette hub, the Campagnolo Delta Brake, the Campagnolo Syncro 1 shifter and the original Shimano STI shifters</i></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-32831164284003356652013-05-13T12:01:00.002-04:002013-05-13T12:13:11.209-04:00Photographs Lie - The Mavic gruppo that didn't quite exist<p>Mavic's last hurrah in the complete gruppo market came in the early 00's. Mektronik, introduced in 1999, seems to have cowed Mavic enough that I can't imagine we'll ever see them market a complete group again. Expensive, quirky, and downright troublesome, Mavic was looking just a little too far ahead when they pushed their even more futuristic replacement for the Zap to market. As Shimano and Campagnolo have demonstrated, today the world is ready for electronic shifting. 10 years ago, not so much. </p>
<p>But a gruppo isn't a gruppo without a full array of components. Mektronic provided the integrated brake levers and electronic rear derailleur. Lesser known, but also present was the Mektronic front derailleur - a mechanical derailleur, a pretty significant departure from their 810/860 design to work with the narrower 9 speed drivetrains that were popular at the time. Mavic also introduced their leaf-spring R3 brake at the same time. All were available, for a price, with the brakes still available up until the last couple of years.</p>
<p>But what about a crank and headset?</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/mek2000/photo.jpeg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/mek2000/photo.jpeg" width=600px></a></center>
<p>Mavic clearly had plans to offer Mektronic as a complete group. And to do that, they would need a crank/bottom bracket, and a headset. Their 2000 catalog showed just such items.</p>
<p>The headset, a threaded model, would be de rigueur, with 1" threadless headsets appearing on most high end frames right around that time.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/mek2000/crank.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/mek2000/crank.jpg" width=600px></a></center>
<p>The crank looks to be ISIS. It looks familiar, but I can't put my finger on what other vendor's crank it looks like. My guess? It's an FSA crank, or one of the closely related companies in Taiwan, who was probably also the source for the brake calipers and front derailleur.</p>
<p>Regardless of who was going to make the crank, it seems that it never happened - or if it did, it certainly never happened in quantity. I've never seen the crank (and associated bottom bracket) or headset, other than in the catalog. Everything else was produced, though certainly not in the quantity of earlier Mavic components. If you have a crank or headset, please send me pictures! </p>
<p><i>Huge thanks to John Liu for providing me the images from the 2000 Mektronic catalog! </i></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-9940332240852639272013-04-05T16:06:00.002-04:002013-04-05T16:10:57.609-04:00Salvation on the Road to Roubaix<center><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B68ZE1t0s0Q/UV8tGO4XS6I/AAAAAAAAAGg/HLunGHNqZDY/s1600/_DSC3950.jpeg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B68ZE1t0s0Q/UV8tGO4XS6I/AAAAAAAAAGg/HLunGHNqZDY/s640/_DSC3950.jpeg" /></a></center>
<p>It's not atypical for a Paris-Roubaix narrative to wax on about how the roads from Compiegne to Roubaix are paved with the sweetest, smoothest pavement you've ever felt, interspersed with pavé nastier than you could even imagine. It's totally legitimate - the cobbled paths of Paris-Roubaix are entirely unlike those of the Ronde, where they are a part of daily life for those in the area. The cobbles in Paris-Roubaix, however, exist for few reasons but spectacle - their maintenance more a matter of archaeological recreation than planning. The abuse they mete out is real, and not merely mythology. Riding them is truly an experience in masochism. I rode the last 100km or so of Paris-Roubaix exactly a year ago today, and I found myself wondering why anyone would voluntarily do what I was doing.</p>
<p>So when you find yourself receiving your fourth or fifth (or first) cold stone massage between those amazing sections of smooth smooth tarmac, it's only natural to do what I did - to look around for salvation. Just like me, you'll think you've found it while looking off to either side along the cobbled sections. </p>
<p>The cobbled paths on which Paris-Roubaix are horse cart-cum-tractor paths, built to survive the frost heaves of winter and the never ending rains that precede and follow. Napoleon, the Romans - whoever built them, they built them to hasten getting from point A to point B while surviving the elements, with the technology they had available at the time. Jagged, horrible, uneven, rocky technology.</p>
<p>To survive, these cobbled roads needed to be permeable. Due to some combination of engineering and age, most of these paths are raised in the middle and slope to their edge, where a stretch of cobbles or some sort of runoff ditch running perpendicular to the main drag is found. This gutter acts as a sort of drainage flow for water coming off the main roadbed, allowing the paths to remain somewhat passable in adverse weather. Or, at least, that was probably the original intent. </p>
<p>Here, in the gutter, is where you'll think salvation lies. And on Sunday, you'll see scores of riders assume the same. Maybe it’s less jarring than the pavé itself, but its not without hazard.</p>
<p>Cruising along the side, you'll be beset by 3 primary risks.</p>
<p>As a conduit for runoff, the gutter is also where all of the debris and filler material from the cobbles end up. At times, the amount of dirt and sand there creates a serious risk to traction and control - turn your bar too quickly or slide the rear of your bike tearing around a cobbled corner and expect to fall. Do so with a strung out peloton, and expect to be run over as well.</p>
<p>When cobbles line the gutter they are, for the most part, in better shape that the main pathways. As you're riding over the cobble the "long" way, the edges are less frequent and narrower; rather than being 6-7" wide, they're a mere 2-3", and tend to not protrude as much. Except when they do, or when an entire section of gutter has been washed away due to erosion. At this point you'll be headed for a hole. If you're quick enough, you can dash towards the main cobbles, hoping your wheel doesn't get pinched in the transition. If you’re not so quick, you’re going down.</p>
<p>The biggest risk in the gutter may not be the gutter itself, but the eroded shelf of scrubby vegetation that lies adjacent to it. After decades (centuries?) of use, the cobbled roads appear almost sunk in to the countryside. In some cases, this isn't far from the truth - they've been dug from under the fields in which they were buried in order to enrich the spectacle of the day. In other cases, constant use of the roads and tilling of the adjacent land has built up a cliff of dirt, grass and weeds along the roads. In some places its a couple of inches high. In others, it can be taller - tall enough to make pedal strike not just possible but probable. And in spite of your slow speed, when you strike a pedal on the ground you will be thrown from your bike. Given a choice, aim for the dirt, mud and, stinging nettles that lie on the non-cobbled side of the road. The nettles will sting for hours, but consider yourself lucky - your collarbone is in one piece.</p>
<p>So this Sunday, when you're watching riders taking the “easy way” through the cobbles by riding in the gutter, don’t judge them. For while the gutter may offer temporary relief to the rattle of the cobbles, it dishes out plenty of its own punishment. Dirty, itchy, muddy, beautiful punishment.</p>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-45457552391809038982013-02-17T20:13:00.000-05:002013-02-17T20:37:46.875-05:00Syncro 2 Insert Tool<p>Ever notice how bike maintenance goes much, much smoother when you have the correct tools? And how horribly awry things can go when you don't? I'm not proud to admit I've marred the edges of a headset top nut by trying to use an adjustable wrench instead of taking literally 2 steps to the right to grab a proper headset wrench. Or rounded off the small bolt that attaches the cable to the front derailleur. We've all done these sorts of things, felt a little sheepish about being lazy, and learned our lesson. Mostly.</p>
<p>One question I've gotten on occasion, given my somewhat suspect reputation as a Campagnolo Syncro shifter expert, is how to install shift inserts in to the levers. I've always just used a pick or small hex wrench to push back the G spring on one side, and tried to push the insert in. Giant pain to do, and an excellent way to stab yourself with a pick. Given how infrequently one would ever actually change an insert, I didn't spend too much time figuring out a good way to do it.</p>
<center><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ur25zRvsFc/USF-l_7qBaI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/4va0RBCMMLA/s1600/IMG_2421.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ur25zRvsFc/USF-l_7qBaI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/4va0RBCMMLA/s320/IMG_2421.JPG" /></a></center>
<p>As you'd expect, there's actually a proper tool to install the shift inserts - with the somewhat non-descriptive name of Syncro 2 Quick Mount. I made a little video to show how the tool works.</p>
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/shAncwIiuC8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>
<p>It's definitely one of those tools no one should really need - who works on that many Syncro levers, especially in 2013? But for the workshop that needs to have the correct tool for every weird, esoteric bike bit...here's another one to watch eBay for!</p>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-59591782697155236062013-01-15T16:31:00.001-05:002013-01-15T16:31:56.611-05:00Close quarters work stand<p>Or perhaps, the correct term is work hang. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-djPhlDDWLrU/UPXFUPj8zaI/AAAAAAAAAF0/8QwLkvWtJfk/s1600/IMG_2344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-djPhlDDWLrU/UPXFUPj8zaI/AAAAAAAAAF0/8QwLkvWtJfk/s320/IMG_2344.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>Regardless, a recent move gave me the opportunity to move my previously off-site workshop on-site. The change has been immense - where before the round-trip travel time to my old space dictated spending ever diminishing stretches of time in the 'shop, I can now pop and in out while doing other things. An undeniable improvement in the amount of time I get to work on projects, while spending more time with my family.</p>
<p>What my new workshop lacks, however, is width. At 15'x8', it's pretty narrow in there, especially with all I've jammed in there; decades of magazines, books, bikes, tools, parts, rolls of carbon fiber. </p>
<p>A traditional work stand has a pretty wide base. The best are heavily weighted shop stands, not meant to be moved around. A non-option for me, since I need something that doesn't take up space when not in use. Folding stands tend to require a pretty wide footprint when in use, and aren't exactly un-intrusive when folded. Bolting something to the ceiling that can fold up and away seemed like an obvious choice, especially when I can bolt other things up there to facilitate other work - overhead dust collection, routing the hoses for my vacuum pump or targetted task lighting via a jointed arm being the first use cases I've come up with so far.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UM594X21Ow/UPXFj529X-I/AAAAAAAAAGA/u7CYzFmQNTw/s1600/IMG_2343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UM594X21Ow/UPXFj529X-I/AAAAAAAAAGA/u7CYzFmQNTw/s320/IMG_2343.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>It's all constructed out of <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/8020-Inc-Garage-Sale?_trksid=p2047675.l2563">80/20 parts</a>, bolted to a 2x4 that is in turn secured to the ceiling beams via lag bolts. The bike attachment is just a cheap bench mounted clamp I cut down slightly - it's actually pretty terrible, and at some point I'll find a better clamp. All in all, though, I'm very happy with it, and excited to start working on the projects it will facilitate.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-41866036448724180532012-11-14T21:41:00.000-05:002012-11-14T21:48:24.134-05:00Un bref historique de retrofriction Simplex<p>In the 70's and 80's, one of the most popular off-sponsor upgrade seen in the pro peloton was the Simplex retrofriction lever. Where the Nuovo Record might slip from the frame wrenching inflicted by a pro rider, the Simplex Retrofriction would hold its gear while allowing effortless shifting. Where traditional shifters relied solely on friction to hold the derailleur in place, Simplex utilized a novel spring clutch mechanism - pull back and the friction plate is disengaged, while the spring holds it in place when pushed forward, giving a balanced feel in spite of the pull the rear derailleur spring.</p>
<p>There were a few versions of the Simplex. Introduced in 1973, the mechanism lived for a very, very long time under a different of guises and vendors.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2226.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2226.jpg" width=300px></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2227.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2227.jpg" width=300px></a></center>
<p>It'd be easy to label the first of the Simplex levers to be the above left, with the weird growth on their bottoms, and the example on the above right, with an internalized spring to be the more recent. Unfortunately, this may be incorrect, as the right example is detailed in their <a href="http://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=20117">1974 catalog</a>, followed for the next 7 years by <a href="http://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=20618&g2_imageViewsIndex=1">goitered example</a>. In 1981, the <a href="http://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=44356&g2_imageViewsIndex=1">clean hidden spring version</a> returns. If you're looking to outfit a bike of the period, I suppose, technically, you'd be safe with either example. They were also availbale in gold and black anodized aluminum, as well as a delrin version.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2228.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2228.jpg" width=400px></a></center>
<p>By the <a href="http://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=44270">1981 catalog</a>, the lever shape changed to the "tear drop cutout" shape. I believe this version was introduced in 1978 or 1979.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2229.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2229.jpg" width=300px></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2232.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2232.jpg" width=300px></a></center>
<p>A few different brandings of this lever are found. The unmarked version was sold both as Simplex and Mavic. In the late 70's, Simplex was a member of the Spidel "collective", and labeled it's levers as such.</p>
<p>While this is the last lever people often associate with Simplex, there were a few versions that came after.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2234.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2234.jpg" width=400px></a></center>
<p>The front shift lever supplied with the Mavic Zap group was produced by Simplex. Simplex also sold a pair of these in the <a href="http://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=44002">early 90's</a>.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2236.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Simplex/article%20support/IMG_2236.jpg" width=400px></a></center>
<p>The Mavic Mektronic front lever might just give a view in to what might have happened had Mavic been first to introduce integrated shifters, instead of Shimano. Retrofriction lever sort of grafted on to the side of the lever body. Every time I'm in a less than optimal gear on a Shimano equipped bike, I wish I could have the infinite trim afforded by this sort of setup.</p>
<p>There were more variants! Gipiemme sold a version of the Simplex retrofriction lever, and I'm sure others did as well. Have any cool examples to share? Drop me an email with a picture!</p>
<em><a href="http://www.velo-pages.com/">velo-pages.com</a> is a phenomenal resource. If you ever find yourself looking for a catalog, check it out - chances are good you'll find something there. It's also a great place to get lost in exploration!</em>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-89250878249916627562012-09-28T11:32:00.000-04:002012-09-28T11:32:19.791-04:00Mavic Tools<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8502.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8502.JPG" width=600px></a></center><br/>
<p>Here's something you don't see every day - the "full" Mavic tool kit.</p>
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<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8505.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8505.JPG" width=600px></a></center><br />
<p>Being a something of an out-ed Mavic nerd means I get contacted from time to time by other Mavic fans, either working on cool projects or who have some obscure/hard-to-find item they're looking to pass along to someone who'll take good care of them.</p>
<p>That description fits me to a T. You've got Mavic stuff you want a good caretaker for, I'm your guy.</p>
<p>I was contacted a bunch of months ago by someone who came across the blog who had been carting around a Mavic toolkit since the 90's, when a well equipped shop might actually have one of these. Now my relatively well equipped (work)shop does, and I'm really excited to put it all to use.</p>
<p>Some of the tools are familiar - or at least, tools you've heard about, while some of them aren't as common. Here they are, along with pics of them in use where I could find them.</p>
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8506.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8506.JPG" width=200px></a><br/><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/6703.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/6703.jpg" height=200px></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/652-653.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/652-653.jpg" height=200px></a></center><br />
<p>The Mavic bottom bracket cutter is probably familiar to most of you. It was sold in pieces, designated 652 (cutter), 653 (centering cones), and 654 (the handle). This one has two sets of centering cones mounted. They're reversible to handle cutting English/French or Italian sized bottom brackets. (Yes, I know French and English aren't the same size, but for the purposes of the centering cone, they're close enough.)</p>
<p>The drift is Mavic's 6703.<p>
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8508.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8508.JPG" width=200px></a><br/><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/6702.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/6702.jpg" height=200px></a></center><br />
<p>Mavic's 6702 bearing set. Used to gently persuade bearings in to bottom brackets.</p>
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8510.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8510.JPG" width=200px></a><br/><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/6704.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/6704.jpg" height=200px></a></center><br />
<p>6704 hub bearing set.</p>
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8512.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8512.JPG" width=200px></a><br/><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/670.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/670.jpg" height=200px></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/670-2.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/article%20support/670-2.jpg" height=200px></a></center><br />
<p>The 670 bearing adjustment tool. Used to install, remove and adjust bearing covers on the Mavic hubs and bottom brackets.</p>
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<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8514.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8514.JPG" width=200px></a></center><br />
<p>The 6705 bottom bracket installation wrenches.</p>
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<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8516.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8516.JPG" width=200px></a></center><br />
<p>These are actually LOOK pedal wrenches, used to remove the outer bearing covers on the early Delta pedals, like Mavic's 646 LMS.</p>
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<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8518.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8518.JPG" width=200px></a></center><br />
<p>The 671 and 672 headset wrenches, used with the 300/310 series headsets.</p>
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<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8519.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Tools/DSC_8519.JPG" width=200px></a></center><br />
<p>Finally, the 6701 pedal bearing set. Used to insert the bearings in to a variety of Mavic pedals.</p>
<p>The foam in these toolkits is always deteriorating, some 20 years after they were manufactured. I have an empty spare toolkit case that sooner or later I'll cut replacement foam for.</p>
<p><em>What are the compressor/vacuum fittings for in the topmost pictures? Another project altogether! More on that shortly...</em></p>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-14165679433734557392012-08-20T16:25:00.000-04:002012-08-20T16:35:01.607-04:00Mavic's first cassette hub - the 570<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/570/IMG_1664.JPG"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/570/IMG_1664.JPG" width=600px></a></center>
Mavic's first "successful" cassette hub was the often talked about (on here at least) 571. The 571's design was similar to the other hubs of the era - a driver with a spline pattern, cogs held in place by either a threaded outermost cost (571) or a lockring (571/2).
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<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/570/IMG_1667.JPG"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/570/IMG_1667.JPG" width=600px></a></center>
The 571 wasn't Mavic's first cassette hub, however. That distinction goes to the MRL 570 hub. Also known as the Z-Hub, the 570 was an interesting, albeit quirky French take on the cassette.
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<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/570/IMG_1673.JPG"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/570/IMG_1673.JPG" width=600px></a></center>
Where a modern cassette would have its splines, the 570 has threads - what might be called by some an Acme thread, they're similar to the threading often seen on the lead screw of a lathe.
Mavic made a number of claims about design that were of specious validity. The design of the 570 (and the 571, 575 and 577, for that matter) allowed the cassette driver to be removed from the hub using only hex wrenches. This, Mavic claimed, would allow you to have drivers loaded with cogs, ready to go for quick changes of your gear ratios. Aside from the fact that spare drivers were non-existent, one attractive quality of a cassette is the ease with which you can swap cogs - having a pre-populated body doesn't sound all that attractive.
The 570 also had its issues. The driver was prone to splitting - perhaps it was machined rather than forged, and the loads it sees either from cogs snugging themselves down too far or through torque could cause it to crack perpendicular to the threads.
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<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/570/IMG_1674.JPG"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/570/IMG_1674.JPG" width=600px></a></center>
It was also possible for the cogs to overtighten, making their removal a chore - and given that they all threaded on, it was easy to land in a situation where you needed to wrestle all 7 cogs off by hand. Fortunately there was a tool to hold the cassette mechanism in place, lest that 7th cog stay on there forever...
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<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/570/IMG_1666.JPG"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/570/IMG_1666.JPG" width=600px></a></center>
A cheap hub this was not. With a retail of close to $400 with a front hub and alloy cassette, it's no surprise there aren't many to be found.<br /><br />
The 570 was available for a year or 2 before it was replaced by the much more refined 571.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-50261782085501171582012-06-06T10:39:00.000-04:002012-06-06T10:39:24.507-04:00Drillium restored<p>I just realized the URL's for the <a href="http://www.tearsforgears.com/2005/09/drillium-info.html">drillium articles</a> I posted 6+ years ago (!) were 404'ing. If you were looking for them, I changed the links to copies I had - for once I had the insight to save backups.</p>
<p>New posts soon!</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-75486675567078508532012-04-25T15:13:00.001-04:002012-04-25T15:16:41.774-04:00A box-sectioned eulogy<a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/paris-roubaix/2012/BSE/fdj%20ambrosio.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/paris-roubaix/2012/BSE/fdj%20ambrosio.jpg" alt="" title="FdJ Nemesis shod Lapierre. Copyright Jeremy Rauch 2012" width="600" /></a>
<p>Not that long ago, the cobbled classics were an anomaly in the cycling calendar. While a team might employ the same frame, component and wheel choices for 95% of their race calendar, the month or so bounded by semi-classic Omloop Het (Volk, Nieuwsblad) and Paris-Roubaix was a special time. The ubiquitous, obvious choices went out the window, replaced by cobble specific setups. Custom frame geometries, cantilever brakes, doubled-up seat clamps, chain catchers, aluminum rims—a myriad of hardware rarely seen outside of the season. For the tech-junkies among us, it was an assault of unique, purpose driven bikes, and it was glorious.</p>
<p>By the early oughts, teams stopped with the total insanity the 90's had introduced in to these races—the Rock Shox and full suspension rigs replaced with frames like Specialized's Roubaix, or in some cases, teams employing cyclocross bikes. Sure, there'd was the occasional one-off custom, carefully hidden under paint, but they became the exception rather than the rule. The last bastion of unique was the rim.</p>
<a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/paris-roubaix/2012/BSE/Corima%20Nemesis.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/paris-roubaix/2012/BSE/Corima%20Nemesis.jpg" alt="" title='Astana rolling on the "Corima" Nemesis. Copyright Jeremy Rauch 2012' width="600"/></a>
<p>Up until the last handful of years, box section aluminum rims were the only option for the cobbles. Rims like Mavic's Paris-Roubaix SSC dominated. As the supply of SSC's dwindled in the late 90's, the Ambrosio Nemesis became the rim of choice. A similar extrusion to the SSC, it was easily identified by its polished brass badge, supposedly placed to compensate for the imbalanced introduced by the drilling of the valve hole, but just as likely there to make sure no one would question what rim you were really looking at—for although everyone knew they were being ridden by a majority of the peloton, only a handful did so without some token attempt at rebadging them.</p>
<p>The last few years have been unkind to the box section. To butcher a quote often credited to Andy Hampsten, it would seem the only thing scarier than riding the cobbles on carbon rims is not riding the cobbles on carbon rims. The past three years have seen all of the cobbled classics won on carbon—the last win on an aluminum rim was Boonen's in the 2009 edition of Paris-Roubaix. The SSC, Nemesis or similar aluminum box section, once the rims of spring, have been largely replaced—and while 6 out of 9 of the last cobbled classics wins came on Zipp 303's, the other wheel vendors have also gotten in on the wins as well, including Mavic, Campagnolo and HED. Their reputation for fragility, whether ever warranted or not, has fallen by the wayside as they've demonstrated they're ready for the rough stuff.</p>
<a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/paris-roubaix/2012/BSE/neutral2.jpg"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/paris-roubaix/2012/BSE/neutral2.jpg" alt="" title="Neutral support has plenty of non-carbon options. Copyright Jeremy Rauch 2012" width="600" /></a>
<p>2012 saw few aluminum box sections actually hit the cobbles, being mostly relegated to spare wheels or also-ran teams. Mavic tubulars, in particular, are few and far between, save a relic or two riding neutral support. While we'll probably a few of these aluminum shod wheels around next year, their day seems to be coming to a rapid—and unfortunate—end. So long old friends.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-52325882130945775602012-04-18T11:55:00.000-04:002012-04-18T11:56:16.375-04:00Campagnolo Doppler Tech Notice<p>They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Less spoken about is the value of a drawing.</p>
<p>Often the source of head scratching is the orientation of the dished spring washers for the Campagnolo Doppler retrofriction shifters. Do the two washers nest in to one another, or are they opposing? Do they face inward or outward?</p>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Campagnolo/catalogs/Doppler%20Information/Synchro%20tech%20insert.jpg"><IMG SRC="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Campagnolo/catalogs/Doppler%20Information/Synchro%20tech%20insert.jpg" width=600px></a></center>
<p>The above information notice, dated April 30, 1987, should answer those questions once and for all - they nest in each other, with the convex side facing the frame boss.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-2848310304095292492012-04-11T18:19:00.002-04:002012-04-11T18:24:22.237-04:001999 Mavic Mektronic Catalog<p>So just the other day I found myself at dinner with former French pro Jacky Durand. The sole non-French speaker at the table, I spent a pretty ridiculous amount of time nodding and smiling when I really had no clue what was going on. In between stories I'm pretty sure were about Jacky's mom dropping her friends on rides on the farm and how the sound of a pig being slaughtered can carry for kilometers, I picked up an all-too-familiar story about Mavic Mektronic. Power lines in the distance, Jacky related, were a sure sign that he and anyone else in the peloton stuck riding Mektronic were about to be in for a sufferfest - the system, when encountering interference, would cause the derailleur to reset it self, dumping them in to the smallest cog in the back.</p>
<p>Apocryphal or not, hearing Durand (and watching him act out) the effects of this on his performance were very comical - the guy can tell a story. I never got to play with Mektronic when it was new, given what it cost. I've since acquired a couple of sets, but haven't been able to bring myself to use it - a combination of fragility, obsolescence, and stories involving my already poor climbing abilities suffering in the presence of overhead power lines have killed any curiosity I once had about what it was like to ride. </p>
<p>Should you find yourself in possession of a set, and feel motivated to give it a try, I hope these manual pages come in handy.</p>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%20-1.jpg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%20-1.jpg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%200.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%200.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%201.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%201.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%202.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%202.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%203.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%203.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%204.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%204.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%205.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%205.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%206.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%206.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%207.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%207.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%208.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%208.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%209.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%209.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2010.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2010.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2011.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2011.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2012.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2012.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2013.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2013.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2014.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2014.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2015.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2015.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2016.jpeg"><img src="http://cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/Mektronic/mek%2016.jpeg" width="300px"></a></center><br><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-9143849922128515422012-04-08T16:02:00.001-04:002012-04-08T16:03:14.584-04:00It's not all new-tech at Paris-Roubaix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AR7AuonLMnY/T4Hts893IqI/AAAAAAAAAE0/4ejVSHUQm0k/s1600/Paris-Roubaix%2B571slash2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="266" width="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AR7AuonLMnY/T4Hts893IqI/AAAAAAAAAE0/4ejVSHUQm0k/s400/Paris-Roubaix%2B571slash2.jpg" /></a></div>
Mavic 571/2 HG hubs laced to Paris-Roubaix SSC rims. These were loaded on to one of the Mavic neutral support vehicles following the peloton in today's (2012) Paris-Roubaix.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-on6K7SSh8NE/T4Hul_oN6mI/AAAAAAAAAFA/nKDn2BxYFMw/s1600/Paris-Roubaix%2BSSC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="266" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-on6K7SSh8NE/T4Hul_oN6mI/AAAAAAAAAFA/nKDn2BxYFMw/s400/Paris-Roubaix%2BSSC.jpg" /></a></div>
I wasn't able to check the date codes on the dust shields, but these wheels are probably 15+ years old. Not too shabby.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-78497541173060816672012-01-03T00:44:00.000-05:002012-01-03T12:45:04.295-05:00The Different Mavic CXP RimsDo you know the differences between all the Mavic CXP rims? For me, its always felt like a bunch of quasi-aero rims with different characteristics were opaquely lumped together under the CXP designation. Very confusing. If you can keep them all straight, I'm impressed.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/rim0.jpg.jpeg"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/rim0.jpg.jpeg" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/rim1.jpg.jpeg"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/rim1.jpg.jpeg" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-left: 0px; border-right: 1px; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/rim2.jpg.jpeg"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/rim2.jpg.jpeg" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-left: 0px; border-right: 1px; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a></center>
<br />
Hopefully, my confusion (and yours, should you have any) will end along with 2011. From Mavic's 1999 catalog, here are the CXP catalog pages for the family members that existed at the time, along with profile and extrusion shots for each of them. Let's start with the highest number and work our way down.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1392.JPG"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1392.JPG" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1393.JPG"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1393.JPG" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-left: 0px; border-right: 1px; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a>
<br />The CXP33. 19.4mm wide, 23.6mm high. Welded + machined. "Profiled" eyelets.</center>
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1394.JPG"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1394.JPG" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1395.JPG"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1395.JPG" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-left: 0px; border-right: 1px; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a>
<br />The CXP30. 19.4mm wide, 30.5mm high. Welded + machined. "Profiled" eyelets. This rim was available in a tubular AND clincher version.</center>
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1386.JPG"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1386.JPG" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1387.JPG"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1387.JPG" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-left: 0px; border-right: 1px; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a><br />The CXP23. 19.3mm wide, 23.6mm high. Welded + machined.</center>
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1397.JPG"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1397.JPG" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1398.JPG"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1398.JPG" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-left: 0px; border-right: 1px; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a>
<br />The CXP21. 20mm wide, 20mm high. Machined.</center>
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1388.JPG"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1388.JPG" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1391.JPG"><img height="270px" src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/CXPs/IMG_1391.JPG" style="border-color: #bbbbbb; border-left: 0px; border-right: 1px; border-style: solid; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px; padding: 0px;" /></a>
<br />The CXP11. 20mm wide, 20mm high.</center>
<br />
There are obviously CXP rims that came out after my catalog (and extrusion collection). I don't have extrusions for those, so for the time being, we'll all just have to consult the information available from the Mavic site. Good luck!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-1251816515279857232011-11-17T13:30:00.000-05:002011-11-17T13:38:55.818-05:00'90's Pro Mavic parts you've never seen - or at least never noticed<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/velo_denz/3312100441/" title="Tour de France 1992 - On the roof-rack of the RMO team car, a mavic-equipped, &quot;Gitane&quot;-badged ALAN bike. by velodenz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/3312100441_4ba9bbcd9d_o.jpg" width="600" height="407" alt="Tour de France 1992 - On the roof-rack of the RMO team car, a mavic-equipped, &quot;Gitane&quot;-badged ALAN bike."></a> <br /><i>Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/velo_denz/3312100441/">velo_denz on Flickr</a></i></center>
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<p>The picture above comes from the 1992 Tour de France, which saw RMO's Pascal Lino spend 10 days in the Yellow Jersey before yielding to Miguel Indurain, who would go on to win his second Tour de France. Notice anything odd in a Mavic-y way?</p>
<p>The oddity on this bike are the front and rear derailleurs. While they look largely like the "normal" 840 rear and 860 front derailleurs, they exhibit a number of details that aren't normal. Most obvious is the lack of black anodization. The derailleurs on the RMO bike are silver - probably clear anodized. The rear derailleur also features a number of cutouts on both the front AND back of the pulley cages, likely to reduce the weight of a derailleur that was heavier than the comparable offerings from Shimano and Campagnolo at that time.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Derailleurs/PRO/DSC_7424.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Derailleurs/PRO/DSC_7424.JPG" width=600px></a></center>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Derailleurs/PRO/DSC_7429.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Derailleurs/PRO/DSC_7429.JPG" width=600px></a></center>
<p>I mentioned the backside is cutout, right? </p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Derailleurs/PRO/DSC_7427.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Derailleurs/PRO/DSC_7427.JPG" width=600px></a></center>
<p>And before you go thinking the front is just a standard 810 derailleur, it's not - beside the fact they were no longer available by the late 80's, they also didn't have the Mavic logo etched in them.</p>
<p>These derailleurs came to me via Spain. I believe they were from an Once team bike belonging to pro Anselmo Fuerte. In the early 90's Once was sponsored by, and rode full groups from, Mavic. As far as I know, these derailleurs were never made available to the public. In 1992, Mavic was debuting the Zap system with select pro teams, and I suspect largely considered the 840/841 a product they would be able to phase out when the entire world went to their electric shifting system. That didn't happen, and the mechanical rear derailleurs continued to be available for several years, albeit in their original black anodized/cutout free form. These silver ones disappeared almost immediately from the pro ranks, as teams either switched to Zap, or switched to cobbled together drivetrains - witness <a href="http://www.tearsforgears.com/2010/04/2-days-whos-ready-for-paris-roubaix.html">Gan's Mavic/Campagnolo drivetrain from 1994.</a></p>
<p>I've known about these silver derailleurs for a few years now, but this is the first set I've seen. Anyone hiding additional sets in their spares box should feel free to contact me! :)</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-64389094995537935852011-10-24T17:32:00.003-04:002011-10-24T17:33:23.019-04:00From the land of misfit Mavic toys...<p>As far as I know this doesn't really exist.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/571_4pawl/IMG_1194.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Hubs/Rear/571_4pawl/IMG_1194.JPG" width=500px></a></center>
<p>4 pawl 571 cassette rear hub. It's labeled as a 571, not 571/2. Someone's aftermarket modification? The machining quality is very high, so that seems unlikely. An experiment by Mavic at increasing the number of pawls? Beats me. Anyone seen one before?</p>
<p>More oddball Mavic stuff that doesn't exist coming shortly...</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-62372518932876702722011-10-19T13:16:00.000-04:002011-10-19T13:16:48.795-04:00Mavic Technical Manual Update!<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/91+/"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/91+/cover.jpg" width=400px></a></center><br>
<p>Came across a later version of the <a href="http://www.tearsforgears.com/2010/08/mavic-tech-manuals.html">Mavic technical manual</a> recently, so I figured I owed it to whatever readers I still have to publish the differences. This manual was from 1991 or later, and added 451 brakes, 501/531 hubs, and the 571/577 cassette hubs. You can find scans <a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/Manuals/91+/">here</a>. Enjoy!</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-5339674254958972142011-06-16T15:11:00.000-04:002011-06-16T15:11:23.289-04:00Mid 90's Mavic Rim Finishes<p>These days, rims come in <a href="http://www.velocityusa.com/default.asp?contentID=717">every color under the sun</a>. That hasn't always been the case - at least, not in a non-bmx rim. In the mid 90's, Mavic started offering their rims in a pretty wide range of colors.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/finishes/IMG_0885.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/finishes/IMG_0885.JPG" width=500px></a></center>
<p>In order from top, left to right, Mavic called the colors Silver, Flash Brilliant, Titanium (or Titane), Red, Orange, Citron, Cosmic Blue, Steel Grey, Couche Dure (hard anodized) and Black.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/finishes/IMG_0893.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/finishes/IMG_0893.JPG" width=500px></a></center>
<center><p>OG indeed.</p></center>
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/finishes/IMG_0879.JPG"><img src="http://www.cadre.org/bike_stuff/Mavic/rims/finishes/IMG_0879.JPG" width=200px></a><p><i>Who wants to see some rim extrusions?</i></p></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-16316941360419959872011-01-04T22:44:00.001-05:002011-01-04T23:05:19.498-05:00Connie Paraskevin Young Merckx Pista<p>Someone presumably doing a little serial number research sent me these pics the other day, and I thought I'd share them with all of you. It's owner, Marc St. Martin, wrote me the following about it:</p>
<p><i>I recently purchased an Eddy Merckx pista and have confirmed with Eddy Merckx cycles (through Gitabike) that it was built in 1987 for Connie Paraskevin Young. I suspect it was used by her in the 1987 UCI Track Worlds in Austria. It was all white and equipped tout Mavic at that time. In 1988, Connie enlisted Keith Anderson (confirmed by Keith) to livery the bike as a Murray. It was then put into service late in 1988 for the Sundance Juice Sparkler series. It is serial #A 4694 A, Columbus SLX, 47cm.
</i></p>
<P> Very cool! Enjoy the pics.</p>
<center><IMG SRC="http://www.cadre.org/Merckx/A-4694-A/IMG_1393.jpg" width=600px></center>
<center><IMG SRC="http://www.cadre.org/Merckx/A-4694-A/IMG_1394.jpg" width=600px></center>
<center><IMG SRC="http://www.cadre.org/Merckx/A-4694-A/IMG_1396.jpg" width=600px></center>
<p>Thanks for sharing, Marc!</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17091441.post-8783064954109782772010-12-02T16:58:00.001-05:002010-12-02T16:59:42.744-05:00Ugh I'm still here....<p>So I can't PROVE it, but shortly after I started going through all of my old magazines, I came down with a SERIOUSLY brutal cold/eye infection/general disgustingness. Did I, sorta like <a href="http://www.unmuseum.org/mummy.htm">Howard Carter opening Tutankhamen's Tomb</a>, receive the curse of every mother whose son never threw out a magazine? Perhaps some long dormant mold spore poisoning? Don't know! But I'm just about healthy, and I'll get back to my magazine project. Thanks for being patient!</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><IMG SRC="http://c.statcounter.com/2943607/0/dc7d0a86/1/" //></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3