The custom bicycle

THE CUSTOM BICYCLE
Michae J. Kolin and Denise M.de la Rosa

BUYING. SETTING UP, AND RIDING THE QUALITY BICYCLE

Copyright© 1979 by Michael J. Kolin and Denise M. de la Rosa All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system,without the written permission of the publisher.

Book Design by T. A. Lepley

Printed in the United States of America on recycled paper, containing a high percentage of de-inked fiber.

4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 8 10 9 7

hardcover paperback

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Kolin, Michael J The custom bicycle. Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Bicycles and tricycles—Design andconstruction. 2. Cycling. I. De la Rosa, Denise M., joint author. II. Title. TL410.K64 629.22'72 79-1451 ISBN 0-87857-254-6 hardcover ISBN 0-87857-255-4 paperback

THE CUSTOM BICYCLE
i

BUYING, SETTING UP, AND RIDING THE QUALITY BICYCLE

by Michael J. Kolin and Denise M. de la Rosa

Rodale Press Emmaus, Pa.

K

ARD

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Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction Part I
CHAPTERCHAPTER CHAPTER 1: 2: 3:

Understanding the Bicycle Frame The Bicycle Frame Bicycle Tubing Tools for Frame Building British Frame Builders Condor Cycles JRJ Cycles, Limited Mercian Cycles, Limited Harry Quinn Cycles, Limited Jack Taylor Cycles TI Raleigh, Limited Woodrup Cycles French Frame Builders CNC Cycles Cycles Gitane Cycles Peugeot 103 106 109
47 53 BO 67 75 84 95 1 22 35

Part IICHAPTER 4: CHAPTER 5: CHAPTER 6: CHAPTER 7: CHAPTER 8: CHAPTER 9: CHAPTER 10: Part III CHAPTER 11: CHAPTER 12: CHAPTER 13:

THE CUSTOM BICYCLE

Part IV CHAPTER 14: CHAPTER 15: CHAPTER 16: Part V CHAPTER 17: CHAPTER 18: CHAPTER 19:

Italian Frame Builders Cinelli Cino & C. Guerciotti Sante Pogliaghi American Frame Builders Schwinn Profiles of Some American Frame Builders General Observations: TheAmerican vs. the European Frame Builder Putting the Bicycle Together Bicycle Setup Assembling the Bicycle Riding Techniques European Frame Builders American Frame Builders Recommended Brazing Procedures Bottom Bracket Width Chain Lines Glossary Bibliography Index 187 220 230 247 249 250 252 253 255 263 269 143 159 178 119 130 137

Part VI CHAPTER 20: CHAPTER 21: CHAPTER 22: APPENDIX I APPENDIXII APPENDIX III APPENDIX IV APPENDIX V

This book is dedicated to Mike Walden.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Bill Betton, Eddie Borysewicz, Frank Brilando, Anthony Cappella, M. A. Chiarella, Andrea Cinelli, Cino Cinelli, Frank Clements, E. C. Cooper, Henri de Laissardiere, Raymond Fletcher, John Foster, Mike Fraysse, Vic Fraysse, Dennis Freezer, Georgetown Cycle, Italo Guerciotti,Paulo Guerciotti, Eddie Haslehurst, Bob Jackson, Raoul Jeand'Heur, Barry Koenig, Derek Land, Bill Lee, Gerald O'Donovan, R. P. O'Donovan, Lee Parker, Jean-Michel Piet, Mel Pinto, Sante Pogliaghi, Harry Quinn, Tom Rymanowicz, Rick Schwinn, Charles Shannon, Stuyvesant Bicycle Distributors, Jack Taylor, Ken Taylor, Norman Taylor, Peg Taylor, Leonard Trotman, Ultima, Inc., Stephen Woodrup, StephenMorris Woodrup, Grant Young, Monty Young, and all those who freely gave their time and expertise to insure the comprehensiveness and accuracy of this venture.

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Introduction

Why another book on cycling? Since the bicycle boom in 1973, dozens of books about bicycling have appeared, but few of the books answered the questions many people were asking. The C.O.N.I. book, Cycling (Rome:F.I.A.C., 1972), came as close as any, yet it leaves more questions about bicycles unanswered than it has been able to answer. More and more riders are now interested in top-quality equipment but as the price of the equipment increases, the available information decreases. After owning and operating our own bicycle shop, we discovered that few people are knowledgeable about the design and intent of...