Ahead of it's Time

[Vapin' Joe]

This is the TT machine used back in 1970 by the then Cycling editor Ken Evans. It has a very interesting feature where he adapted a set of centre pull brakes to be direct mount, bolted onto lugs on the front fork and rear stays. As the article says, this was forty years before the industry took the idea up. It's a shame some enterprising engineer from back in the day didn't decide to follow it up.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...ialist-tt-bike-used-to-look-like-in-the-1970s

 

[Once a Wheeler]

The history of invention is always fascinating. Direct bolted cantilever brakes date back to the 1960s at least, probably earlier than that. Not quite the same thing as back-plated centre-pulls but very similar. Mavic brought out a version at about the same time as their popular Racer centre-pull. Although light and effective, cantilevers never really took off in a big way. Probably a bit vulnerable because of their wide spread and possibly a bit awkward because they could catch on the rider when walking the bike. Paul Component Engineering of Chico in California do a centre-pull designed for a brazed frame. As a specialist item, they are probably somewhat expensive. As is so often the case, things get invented and reinvented until one day someone does a version that has a distinct advantage, or just hits a fashion trend, and from then on becomes the 'inventor' in the popular mind. Like the steam engine, everyone knows Watt and many know Trevithick but I suspect that even Hero of Alexandria (ca. 200 CE) may not have been the first to make a steam engine. Plus ça change…

 

[SpokeyDokey]

This is the TT machine used back in 1970 by the then Cycling editor Ken Evans. It has a very interesting feature where he adapted a set of centre pull brakes to be direct mount, bolted onto lugs on the front fork and rear stays. As the article says, this was forty years before the industry took the idea up. It's a shame some enterprising engineer from back in the day didn't decide to follow it up.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...ialist-tt-bike-used-to-look-like-in-the-1970s

Some serious gearing as well!

 

[sevenfourate]

Loving the Garmin of the times……..

 

[si_c]

The history of invention is always fascinating. Direct bolted cantilever brakes date back to the 1960s at least, probably earlier than that. Not quite the same thing as back-plated centre-pulls but very similar. Mavic brought out a version at about the same time as their popular Racer centre-pull. Although light and effective, cantilevers never really took off in a big way. Probably a bit vulnerable because of their wide spread and possibly a bit awkward because they could catch on the rider when walking the bike. Paul Component Engineering of Chico in California do a centre-pull designed for a brazed frame. As a specialist item, they are probably somewhat expensive. As is so often the case, things get invented and reinvented until one day someone does a version that has a distinct advantage, or just hits a fashion trend, and from then on becomes the 'inventor' in the popular mind. Like the steam engine, everyone knows Watt and many know Trevithick but I suspect that even Hero of Alexandria (ca. 200 CE) may not have been the first to make a steam engine. Plus ça change…

Mafac made a direct mount version of many of their brakes which mounted to cantilever studs - the Competition IIRC. The spacing on the backplate was probably very close already. There were probably a few small frame makers who made custom versions of things like this, back when it was easy to customise a bike as you were building the frame.

 

[midlife]

My Weinmann 500 brake pivots were brazed to the fork and rear stay, saved the weight of the nut and a bit of threaded bolt Hate to think of all the weight of that centre pull set-up

 

[si_c]

My Weinmann 500 brake pivots were brazed to the fork and rear stay, saved the weight of the nut and a bit of threaded bolt Hate to think of all the weight of that centre pull set-up

Also the whole backplate which was needed to keep everything stiff.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The bolted on stop watch is great!

 

[presta]

Cantilever brakes from 1938, they look a bit flimsy to me:

 

[midlife]

The bolted on stop watch is great!

Terrys stopwatch clip maybe ? I had one

Not sure it’s a Carlton though….

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Terrys stopwatch clip maybe ? I had one

Not sure it’s a Carlton though….

Don’t know. I just remember the stop watch being like a medallion on our PE teacher at school.