Chalo
100 TW
Certainly old American bikes (especially the nicer ones) possess a feel and material quality that is unlike anything produced since. Their greatest shortcomings were in design, their greatest virtues were their excellent materials, and their workmanship was generally good where it counted and expedient where it didn't. Have a look sometime at an old Electro-Forged (resistance welded) Chicago Schwinn frame. The head tube joints are beautifully finished, because they are conspicuous. The bottom bracket and chainstay joints are usually a little crusty-looking, because they aren't conspicuous.
The spokes on old American bikes, even on some lesser brands, were often very highly butted 14/17 gauge, which did not come back to the market until very recently and are still considered expensive and exotic.
I worked on a "Major" brand pre-WWII cruiser last weekend, which had such spokes that had been thinned further by rust. Fortunately, most of the spokes could still be coaxed to turn for truing. A few broke, though, and I had to replace them with 14/15ga because my shop doesn't stock spokes as thin as those on the bike. Spokes that thin are a good match for the low tensions used in wheels at that place and time.
Chalo
The spokes on old American bikes, even on some lesser brands, were often very highly butted 14/17 gauge, which did not come back to the market until very recently and are still considered expensive and exotic.
I worked on a "Major" brand pre-WWII cruiser last weekend, which had such spokes that had been thinned further by rust. Fortunately, most of the spokes could still be coaxed to turn for truing. A few broke, though, and I had to replace them with 14/15ga because my shop doesn't stock spokes as thin as those on the bike. Spokes that thin are a good match for the low tensions used in wheels at that place and time.
Chalo
