San Giorgio Rims - Early Alloy Rims 1950s, Any info?

[Cheesedisease]

San Giorgio Rims - Early Alloy Rims 1950s

Anyone any knowledge of these?

I've read what Classic Lightweights has to say - http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/co ... rakes.html - mainly about the brakes, but with reference to both tubular and HP clincher rims. And there's a rather nice H R Morris with the sprints - http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/bi ... orris.html - that's well worth a look.

Anyway, I picked up a set of the San Giorgio clinchers as I was after some 1950s period alloy rims. I'd given up on finding some Constrictor rims in good condition at a good price so bought these. So I'm now curious to see if there is anymore knowledge to be discovered about them! I imagine they are relatively rare... but are they any good? Anyone have more info on the company? What end of the market they were at?

There's also some corrosion on part of the rear. Mainly the surface of the alloy is pretty rough in places, but also one spot shows some flaking, slight chips. Is this a structural concern? I was also checking for cracks, and one of the things that's interesting about these is I can't find the seam where they join! Were early alloy rims constructed differently? I imagine I'm just not looking hard enough!

Anyway, here's a few pictures for anyone interested...

 

[DynoMan]

Re: San Giorgio

Did you learn any more about San Giorgio rims? I have just aquired a pair of 40/32 spoke clincher rims. They are NOS but a little damaged from storage. They look identical to the ones in your pics although the decals are not as good.
Am just trying to decide whether to build them up into wheels.
Any thing you have learned wouldbe appreciated

 

[keithglos]

Re:

I remember the name from the early 50s, but don't remember ever selling or building any.
First define what size the rims are. 32/40 is likely to be made for the british market, so could be 27 x 1 1/4 wired on (not clincher) or might be 700.

Rims that were a solid extrusion were welded, hollow rims could be sleeved or welded.

Keith

 

[DynoMan]

The rims are 27 inch clinchers, with an internal hook on the bead. They are solid, welded construction rather than hollow section. In fact because they are not very deep, compared with Mavic or Rigida of a similar age, i wonder how strong they are.

 

[Cheesedisease]

Hi DynoMan

Sorry to be slow to reply. Unfortunately I didn't discover any more info. And only ever seen the odd pair pop up for sale.

Only amusing thing to add, is I remember they were also posted to me completely unwrapped... Just an address label dangling off! I didn't use the ones I bought in the end, I felt they were too far gone in terms of corrosion.

Are you going to build yours up?

 

[DynoMan]

My rims are also a little corroded on the surface so whether i build them up rather depends on how well they polish up. I will let you know after some serious polishin'.

 

[DynoMan]

I wish that the decals on mine had lasted the test of time as well as the ones in the picture.