focomat 1c
Retro Guru
Before this topic disappears into the pages of history , I have researched all of the claims made above and give you the results as follows :
Looking closely at the the major cycle brands of the 1920's and 30's typically Hirondelle , Schulz , Reyhand , Uldry , Longoni and Integral
there is not a single instance of the brake pivot boss being below the brake pad ( when seen in side elevation ) The majority of these brakes
were 'mechanical' centre pull designs ie with levers instead of straddle wires . The post war offerings of Singer and Rene Herse show the widespread adoption of the lighter cantilever design with straddle wires during the 50's and 60's
There have been some suggestions that mopeds of the 1950's had a V - Brake , I have found no evidence of this , for the most part they had
small drum brakes front and back with a conventional bicycle caliper brake on the front on lighter models
In 1965 we see the first appearance of what we now call a V - Brake on the Honda RC115 GP Racer , I have checked international patent
applications lodged by Honda Motor Co. around that time and cannot find anything
In 1986 Keith Bontrager * produces his ' Speed - B - Gonz ' ( V - Brake ) as a 1-Off prototype
Late 1987 Keith Bontrager designs the ELS ( V - Brake ) Brakeset with noodle for use on the Kestrel Nitro ( available in April 1988 )
In 1989 Ben Capron * ( Marinovative ) produces his Decelerator brake with later modifications/variations
Controltech start to manufacture a ' Side Pull Cantilever Brake ' , their version of a V - Brake in 1990
Also in 1990 Florian Wiesmann purchased a Kestrel frame but " I didn't have enough money for the special brakes so I started
thinking about my own brake design "
In 1991 he produces the 1st small series of WIE - Brake ( pronounced V - Brake in Germany !!! )
1994 October , Shimano purchase a WIE - Brake II from a shop in Zurich ( Statement by Florian Wiesmann )
1995 March , Shimano XT V - Brake first released !
* Both later wish they had filed patent applications
The ' noodle ' which is merely a section of outer cable that has been replaced by a solid tube to reduce friction on small radius
bends has been in existence for a number of years and has found many uses , typically on motorcycle throttle cables .
By the time Shimano released 'their' brake , the system was already in the public domain , so no patent application was made
The above has been compiled from various sources , my apologies for any mistakes or omissions
Looking closely at the the major cycle brands of the 1920's and 30's typically Hirondelle , Schulz , Reyhand , Uldry , Longoni and Integral
there is not a single instance of the brake pivot boss being below the brake pad ( when seen in side elevation ) The majority of these brakes
were 'mechanical' centre pull designs ie with levers instead of straddle wires . The post war offerings of Singer and Rene Herse show the widespread adoption of the lighter cantilever design with straddle wires during the 50's and 60's
There have been some suggestions that mopeds of the 1950's had a V - Brake , I have found no evidence of this , for the most part they had
small drum brakes front and back with a conventional bicycle caliper brake on the front on lighter models
In 1965 we see the first appearance of what we now call a V - Brake on the Honda RC115 GP Racer , I have checked international patent
applications lodged by Honda Motor Co. around that time and cannot find anything
In 1986 Keith Bontrager * produces his ' Speed - B - Gonz ' ( V - Brake ) as a 1-Off prototype
Late 1987 Keith Bontrager designs the ELS ( V - Brake ) Brakeset with noodle for use on the Kestrel Nitro ( available in April 1988 )
In 1989 Ben Capron * ( Marinovative ) produces his Decelerator brake with later modifications/variations
Controltech start to manufacture a ' Side Pull Cantilever Brake ' , their version of a V - Brake in 1990
Also in 1990 Florian Wiesmann purchased a Kestrel frame but " I didn't have enough money for the special brakes so I started
thinking about my own brake design "
In 1991 he produces the 1st small series of WIE - Brake ( pronounced V - Brake in Germany !!! )
1994 October , Shimano purchase a WIE - Brake II from a shop in Zurich ( Statement by Florian Wiesmann )
1995 March , Shimano XT V - Brake first released !
* Both later wish they had filed patent applications
The ' noodle ' which is merely a section of outer cable that has been replaced by a solid tube to reduce friction on small radius
bends has been in existence for a number of years and has found many uses , typically on motorcycle throttle cables .
By the time Shimano released 'their' brake , the system was already in the public domain , so no patent application was made
The above has been compiled from various sources , my apologies for any mistakes or omissions
