A seriously gorgeous curly Hetchins

[tyred]

I love old steel frames generally but not curly Hetchins. Just wrong - look like they have been rear-ended by a car.

But whatever takes your fancy - wish I had a few to put up on Ebay...

 

[simon the viking]

I love old steel frames generally but not curly Hetchins. Just wrong - look like they have been rear-ended by a car.

But whatever takes your fancy - wish I had a few to put up on Ebay...

Can I refer the honourable gentleman, to my previous reply in post 18 of this thread........

 

[vernon]

the curly stays are a marketing piece; back in the day, it was forbidden for the name of the bike's manufacturer to be present on a frame in a race, so to stand out, the manufacturers had to innovate. Hence hetchins' curly stays, and bates' diaderant forks…

Not to mention Bates' use of Cantiflex tubing. Look carefully at the frame. The tubing is smaller in diameter at the lugs than it is mid tube. I am hoping to get ownership of a Bates Vergrandis when I can persuade its owner of fifty years to part with it.

While I find the curly forks on the Bates alluring, the curly rear triangle on the Hetchins is in my opinion as ugly as sin. I'd not accept one as a gift unless I had the right to sell it immediately.

 

[simon the viking]

It seems Curly Hetchins suffer from the Marmite or Smiths syndrome..... You either love em or hate em! no one thinks they look okay.......

 

[midlife]

.............not to mention the Baines Birdcage

Tracker

Thanet Silverlight

MKM Ultimate

And a host of other "hellenic" designs

Shaun

 

[stedlocks]

The Italians loved my hetchins.......at L'eroica, it was a bit embarrassing at times when people were queuing to have a photo taken with it!
I know some people are absolute haters, and I know all about the history of the vibrant rear end, and the alledged reasons for it, but as it's mine, I don't give a monkeys ;0)

I do get a bit defensive though....it's like someone saying your wife is a bit of a munter.

 

[Spokesmann]

Some great looking machines in this thread!