Diamant GDR Done

[us56456712]

That explains a lot! Bikes from England have their brake handles switched - front brake is on the right hand, and left one is for the rear one. All others have it in the normal way - left is front, right is rear, and most of the bikes that have only the front brake have the lever on the left.



Those decals came out killer! Also a fun fact - it's like every city in the GDR had a street named Karol-Marx Strasse (or Stadt). I do remember some parts in my Trabant that had the same adress only in the city of Zwickau.

Now that I know this I'm going to switch the front brake to the left. I thought that was a European thing, front brake right. Leave it to the English to be different and never change. In the USA quite a few guys ride motorcycles on dirt as well as mountain bikes and they sometimes switch their brake levers to be like the English so the motorcycle and bicycle brakes operate on the same wheel. Thanks for the very good information.

 

[sandman]

I think the US is always trying to be different for starters look
at the way we measure things , while the rest of the world are just shaking the heads .

 

[SpikeFC]

I think the US is always trying to be different for starters look
at the way we measure things , while the rest of the world are just shaking the heads .

And still a lot of bicycle parts are measured in inches. And thank God, that everybody uses inches for tire sizes! The French had an idea at one time to make car wheels in metric sizes. I don't need to tell you how bad of an idea that was...

 

[us56456712]

And still a lot of bicycle parts are measured in inches. And thank God, that everybody uses inches for tire sizes! The French had an idea at one time to make car wheels in metric sizes. I don't need to tell you how bad of an idea that was...

Reminds me of the idea of the French BB, righty tighty on Both sides. I finally got the BB on my 1930s French road bike tight enough that it hasn't come loose for several 100 miles. The Italians copied this brilliant idea.

 

[Grant]

Now that I know this I'm going to switch the front brake to the left. I thought that was a European thing, front brake right. Leave it to the English to be different and never change. In the USA quite a few guys ride motorcycles on dirt as well as mountain bikes and they sometimes switch their brake levers to be like the English so the motorcycle and bicycle brakes operate on the same wheel. Thanks for the very good information.

A have an old Specialized that was imported from Japan. The brake levers are switched.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Japan also drives on the left side of the road

 

[pebblewurm]

Your right hand is (usually) stronger than the left. The front brake on a bike does most of the stopping, so you might as well use your stronger hand on the stronger brake. At least that's how I set mine up. Lefties do the opposite.

 

[SpikeFC]

Reminds me of the idea of the French BB, righty tighty on Both sides. I finally got the BB on my 1930s French road bike tight enough that it hasn't come loose for several 100 miles. The Italians copied this brilliant idea.

When you mentioned this, I remembered that I had once a bicycle that had everything wrong with it.

It was a ГAЗ ШКОЛЬНУК (GAZ Szkolnik), made in the USSR in the GAZ factory in Gorky, mostly known for producing off-road military vehicles such as models 64, 69 and popular full sized cars like the M-20 Победа (Victory), it's succesor "Волга" (Volga), and small trucks like Газель (Gazelle). This bike had 20" wheels, that didn't fit any 20" tires & tubes, headset smaller than 1", smaller axles than normal, even the BB was in a different size than normal, and the rear hub with freewheel & coaster brake was half smaller than normal. Even all the wrench sizes were different than normal.

 

[us56456712]

When you mentioned this, I remembered that I had once a bicycle that had everything wrong with it.

It was a ГAЗ ШКОЛЬНУК (GAZ Szkolnik), made in the USSR in the GAZ factory in Gorky, mostly known for producing off-road military vehicles such as models 64, 69 and popular full sized cars like the M-20 Победа (Victory), it's succesor "Волга" (Volga), and small trucks like Газель (Gazelle). This bike had 20" wheels, that didn't fit any 20" tires & tubes, headset smaller than 1", smaller axles than normal, even the BB was in a different size than normal, and the rear hub with freewheel & coaster brake was half smaller than normal. Even all the wrench sizes were different than normal.

Sounds like a keeper

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Something happened to Spike's keyboard. He must have spilled his breakfast on it, it's gone all cereal-ic!


Ugh, a linguistics joke crossed with a Dad joke

 

[SpikeFC]

Sounds like a keeper

Gave it out as a present. It's too small & fragile to be ridden by a guy of my size

Something happened to Spike's keyboard. He must have spilled his breakfast on it, it's gone all cereal-ic!


Ugh, a linguistics joke crossed with a Dad joke

Ка́к же та́к?

 

[us56456712]

I put a slider stem on it. I also put in the BB oiler and the head badge screws.

 

[Grant]

I put a slider stem on it. I also put in the BB oiler and the head badge screws.View attachment 110436View attachment 110437 View attachment 110438

OH! Beautiful.