You might say that I came of age (as a cyclist, anyway) in the late 1970s: the heyday of drillium.
It seemed that, for a time, everyone was trying to drill as many small holes into whatever bike parts they could. Even parts that were already ethereally light did not escape the probing and boring of high-speed steel bits.
Some drillium parts were rather lovely; others were just insane. This, I believe, is beyond either category:
I would like to meet the person who gave this Campagnolo Nuovo Record "the treatment". Did he or she have a regular job (or was this part of that job)? A family? I can only imagine how much time that person spent on this project.
And I have to wonder whether that person did the same thing to the bike that this derailleur was hung on. Or was it ever installed on a bike?
All right, I'll stop the snide rhetorical questions and admit that I actually like it. No, I take that back: I love it. It's over-the-top in its minimalism. (Is that a contradiction?) I would even say it's jewelry, of a sort.
It seemed that, for a time, everyone was trying to drill as many small holes into whatever bike parts they could. Even parts that were already ethereally light did not escape the probing and boring of high-speed steel bits.
Some drillium parts were rather lovely; others were just insane. This, I believe, is beyond either category:
 |
| Uploaded to Pinterest by Henrik Jakobsson |
I would like to meet the person who gave this Campagnolo Nuovo Record "the treatment". Did he or she have a regular job (or was this part of that job)? A family? I can only imagine how much time that person spent on this project.
And I have to wonder whether that person did the same thing to the bike that this derailleur was hung on. Or was it ever installed on a bike?
All right, I'll stop the snide rhetorical questions and admit that I actually like it. No, I take that back: I love it. It's over-the-top in its minimalism. (Is that a contradiction?) I would even say it's jewelry, of a sort.
A pair might still be a little bit too heavy for earrings, what a shame.
ReplyDeleteColine--I agree. A drillium Huret Jubilee might be almost light enough to wear as an earring.
ReplyDeleteI have to wonder, though, whether anybody actually rode the derailleur in the photo.
That is one incredible piece of drillium jewelry. I doubt it was ever used in that state, but the good thing about drilling a dérailleur like that is, if it did break up on a ride, it might ruin the ride, but would be relatively harmless. Doing that on a stem, or some hubs, or a crank would be pretty foolhardy.
ReplyDeleteBrooks--You're absolutely right. Believe it or not, I have actually seen seatposts, stems and handlebars that were drilled as much as that Campy derailleur.
ReplyDeleteMe too -- but I'd be afraid to ride with them. Beautiful dérailleur though.
DeleteI love drillium Jewelry organizers. I also made one on my blog for stud earrings! wholesale custom jewelry https://rinntin.com/wholesale-custom-jewelry/
ReplyDelete