78 



TJlc American Ampler 



to find the one-piece plan for botli cranks and 

 axle in general use. 



The use of barrel hubs this year is so wide- 

 spread that it can hardly be called a tendency. 

 Not all barrel hubs, so-called, are truly such, 

 for many have the old style small axle, and 

 cups, cones, balls inside and the hub is simply 

 a big misfit sleeve slipped over them. The 

 true barrel hub is an English idea, having its 

 origin in the bottom bracket construction of one 

 of the oldest and best-known makes. The vir- 

 tue of them was the opportunity afforded for 

 using larger bearing cases, and their distinctive 

 feature was that of having the cones fixed on 

 the axle and making the adjustment by setting 

 up the cups instead of the cones, as is done by 

 most American makers. Many of those on this 



side who have adopted the barrel hub have 

 quite missed these points and their so-called 

 barrel hub is not such, but simply a big 

 hub. 



There can be said to be a tendency in the di- 

 rection of adopting the English ideas, however, 

 and another year will likely find this feature 

 universal. 



In this connection it is interesting to note 

 that with all their arrogance and claim to orig- 

 inality the American makers are still borrow- 

 ing ideas from the English. Nearly all the 

 prominent features in American wheels have 

 come from Great Britain, excepting the wood 

 rim. Not only the barrel hub and big ball idea, 

 but the big tubing scheme as \/ell originated 

 on the other side. 





