Second Edition News for January 9

Dutch Cyclo Cross - Super Prestige

     ST. MICHIELSGESTEL (Olanda)
     Van der Poel won  the 8th leg of the Superprestige yesterday
     after a breaking away with Luca Bramati.

     Bramati had to console himself with second place in the race and
     a more secure lead in the Superprestige series.

     Daniele Pontoni, who did not appear to have a good start, packed
     after the third lap complaining of a severe headache.

     Disputed on a fast course, notwithstanding the rain and the
     crashes in the later stages, the race was suddenly brought alive
     with a break by Bramati and Van der Poel.

     "On the last lap", said Bramati, "Van der Poel crashed. It was
     not serious so I did not try to gain an advantage. After
     remounting and catching me, he beat me in the sprint.  I was not
     particularly interested in winning the race. I am happy enough
     with the additional points I got for second."

     Bramati was cheered by the 14,000 mainly Dutch spectators for his
     sporting gesture which allowed Van der Poel, on his home ground,
     a chance at victory which he was not slow to capitalize on.

     "I have the influenza", said Bramati, "My sprint was not up to
     its usual standard as I was having some difficulty breathing."

     Bramati now has 94 points in the competition, 11 ahead of
     Janssens. Since there are only two races left in the series,
     which translates into 30 points if a rider won both races, there
     is a chance that Bramati can be beaten. However, should he ride
     the two final events, it is somewhat doubtful that he will
     accumulate less than the 19 points he wouls require should
     Janssens win BOTH the last two events.

     It is reasonable to think that Bramati can sew up the
     Superprestige with a good placing in the next event.

     The Selle Italia-Colnago rider has already won the World Cup even
     though there is one race left.

     Pontoni?

     Well, the Italian Champion finished the first lap in sixth
     position, but then steadily started to lose ground.

     "I had a headache and my legs were not turning well. After three
     laps I decided to abandon", said Daniele Pontoni


ON THE LINE AT MICHIELSGESTEL:
     
     1. Adri VAN DER POEL (Ola)     in 56'42";
     2. Bramati           (Ita);
     3. Groenendaal       (Ola)         a 45";
     4. Vervecken         (Bel)         a 54";
     5. De Vos            (Ola);
     6. Janssens          (Bel)       a 1'29";
     7. Van Santvliet     (Bel)       a 1'34";
     8. Simunek           (Rep. Ceca);
     9. Elsnic            (Rep. Ceca) a 2'19";
     10. Daelemans        (Bel)     a  2'31".

THE SERIES:
     1. Luca BRAMATI (Ita)        94;
     2. Janssens     (Bel)        83;
     3. Van der Poel (Ola)        82;
     4. Groenendaal  (Ola)        81;
     5. De Vos       (Ola) and  Van Santvliet (Bel) 74;
     7. Pontoni      (Ita)        71.

NEXT RACE: 28 Jan at Wetzikon (Svi).

LOMBARDIA CROSS - Crosio della Valle (Varese)
     13th round of the Lombardy Trophy series was won by:
       OPEN
          1 Dario Cioni (Mapei)
          2 Bertoni,
          3 Dall'Oste.
       JUNIORS
          1 Davide Frattini (Besnate),
          2 Luca Cappa (Fagnano Nuova).

     NEXT RACE:  21 Jan at Senago (Milano) ultima prova/last race.


TRIVENETO - Vittoria Veneto

     For the Trivento Cross Champion's title, yesterday at the 16th
     G.P. Weiner:
          Claudio Vandelli
          Gabriele Bilato,
          Alessandro Fontana (DBR)

Frame Building - TIG Welding

   Here it is. "TIG welding is a process that's been pushed on the
   public by manufacturers so they can make massive, power company
   style profits. It only works on thick tubes and is much cheaper
   than brazing."

   Because of its versatility, TIG welding can be done on titanium,
   aluminium and steel in thin gauges and in awkward complex joints.
   Ti and Al are only reliably joined by TIG welding, so this
   conspiracy theory only applies to steel frames and that's not all
   the frames made today.

   Much of the original misunderstanding comes from comparing
   production Far East welded bikes to handmade brazed frames. So
   let's compare the processes as they apply to hand building. Steel
   frames can be joined by lug brazing, fillet brazing or welded
   (we'll skip bonding).

   Lugs 'n' bugs

   First let's look at lugs. Lugs exist because in the last century
   the only means of heat was hearths, like in smithies. Tubes and
   lugs were held together with pins, the joint was stuck into the
   hearth, and when it got hot enough, the brazing guy would feed
   brass rod into the lugs by capillary attraction.

   High tech then. But by the time other ways of joining tubing were
   in common use, the lug had become an objet d'art, an identifying
   marketing shape. When the new era builders came into bicycles from
   aircraft or motor sports, they were amazed lugs were still used...

   Lugs are the fastest way to hand build frames: good brazing and a
   shot blaster can mean no finishing... But lugs limit frame types
   because of the lack of availability of lugs of varying geometry for
   design flexibility. Other drawbacks are weight and heated mass and
   related problems with extended Heat Affected Zones (HAZ). This
   effect is basically a type of heat treatment. In the case of lug
   brazing, this means annealed: the tube is made softer, a result of
   the large joint mass cooling slowly resulting in a loss of tube
   strength and reduced surface hardness.

   Lugs can hide many problems. While a good builder takes mitres very
   seriously and ensures the lug is brazed totally through, this can't
   be seen and a lug could hide a barely mitred tube and poor brazing
   and look fine. The sharp edges and points which typify the
   ultimate, filed up lugwork causes a stress riser, telling the joint
   'if you're going to break, break here!'

   Fillet

   Fillet brazing allows more flexibility owing to its lugless
   construction, allowing builders to use a greater range of geometry
   and designs. Fillet brazing can hide things like mitre gaps, but
   good builders are usually experienced enough not to allow this.

   The problems of large joints and slow cooling also apply, but to a
   greater or lesser extent. A small fillet will have a smaller HAZ
   than a big fillet but the effect will be the same - annealing of
   the tube. A possible side effect is that some tube will be removed
   in undercutting when finishing to get that smooth finish.

   Less stress risers and design freedom, but extra weight and
   annealing of the tube.

   TIG

   TIG welding is a simple process with complex applications. TIG is
   Tungsten Inert Gas, aka arc welding, with a refractory electrode in
   an inert atmosphere. The tungsten part (or refractory electrode) is
   a non consumable tungsten rod varying in diameter 1-6mm. For
   currents used in bike building, the electrode is on the small end
   of the range. Tungsten is used because of its ability to withstand
   the high temperature of the arc.

   The inert gas part is argon or sometimes argon/helium mix, directed
   by a ceramic nozzle surrounding the electrode and shrouding the
   electrode, arc and weld pool and immediate area around the weld
   pool. The gas prevents oxidation, assists cleaning and to control
   the arc heat.

   TIG is clean, versatile and produces a very strong joint with a
   very small HAZ. Because the filler and arc are independent, TIG
   doesn't add or subtract elements from the work, it just brings the
   joint area to fusion. The cleanliness of TIG means no spatter, no
   corrosive flux is necessary and no post weld metal removal in
   cleaning up. The HAZ is very small (10-15mm from the joint), the
   tube beyond this range is in its original state; this is why short
   butt tubes can be used.

   In welding, TIG is the process used when the gauge is thin, not
   thick, while the consumable electrode are processes are used on
   thicker gauges. TIG is used to join much thinner things than a bike
   tube. I have consistently welded 0.5mm thick alloyed steel. Being
   able to have a stable arc at 3-5 Amps allows TIG to join much
   thinner sections than can be brazed. Another related bonus is lack
   of distortion, which spread throughout the frame can lead to a less
   than precise handling bike.

   Although TIG saves on finishing, it's not cheap. A machine will
   cost 1500 pounds plus, parts are expensive and argon is three times
   the price of oxygen and acetylene, not to mention the electricity.

   TIG should be used for its precision and beneficial effects. The
   quest to build precision bikes should be the goal. If the goal is
   also to make profits, good on ya, but, if TIG welding equals big
   profits, I must be missing the boat as anyone who's seen my car can
   confirm.

   As in brazing, TIG too has an affect on the HAZ. The rapid cooling
   of the weld area hardens it. This is a small area, but a critical
   one, so a good welder must be familiar with the mechanical
   characteristics and chemical make-up of the parent metal and choose
   an appropriate filler rod for the desired joint strength and
   characteristics. He must also be aware of joint geometry and the
   stresses the joint will be face with. Not so easy now? Some tubes
   may need a post weld heat treatment, gussets may be needed in
   specific joints to move stress to less critical parts of the tube
   and some tubing should not be welded at all...

   If the future is alternative materials or maximizing the use of
   steel alloys presently used or developed in the future, then TIG
   welding is part of that future. TIG welding isn't the end of
   traditional techniques, just the end of their claim to technical
   superiority. Remember these words: those who ignore history are
   doomed to repeat it. And remember these names: Ariel, AJS, BSA,
   Enfield...