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Description
Ever since Scotsman Kirkpatrick Macmillan had build an early bicycle with a rod operated drivetrain in 1839, there have been attempts to free the bicycle from its chains.
Every now and then interesting concepts made their appearance in the market.
And among these concepts, the Facet BioCam certainly is one of the more interesting ones.
When the bicycle was introduced in 1980, it was the talk of cycling engineers for a while. Through a cam operated system, the circular motion of pedalling should be transformed to a movement that should be closer to the natural walking motion thus allowing for an easier power transfer.
Additionally, the bike was equipped with a series of no less than 50 gears over a wide span of transmisson which could be shifted very quickly with a single downtube shifter.
The bike looked a bit strange and riding it felt a funny at first, but it was absolutely no joke. It quickly helped securing a number of US time trial records, among them the 150 miles, 100 miles, 60 miles, and 10 miles.
The real issue with this concept however was the unusual mechanism for which it was difficult to get spareparts, The relatively high weight of the bike which turned into a huge handicap as soon as climbing was involved. And then, there was the hefty pricetag.
Maybe at some point in the future, there will be new attempts at such a drivetrain. But until then, this quirky piece of engineering could be one of the best conversation starters in your collection.
Condition
Used. The bike is in used condition. The frame has no cracks, and is not bent. Tiny ding on the seat tube. Paintwork and decals are original. Some oxidation under the paint but not structurally compromised. All parts have been checked and are working fine.Bicycle Size
| Size (Center-Top) | 59.0 cm |
|---|---|
| Top Tube | 57.0 cm |
| Head Tube | 16.0 cm |
| Standover | 82.0 cm |
Details
| Brand | Other |
|---|---|
| Rear Derailleur | BioCam 50-gear indexed |
| Front Derailleur | BioCam 50-gear indexed |
| Shifters | Facet downtube shifter |
| Brakes | Shimano 600 |
| Brake Levers | Shimano 600 |
| Headset | Shimano 600 |
| Crankset | Facet BioCam; 170mm |
| Bottom Bracket | Facet |
| Seatpost | Sakae Ringyu |
| Seat | Brooks Professional |
| Hubs | Front Shimano Dura Ace, Rear Facet |
| Rims | Nisi, 27" clincher rims |
| Tires | Panaracer Pasela, 700x25c |
| Stem | Sakae Ringyu; 80mm |
| Stembar | Aluminium; 39cm |
| Pedals | Kyokuto KKT |
Worldwide Delivery
Steel Vintage Bikes ships worldwide using premium shipping services like DHL Express and FedEx.
Safe packaging
All bicycles are shipped in special bike boxes. Read more about the packaging process for bicycles: Packaging Pocsess.
Import taxes und Customs
Import duties and taxes are NOT included in the price/shipping price. These charges are to be paid upon delivery to FedEx and depend on your destination country.
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