Suntour/Browning *Electric* Cranks - Hinged Chainrings!

[B. Sanders]

Here's something you don't see every day...

http://tinyurl.com/f3m3

From the Ebay auction posting:

"Suntour/Browning electrically shifting crankset. Instead of utilizing a front derraileur to shift
between chainrings, this crankset actually has hinged chainrings that allow for the chain to shift
from one chainring to the other. Browning spent many years and several million dollars developing
this crankset and a similarly functioning rear cogset. This crankset is the result of their
partnership with Suntour back in the early '90s. This is one of the trickest, most esoteric bicycle
parts you will ever see. "

"The mechanisms and function of this system are pretty amazing. Years ago my framebuilding shop was
sent pre-production mechanical and electric versions of this crank and everyone who rode it was
amazed at how quick and smooth the front shifting was. Even under high load situations (like
climbing a steep hill and shifting into the small chainring) this baby just popped the chain right
where you wanted it. I can assure you that you'll never see many (if any) of these rare cranksets
available for sale so bid early and often if you want to add this shining star to your collection of
cool bike stuff. The original instruction manual is included. A bottom bracket assembly is not
included."

Wow! I think he's right: This is one of the weirdest bike components I've ever seen. Can't be too
many of these around.

Barry

(no, I'm not a shill - just very intrigued)

 

[Gary Young]

"B. Sanders" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Here's something you don't see every day...
>
> http://tinyurl.com/f3m3
>
> From the Ebay auction posting:
>
> "Suntour/Browning electrically shifting crankset. Instead of utilizing a front derraileur to shift
> between chainrings, this crankset actually has hinged chainrings that allow for the chain to shift
> from one chainring to the other. Browning spent many years and several million dollars developing
> this crankset and a similarly functioning rear cogset. This crankset is the result of their
> partnership with Suntour back in the early '90s. This is one of the trickest, most esoteric
> bicycle parts you will ever see. "
>
> "The mechanisms and function of this system are pretty amazing. Years ago my framebuilding shop
> was sent pre-production mechanical and electric versions of this crank and everyone who rode it
> was amazed at how quick and smooth the front shifting was. Even under high load situations (like
> climbing a steep hill and shifting into the small chainring) this baby just popped the chain right
> where you wanted it. I can assure you that you'll never see many (if any) of these rare cranksets
> available for sale so bid early and often if you want to add this shining star to your collection
> of cool bike stuff. The original instruction manual is included. A bottom bracket assembly is not
> included."
>
> Wow! I think he's right: This is one of the weirdest bike components I've ever seen. Can't be too
> many of these around.
>
> Barry
>
> (no, I'm not a shill - just very intrigued)

I think Browning is still trying to sell this idea:

http://www.browningcomponent.com/about.php

 

[Jasper Janssen]

On 24 Jun 2003 08:25:38 -0700, [email protected] (Gary Young) wrote:
>"B. Sanders" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

>> "Suntour/Browning electrically shifting crankset. Instead of utilizing a

>I think Browning is still trying to sell this idea:

And just think, you could be shooting your .357 Browning semiauto from your Browning geared bike.
Especially good for Spike Bike fans.

Jasper

 

[Bobqzzi]

On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 18:13:54 GMT, Jasper Janssen <[email protected]> wrote:

>On 24 Jun 2003 08:25:38 -0700, [email protected] (Gary Young) wrote:
>>"B. Sanders" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
>>> "Suntour/Browning electrically shifting crankset. Instead of utilizing a
>
>>I think Browning is still trying to sell this idea:
>
>And just think, you could be shooting your .357 Browning semiauto from your Browning geared bike.
>Especially good for Spike Bike fans.
>
>Jasper
Uh..that's 9mm Browning semi-auto. .357 is a revolver round, not often found in automatics, and not
at all in a Browning designed gun.

 

[Lee Bower]

I remember these. They were marketing them to BMXers in the mid 80s. At the time, they were lever
activated (usually on the left side of the bars).

Lee Bower

"B. Sanders" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Here's something you don't see every day...
>
> http://tinyurl.com/f3m3
>
> From the Ebay auction posting:
>
> "Suntour/Browning electrically shifting crankset. Instead of utilizing a front derraileur to shift
> between chainrings, this crankset actually has hinged chainrings that allow for the chain to shift
> from one chainring to the other. Browning spent many years and several million dollars
developing
> this crankset and a similarly functioning rear cogset. This crankset is
the
> result of their partnership with Suntour back in the early '90s. This is
one
> of the trickest, most esoteric bicycle parts you will ever see. "
>
> "The mechanisms and function of this system are pretty amazing. Years ago
my
> framebuilding shop was sent pre-production mechanical and electric
versions
> of this crank and everyone who rode it was amazed at how quick and smooth the front shifting was.
> Even under high load situations (like climbing a steep hill and shifting into the small chainring)
> this baby just popped
the
> chain right where you wanted it. I can assure you that you'll never see
many
> (if any) of these rare cranksets available for sale so bid early and often if you want to add this
> shining star to your collection of cool bike
stuff.
> The original instruction manual is included. A bottom bracket assembly is not included."
>
> Wow! I think he's right: This is one of the weirdest bike components
I've
> ever seen. Can't be too many of these around.
>
> Barry
>
> (no, I'm not a shill - just very intrigued)

 

[Jeff Wills]

"B. Sanders" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>... <snip>
>
> Wow! I think he's right: This is one of the weirdest bike components I've ever seen. Can't be too
> many of these around.
>
> Barry

Heck, you think that's weird- take a look through here:
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Rarest/Rarest_main.htm

Jeff "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Wills

 

[Jasper Janssen]

On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 20:39:32 GMT, bobqzzi <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 18:13:54 GMT, Jasper Janssen <[email protected]> wrote:

>>And just think, you could be shooting your .357 Browning semiauto from your Browning geared bike.
>>Especially good for Spike Bike fans.

>Uh..that's 9mm Browning semi-auto. .357 is a revolver round, not often found in automatics, and not
>at all in a Browning designed gun.

Well, okay, I pulled the numbers out of my ass. Still though, isn't .357 the same as 9 mm? It works
out to the same dimension on my calculator, to a reasonable accuracy.. (ie, accuracy at least
greater than manufacturing tolerances used to be on either of these back when they influenced each
other into being the same measurement)

Jasper

 

[A Muzi]

"B. Sanders" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Here's something you don't see every day...
>
> http://tinyurl.com/f3m3
>
> From the Ebay auction posting:
>
> "Suntour/Browning electrically shifting crankset. Instead of utilizing a front derraileur to shift
> between chainrings, this crankset actually has hinged chainrings that allow for the chain to shift
> from one chainring to the other. Browning spent many years and several million dollars
developing
> this crankset and a similarly functioning rear cogset. This crankset is
the
> result of their partnership with Suntour back in the early '90s. This is
one
> of the trickest, most esoteric bicycle parts you will ever see. "
>
> "The mechanisms and function of this system are pretty amazing. Years ago
my
> framebuilding shop was sent pre-production mechanical and electric
versions
> of this crank and everyone who rode it was amazed at how quick and smooth the front shifting was.
> Even under high load situations (like climbing a steep hill and shifting into the small chainring)
> this baby just popped
the
> chain right where you wanted it. I can assure you that you'll never see
many
> (if any) of these rare cranksets available for sale so bid early and often if you want to add this
> shining star to your collection of cool bike
stuff.
> The original instruction manual is included. A bottom bracket assembly is not included."
>
> Wow! I think he's right: This is one of the weirdest bike components
I've
> ever seen. Can't be too many of these around.

Peter Grisley was involved in the groundwork and they really did shift perfectly. "Several million"
dollars in development seems. . . fancifully high (but I don't know that for a fact). There were at
least a few dozen of these floating around at one time on sample bikes including one of our
TerraTechs.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

[John McGraw]

[email protected] (Jeff Wills) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "B. Sanders" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>... <snip>
> >
> > Wow! I think he's right: This is one of the weirdest bike components I've ever seen. Can't be
> > too many of these around.
> >
> > Barry
>
> Heck, you think that's weird- take a look through here:
> http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Rarest/Rarest_main.htm

Sheldon has to be lurking somewhere in the background.

 

[Mark]

Peter Grizzley has his own bike line now and is equipping them with the Browning system. The bikes
are aimed at commuter European's and are pretty pricey, however the Browning system does work
remarkably well.

"A Muzi" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "B. Sanders" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Here's something you don't see every day...
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/f3m3
> >
> > From the Ebay auction posting:
> >
> > "Suntour/Browning electrically shifting crankset. Instead of utilizing a front derraileur to
> > shift between chainrings, this crankset actually has hinged chainrings that allow for the chain
> > to shift from one chainring
to
> > the other. Browning spent many years and several million dollars
> developing
> > this crankset and a similarly functioning rear cogset. This crankset is
> the
> > result of their partnership with Suntour back in the early '90s. This is
> one
> > of the trickest, most esoteric bicycle parts you will ever see. "
> >
> > "The mechanisms and function of this system are pretty amazing. Years
ago
> my
> > framebuilding shop was sent pre-production mechanical and electric
> versions
> > of this crank and everyone who rode it was amazed at how quick and
smooth
> > the front shifting was. Even under high load situations (like climbing a steep hill and shifting
> > into the small chainring) this baby just popped
> the
> > chain right where you wanted it. I can assure you that you'll never see
> many
> > (if any) of these rare cranksets available for sale so bid early and
often
> > if you want to add this shining star to your collection of cool bike
> stuff.
> > The original instruction manual is included. A bottom bracket assembly
is
> > not included."
> >
> > Wow! I think he's right: This is one of the weirdest bike components
> I've
> > ever seen. Can't be too many of these around.
>
> Peter Grisley was involved in the groundwork and they really did shift perfectly. "Several
> million" dollars in development seems. . . fancifully high (but I don't know that for a fact).
> There were at least a few dozen
of
> these floating around at one time on sample bikes including one of our TerraTechs.
>
> --
> Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971