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Re: Historical inquiry: Early VisionTech stuff [Estuche]
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This is Peter Fraiman. Yes, all Vision Tech bars were produced in the USA in Auburn WA until we sold the Company to FSA. All material for the bars came from sources from the US except for the plastic bar end plugs. Regarding the brake levers, we did produce several sample prototype pairs which went to the Wind Tunnel and were used by Pro Road Racer Tyler Hamilton in the Giro. The levers were never produced in the USA, only by FSA in Taiwan after we sold the Company. Prior to us coming out with the lever, the standard TT/triathlon brake lever had been either the DIa. Comp 188 or just normal road brake levers. Other than that, anything would have mostly been one off custom stuff. Gary Hooker, of Hooker Headers (Holly.com) (Performance Auto parts) was a bike racer and designed and built the fastest aero frame "Hooker Elite" (use by US Karen Kurreck to wind the Worlds TT) and aerobars of the time. The Hooker Elite road TT frame hand no cow horn type bar and only had a stem and a long aerobar with the brake lever on the end of the aerobar. Not many of these bikes were sold. Hooker had patents, but I'm sure the patents time is over. Let me know if you want more info.
Re: Historical inquiry: Early VisionTech stuff [peterfrai]
[ In reply to ]
Since you mentioned the Hooker aero frame, there's one on Ebay right now.
https://www.ebay.com/...SwkrJcYz-b:rk:1:pf:0
https://www.ebay.com/...SwkrJcYz-b:rk:1:pf:0
Re: Historical inquiry: Early VisionTech stuff [peterfrai]
[ In reply to ]
Peter, any idea why Hooker stopped making frames?
I've met you before & I must say, you were very passionate about your products. Nice to have a real "all made in the USA" product to set the bar high (pun intended) back in VisionTech days.
I've met you before & I must say, you were very passionate about your products. Nice to have a real "all made in the USA" product to set the bar high (pun intended) back in VisionTech days.
Actually we looked into buying the patents from Hooker. They wanted way too much money and we didn't think it was safe to ride a bike with just narrow aerobars. I don't think they thought there was a lot of money in it compared to the Auto business. I think they had all the manufacturing machining equipment so they just made some product. The frames are really quite aero, but the nicest parts were the narrow front hubs, aero stem, and small front hidden brake calipers. A lot of internal cable routing too for the time.