Trusty Viscount ( Vy-count )

[Schwinny]

...or just Viscount.
This came in yesterday and I thought folks would like to see it. Haven't seen any discussion here abt. these.
I think this may be a 1st gen with the replacement fork. It is mostly original other than the bars & controls and the saddle was modern junk.
Read up on these, it's pretty interesting.
These have a lot of in- house fabricated parts and plenty of panache'
This one will be sold or parted...

 

[100bikes]

Lambert/Viscount had trouble with one iteration of the fork on this bicycle -
lovingly called "the Death Fork".

They had to issue a recall which included a new fork(lesser overall quality) and a
new headset(same) and a labor stipend to the dealer. I believe it was a major cause
of their failure as a company.

If you pull the fork out of the bicycle, the forks at issue were pinned together just
above the fork crown race(as I recall).

Nice bikes, well spec'd, rode well, and if were weren't for that fork potentially collapsing......

rusty

 

[schwinnderella]

Fork looks like an original to me. Is it aluminum? I think the replacements were steel.

 

[Schwinny]

I've been looking around a little bit and I think you're right. For some reason I thought the replacements were a better design aluminum fork.
This fork is alum and is held together with a drift pin about an inch above the bearing race.
Also an issue is the BB. Sealed roller bearings pressed into the shell. Very crunchy of course.

Other strangeness of note is the very nice Viscount hubs double butt spoked to some very nice looking rims. NOT CLINCHERS. Straight sided inner channel, no lip.

 

[bulldog1935]

The cast aluminum fork was a microstructure issue. Essentially, wrought and forged alloy squeezes most of the dirt out, resulting in a fine, fiber-oriented grain structure.
The cast structure has random larger grains and globular nonmetallic inclusions that can act as a pre-existing crack.
Ran into something very similar on aircraft landing gear that ended 3 companies.

Gotta love T/A cranks. Viscount manufactured their own under license.

 

[vincev]

I have two with the Death Fork,

 

[detroitbike]

Yours has the original fork.
I sold these bikes new & Later replaced many a fork.
I've still have about a 1/2 dozen of these in various conditions.

 

[whistlestop]

...or just Viscount.
This came in yesterday and I thought folks would like to see it. Haven't seen any discussion here abt. these.
I think this may be a 1st gen with the replacement fork. It is mostly original other than the bars & controls and the saddle was modern junk.
Read up on these, it's pretty interesting.
These have a lot of in- house fabricated parts and plenty of panache'
This one will be sold or parted...


View attachment 1784013

View attachment 1784011

View attachment 1784014

View attachment 1784015

View attachment 1784010

View attachment 1784009

View attachment 1784016

View attachment 1784017

View attachment 1784018

View attachment 1784019

View attachment 1784020

Do you still have this bike? I am interested in purchase or trade.