Editing Duralumin (section)

=== Bicycles ===

Duralumin was used to manufacture bicycle components and framesets from the 1930s to 1990s. Several companies in Saint-Étienne, France stood out for their early, innovative adoption of duralumin: in 1932, Verot et Perrin developed the first light alloy crank arms; in 1934, Haubtmann released a complete crankset; from 1935 on, Duralumin freewheels, [[derailleurs]], pedals, brakes and handlebars were manufactured by several companies.

Complete framesets followed quickly, including those manufactured by: Mercier (and Aviac and other licensees) with their popular Meca Dural family of models, the Pelissier brothers and their race-worthy La Perle models, and Nicolas Barra and his exquisite mid-twentieth century “Barralumin” creations. Other names that come up here also included: Pierre Caminade, with his beautiful Caminargent creations and their exotic octagonal tubing, and also [[Gnome et Rhône]], with its deep heritage as an aircraft engine manufacturer that also diversified into motorcycles, velomotors and bicycles after World War Two.

[[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries]], which was prohibited from producing aircraft during the American occupation of Japan, manufactured the “cross” bicycle out of surplus wartime duralumin in 1946. The “cross” was designed by [[Kiro Honjo]], a former aircraft designer responsible for the [[Mitsubishi G4M]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/dragoner/20130903-00027518/ |title= "Kaze tachinu" toujou jinbutsu to tori ningen kontesuto. Honjou Kirou no sengo |last=Isurugi |first=Tatsuhito |date=September 3, 2013 |website=news.yahoo.co.jp |publisher=Yahoo! Japan |access-date=November 2, 2020 |language=ja |trans-title=A Character form “The Wind Also Rises” and the Japan Birdman Rally: Kiro Honjo’s Postwar}}</ref>

Duralumin use in bicycle manufacturing faded in the 1970s and 1980s. [[Vitus (bicycle company)|Vitus]] nonetheless released the venerable “979” frameset in 1979, a “Duralinox” model that became an instant classic among cyclists. The Vitus 979 was the first production aluminium frameset whose thin-wall 5083/5086 tubing was slip-fit and then glued together using a dry heat-activated epoxy. The result was an extremely lightweight but very durable frameset. Production of the Vitus 979 continued until 1992.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ebykr.com/duralumin-history-and-use-in-bicycle-building/ |title=Duralumin History & Use in Bicycle Building |last=Anschutz |first=Eric |date=October 31, 2020 |website=Ebykr |publisher=Anschutz Media |access-date=November 1, 2020 |quote=Duralumin was used to manufacture bicycle components and framesets from the 1930s to 1990s.}}</ref>