Servus, Grüezi und Hallo!

[M.Jay]

Having already written a few posts, it's time for a proper introduction.

So, hello everyone from southern Germany, not far from the beautiful Black Forest.

I found my way here when I started upgrading my tools a few years ago, and in the process got into quite a rabbit hole.
Since then I've regularly followed the discussions here as a lurker, learning a lot in the process and probably spend more money then i should.

I work mainly as a bicycle mechanic, but also do general maintenance stuff at the workplace if required. I also enjoy riding and wrenching on bikes in my free time. Otherwise, I like collecting and refurbishing old tools and am currently working on building my own little dream workshop in my basement.

Looking forward to contributing here and hopefully being able to share some knowledge.

 

[22george]

Welcome

 

[RoninB4]

Welcome from Appalachia, pull up a chair

 

[38 Dodge Coupe]

Welcome from Central Ohio.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Hello M.Jay, welcome to the GJ. I am first generation German American from a very German part of America, Cincinnati Ohio. The first descendant's liked the hilly terrain and Ohio river and called the downtown area “Over the Rhine”.
I have passed through your area on the way to Alsace. We still have relatives in Neuendettelsau, nearby Ansbach. I look forward to reading your posts about your projects and adventures in Deutschland!

 

[M.Jay]

Thank you very much for the warm welcome!

The first descendant's liked the hilly terrain and Ohio river and called the downtown area “Over the Rhine”.

Oh, that's really interesting! I knew many migrated to the Midwest, but I didn't know they influenced the region so much.
Are there still people using the German language these days, beside of the Amish?

 

[johnre]

Are there still people using the German language these days, beside of the Amish?

I took a couple of semesters of German language at university as an elective, and I still have a bit of it with me. But since that was 50 years ago, my vocabulary has atrophied.

And my ancestors came from southern Hessen.

Problem is that university taught me proper Hochdeutsch, and my use of German language now is mostly in parts of Switzerland (where I have family in the French region, but we travel widely all through Switzerland). I can barely pick up their Schweizerdeutsch accent and odd phrasing in the German region, but if they hear me speak, my Hochdeutsch accent is apparently still pretty convincing - so much so that they will just assume I'm German and drop the funny phrasing, but not slow it down.

I should take a few courses again at an intermediate level; I could probably pick it up pretty quickly. But that would again be Hochdeutsch!

 

[mike93lx]

Wilkommen!

I have family in Munich and Oberstdorf, and my mother was raised in Freihung. I love it there and wouldn't be able to visit too much.

 

[Orangina]

Welcome & Willkommen,

...I like collecting and refurbishing old tools...

What kind of tools... only for bikes - or from a typical brand? Or a time period? photos of them?

regards from Berlin, Germany,
with a vintage 40 year old Rixe road bike, vintage cars and tools

 

[RMERR]

Welcome from northern CA. Be warned however, that your rabbit-hole will soon morph into a giant sink hole. But hey that's what happens here.

 

[M.Jay]

I can barely pick up their Schweizerdeutsch accent and odd phrasing in the German region, but if they hear me speak, my Hochdeutsch accent is apparently still pretty convincing - so much so that they will just assume I'm German and drop the funny phrasing, but not slow it down.

Yeah, the dialects are a funny thing. While we all are taught "Standarddeutsch" in school, there are significant differences in pronunciation, depending on where you are.
Even natives from the northern parts of Germany sometimes have a hard time following conversations, while people from the south usually get along, since their dialects are related.

What kind of tools... only for bikes - or from a typical brand? Or a time period? photos of them?

Just hand tools in general, but with a particular focus on Belzer. I managed to build a nice little collection with some part even still in new condition.
I don't have any photos at the moment, but once I cleaned the mess in my workshop and get my photo booth set up, I will post some pictures in the vintage discussion.

regards from Berlin, Germany,
with a vintage 40 year old Rixe road bike, vintage cars and tools

Noice! A few years ago I had a Rixe from the early 80s as my every day ride, it was one of the first bicycles with a disc brake on it.
There is also an old Peugeot Mixte waiting for his resurrection, as well as a Mars from the 50s, my grandfather once used for grocery shopping.

Welcome from northern CA. Be warned however, that your rabbit-hole will soon morph into a giant sink hole. But hey that's what happens here.

I'm already noticing this. Luckily, I don't drink or smoke, so there's quite a bit of disposable income left over I can burn.

 

[Orangina]

Just hand tools in general, but with a particular focus on Belzer.

Do you know how long Belzer & Kopp used their early top hat logo after registering the trademark in 1884?
(Later, it was a cursive company name, in the '50s a rhombus with a crown above and below the company name, or modern versions without any extras...)

As my ratchet (used also by Hazet in its 230 sets ~1925-1933) with this old Belzer hat logo.

I had a Rixe from the early 80s as my every day ride, it was one of the first bicycles with a disc brake on it.

Mine is from around 1982, "Type André Bertin", special series named after a French cyclist (1912-1994).
With parts from Sachs (gear shift, founded 1895), Weimann (brakes & wheels, founded 1927), Maillard (wheel quick release, founded 1909), etc.

But I didn't see disc brakes back then in the early '80s - introduced in 1971 by Shimano (founded 1921, get popular in Europe in the mid '80s).
They became fashionable on mountain bikes in the '90s, and on racing bikes in 2018 when the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) allowed them.
RIXE and its production existed from 1922 to 1985 and then ran into difficulties (the RIXE brand name was then sold in 1998 and several times).

regards,

 

[gahrajmahal]

Thank you very much for the warm welcome!


Oh, that's really interesting! I knew many migrated to the Midwest, but I didn't know they influenced the region so much.
Are there still people using the German language these days, beside of the Amish?

We still have some German heritage events happening, but the range of German themed restaurants, bakeries and craftsmanship is more difficult to find than when I was growing up. But then my family probably gravitated towards those things. Here is an event happening just this weekend. This group has acreage, buildings and events there through out the year.

Christkindlmarkt - Germania Society of Cincinnati

Friday, Nov 7, Saturday, Nov 8 and Sunday, Nov 9.

germaniasociety.com

And another group

About Us

The Cincinnati Donauschwaben Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of German language and culture. Founded in 1954 by Central Europeans (Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania) o…

www.cincydonau.com

 

[M.Jay]

Do you know how long Belzer & Kopp used their early top hat logo after registering the trademark in 1884?

I took your question over to the Belzer thread and wrote a few words.

But I didn't see disc brakes back then in the early '80s - introduced in 1971 by Shimano (founded 1921, get popular in Europe in the mid '80s).

It had indeed a Shimano disc brake and only on the rear wheel. I sold it when moving a few years ago, so can't give more information about it.

And another group

Oh man, now you got me excited! My mother's part of the family are Donauschwaben and my grandfather had loose connections to acquaintances who had emigrated to the US. Sometimes the world is really small.

 

[nadogail]

Welcome to to the point Forum from Southern California