Any ideas wich company had them to market first, Hutch or DK???

A bud bought a polished DK 2N1 in the summer of 83'. A week later I went to the bike shop to buy one and saw the Chrome Hutch 2N1 as well as the DK, I bought the chrome Hutch 2N1. When my bud saw it he was ****ed because the shop didn't have the Hutch 2N1 when he bought his DK. So which was the first to market this item??

That might be a "chicken or the egg" question Greg. It could be a matter of months (or even days) difference between DK and Hutch making them. You could go through the old magazines and determine which one was advertised first, but it still wouldn't answer your question.

Tough one...

Hutch ripped everyone off...

teee hee hee, couldn't resist...

im pretty sure hutch greg

The correct answer is neither. The 2N1 headset lock was originally designed and manufactured by Titron in 1980; first in magnesium and later aluminum. The same part was later OEM'd for Hutch starting in early 1981 but I don't ever recall seeing the chrome plated version advertised until 1983. You might be hard-pressed to find a DK advertisement because I don't ever remember seeing much in the way of magazine ads from those guys. I knew about DK because I grew up racing in Ohio and DK was everywhere. I honestly don't remember them having a real presence until at least 1982 but I could be wrong. Does anyone know when DK was officially "on the scene" so to speak because I know they started off in Danishek's garage.

I've seen an ad posted here from an old NBL or ABA paper that had a DK product spotlight. I think from 80 or 81. I also have one of the pre DK Bill Danishek lunch box stems. It is Stamped RAD DAD on the top cap and is a completely one piece machined alum. stem with no through/wedge bolt. I've been told Bill was making the lunch box stems in 78/79. DK became hot here in IL. around spring 82.

Alan if Titron had the 2n1 in 1980, why did Hutch only market the Mag headset lock until the 2n1 was released in 83? I bought a Hutch Mag lock in 1981 and the 2n1 was definatley something I never saw until 83

interesting comments Greg. I am sure it was a lot cheaper to advertise in the NBL/ABA papers so that makes sense. Unfortunately I didn't keep any of my NBL papers to use as a reference. I thought 1982 was kind of the first BIG year for DK because I really don't remember seeing much out of them before then. I suppose a quick phone call could answer that question for sure.

As far as the Hutch mag headset lock and availability of the 2N1 goes...and I am only speculating here based on conversations I have had with Bill Grove...but not all of the Titron items were being OEM'd for Hutch and since Bill was doing all of the manufacturing and packaging himself it seems to reason that the 2N1 wasn't one of the early items. Bill was travelling back and forth between Maryland (he lived a couple doors down from the Hutchins' in an apartment overlooking Chesapeake Bay) and his home where his shop was back in PA every weekend to make parts and then return on Monday. Pedals were the primary product at that point. I will get more info from Bill on the order of how products were released the next time I talk to him.

Alan, have you had any luck on that crankset we had briefly spoken about a year or so ago??

Greg...ya know...that was in the back of my mind as I was typing that response. I will add that to the list of things to ask about when I talk to Bill this week.

Hutch was never first with anything - their products were all copies of other companies successful designs...

I'll give you pedals and maybe stemlocks, but what else was copied?

Their frames were based on Robinson.
Most of the Hutch component designs were "bought" from Titron, IE pedals , stem locks, hubs, seat clamps. Though I think the only parts that were actually marketed by Titron were the pedals and stem locks, then Hutch stepped in.

The following components were all production Titron items prior to Hutch hiring Titron to OEM pedals in 1980-81. Consequently, Bill Grove started working at Hutch in MD in Feb. 1981 (see post above) while still running the Titron business. The first Titron components were made in 1975-1976 when Bill was in his late teens and was working for Clayton John (future ABA Pres.) at his bike shop in central PA.

here is the parts list...
1. titanium hub axles (the first item and the rest in no particular order)
2. Poly-alloy BB w/titanium spindle
3. Pro BB w/sealed bearings and titanium spindle
4. Euro BB w/sealed bearings and titanium spindle
5. Magnesium headset lock/2N1 headset lock
6. Magnesium seat clamp
7. Magnesium mini headset
8. Magnesium mini stem w/titanium shaft and hardware
9. Magnesium hubs w/sealed bearings and titanium axles
10. Bear trap pedals (3 variations of Titron pedals and the Hutch OEM pedal. Bill would later design the "HUTCH" pedal body and new cage as well)

The items that retained their original design when Hutch completed the Titron purchase included: magnesium hubs, magnesium headset lock, 2N1 headset lock in aluminum not magnesium, magnesium mini headset, magnesium and later aluminum seat clamp, Euro and Pro BBs with titanium spindles, and the 3rd generation Titron pedal which became the OEM pedal with a polished cage.

Anything else?