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| Model: | 1st model, Exxon Graftek Precursor |
| Brand: | Line Seeker |
| Category: | Road Race |
| Years: | 1972 - 1973 |
| Country: | United States |
| Production: | Individual Hand Crafted |
| Sold As: | Complete Bicycle, Bare Frameset |
| Material: | Carbon & Aluminum |
| Construction: | Lugged/bonded |
| Drivetrain: | Derailleurs |
| Wheel Size: | 700c |
| Added By: | Chombi on 04/09/12 |
| Updated By: | Chombi on 10/08/13 |
Frame Example Photos
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| Model General Information |
| Per the little information available in the net, the Line Seeker CF bicycle was the precursor of the Exxon Graftek CF bicycle, before it was supposedly bought up by Exxon for their pioneering Exxon Graftek bicycle program. So the Line Seeker bicycle can be considered the prototype of the Graftek, preceding the Graftek by about two years before the Graftek was produced and sold to the public. The frame is constructed (Main triangle, chain and seat stays and head tube) from very thin guage aluminum tubing, wrapped in about 1/8" thick of carbon fiber. The tubes are pinned with roll pins at the brake bridge/ seat stays, BB/seat tube, BB/down tube and lower head lug/down tube connections and bonded with an epoxy compound to chromed steel lugs with 70's era Campagnolo dropouts and top of BB shell brazed-on cable guides. No shifter bosses or top tube cable guides are included in the frame as how it was with the later Graftek. The fork is constructed with an investment cast flat topped crown and Reynolds 531 oval to round profile fork legs and possibly 531 steerer tubes too. The frame was supplied with a proprietary sized 23.8mm diameter seatpost, made by milling down a 26mm Campagnolo Nuovo Record seatpost inside and out to achieve low weight and the correct diameter to fit into the small ID seat tube. Not too many of the Line Seeker bicycles/frames seemed to have survived through the years as some speculate that Exxon might have acquired the remainder of the Line Seeker stock when they were bought up and the bikes were either re-labled as Exxon Grafteks or disposed of. The frame tubes are finished in a deep clear finish thought to be clear Dupont Imron, that shows off the single directional Carbon Fiber filaments going the longitudinal direction on all tubes, such as might have been seen in some early carbon fiber fishing poles. Not much more information exists out there about this bike, maybe because Exxon suppressed the early history of the Graftek (maybe to bolster their claim of having the first US made mass produced CF bicycle??) and the Line Seeker might possibly be the victim of that effort, thus the scant historical information available out there on this pioneering American bicycle? Internet sourced records do show that Exxon owned the rights to the Line Seeker brand for some time, but has since let registration of ownership of the brand name "pass/expire". |
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| Primary Example: | Line Seeker 1st model, Exxon Graftek Precursor (1972 - 1973) |
| Years: | 1972 - 1973 | Sold As: | Bare Frameset |
| Bottom Bracket: | English/ISO: 1.370 x 24 | Brake Mounting: | Exterior Nutted |
| Brake Bridge: | Aluminum, bonded and pinned | Derailleur Cable Routing: | Brazed-On over BB guides |
| Lug Style: | Short Point | Brake Guides: | Clamp on |
| Fork Style: | Curved Blades | Seat Stays: | Capped, flat |
| Fork Crown Style: | Flat Crown | Main Tubing: | |
| Rear Dropouts: | Campagnolo | Color(s): | |
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