c. 1987 Mécacycle «Chrono»

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I have completed the restoration of a 1987 Mécacycle «Chrono». Mécacycle, one of the last new quality French cycle firms founded (in St. Etienne) is most famous for its split seat tube "Turbo" model and its pioneering MTB bikes.

The model here, the Chrono, was a conventional frame for time trialing and criteriums and made in Vitus, Columbus and Reynolds tubing featuring all filet brazing. This frame is Reynolds 753 and the most expensive and rarest of Mécacycle's road models. The finish and workmanship of this is absolutely top class.

This has been fitted out with all French components at the very end of the era when this was still possible.

Built up weight is 20.1 lbs.

Full details and many more photos here:

http://www.ipernity.com/doc/286349/album/1221834


Peter Kohler
Washington, DC USA

 

[Nob]

Looks clean & allot of silver solder build up around the tube joints I must say.....

 

[CTK]

Lovely thing.

 

[Old Ned]

Very nice Peter.I have one of those aero bottles and cages but in light blue. Looking at the sloping down stem, is the head angle very steep or is the stem itself angled down? I vaguely remember those aero bars for TT'ing but can't remember who made them!

Edit! - just looked at the gallery and they are Phillipe on an Atax stem. I remember now....................... :facepalm:

I have a brochure for the split-tube frame.

 

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It's both... 75 deg head angle and sloping aero profile Atax stem. The 'bars are rare... I didn't even know Philippe made aero type 'bars until I found these on eBay (and ordered another pair for my "what if" Vitus 979 Losange project). I wanted a black anodised version of the stem but finding Atax anything for a 22.2 steerer tube isn't easy and while wholly French, this frame has all English threading and dimensions.

This is a marvelous riding machine I must say with astonishing pick up and extremely light even twitchy steering on account of the head angles and fork rake (or lack thereof) so it's not for the faint of heart. On my regular ride, it's fast enough to spoil my predictable traffic light patterns, too.

Peter Kohler
Washington DC USA