Early 50s La Gazelle - Eau-de-Nil 🛠️ The Merlot Aftermath 🍷

I'm determined to close the spec sheet today. One thing left. The handle bars. No markings on the centre bits.

Understood it was common in France to put the make and model on the horizontal portion of the drops. Suppose it makes sense judging by the period when water bottles were mounted on the handlebars.

It's meant that the insulation tape needs to come off. Thought it was going to be a quick job, but as gone into the Top Ten disgusting bike jobs of all time. It will probably go into the Top Five along with removing tyre sealant and old tub glue.

Horrid gooey insulation tape over some horrid gooey medical looking tape remnants with sand grit added just for fun. 🤮🤢

What a mess this is going to be - I already see one full bottle of acetone on this.
 
Woz said:
Spending some time trying to identify the Lyotard pedal model - I thought it was going to be easy, but I'm going to give up.

A great resource:
https://www.classiclightweights.co....ne-of-the-most-widely-used-pedals-in-cycling/

Also this - all different but some things in common.

View attachment 660623


These are closest, but mine have oil ports (one of which is missing the cover).
http://luciobici.blogspot.com/2014/04/rare-nos-vintage-1940s50s-lyotard-rat.html

There doesn't seem any model number that corresponds anywhere.
Click to expand...
Lyotard Tour de France model 15B looks like a match, they got the oil port on the barrel..👍
lyotard4.jpg
 
vcballbat said:
Lyotard Tour de France model 15B looks like a match, they got the oil port on the barrel..👍
View attachment 660642
Click to expand...

Saw them - and the name sounded in tune with other parts - alas the cage stamping is completely different.

EDIT: Actually you just might be right. If I take into account it's a line drawing the hole count add ups with last link I posted. The cage stamp squares look more much more rounded and triangles larger.

@vcballbat Decision made. They are Lyotard Tour de France model 15B till proven otherwise. ✅
 
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Finally I believe I can put an end to the spec sheet. Got to say first, I'm not on tip-top form, I pulled a muscle on my upper right arm this morning working on the house that got worse. I thought working on something gentle like getting bar tape off would be a good idea.

Pulling the stem out and brake levers, handle bars from the stem and messing with the gooey mess was getting too physically painful so I called on a Scottish mate in the village to help me. Three good arms and hands better than one. He like's wrenching on motor-bikes and was thirsty - he got paid three tins of Guinness :) Had great fun explaining these old French bikes will be full of surprises and best to go gentle because the designs are not always obvious.

Original remnants of bar tape - realised it was the same colour as the white band on the seat-tube.

1662828749496.png

Half a bottle of acetone later - most of the gooey mess off and still no sign of handle bar identity :mad: Thought there is only one place it could be, under the stem clamp area. Lot's of WD40 later, wrestle to get the weird brake levers off - they are full to the brim of French over engineering made to precise tolerances just so you can get the flipping things on and off the bars. Getting the handle bar stem off was the worst. Again, this is a bit nuts in the design - everything is whittled away and a very very very close fit. The handlebar clamp bolt can not be fully removed with handle bars in them. No point in splaying the clamp head really, and the narrowest part of the stem to get around the hooks of the bar is barely enough.

1662829275586.png

Now the edge of the seat stuff - what is the marking and who made the bars?

The marking is "B". That's right. "B". Guess what I think the "B" stands for? There is no way I'm searching the internet for "Vintage French handlebars B". I've had enough thank you. The bars now look fcuked too; crimped and gouged with all the man handling. Not using them.

Didn't have the heart to get the corks out to see which Chateau the wine came from. But I'm on my second 1664. See you at the Inn.
 
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Woz said:
Saw them - and the name sounded in tune with other parts - alas the cage stamping is completely different.
Click to expand...
Yeah either Tour de France or Competition components, your pictures not showing the cage, can you post another..👍 How you getting on with the bars, I couldn't find a make on mine only criterium stamped on one end...🤔
20200404_161621.jpg 20200404_161524.jpg 20200404_172352.jpg
 
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vcballbat said:
Yeah either Tour de France or Competition components, your pictures not showing the cage, can you post another..👍 How you getting on with the bars, I couldn't find a make on mine only criterium stamped on one end...🤔
Click to expand...

@vcballbat - editing my post about the pedals and gave an update about the handlebars.
 
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