First Retro

[juvela]

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what year was it that MICMO obtained the rights to the Royal Asport name?

they used it as a model name rather than a marque


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[marcduchesne64]

Welcome, Marc!

Thank you for chiming in. Much appreciated! I shall be looking forward to the Régina Sport replica. Will that be a steel bike?

The first Regina Sport Replica will certainly be lugged steel frame, with steel fork in option. This bike will be very close to my own Regina Sport...

 

[marcduchesne64]

Welcome, Marc!

Thank you for chiming in. Much appreciated! I shall be looking forward to the Régina Sport replica. Will that be a steel bike?

Thanks for accepting me in the loop!

 

[marcduchesne64]

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what year was it that MICMO obtained the rights to the Royal Asport name?

they used it as a model name rather than a marque


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MICMO took ownership of the "Royal Asport" brand name somewhere in the 80's. They dropped it begin 2K's.
They used Royal Asport as the brand for their entry level models. Entry level frames, crap stickers and logos (see the photo)... MICMO has ruined the reputation of the brand, which was known for its high-quality frames and mounts, attention to details...
I guess that the MICMO management didn't want the Royal Asport name to kill Gitane's. In the late 50's, begin 60's Royal Asport 1.0 was in the Pro peloton, thanks to her sponsorship with Spanish team KAS. Now in the 80's, that was Gitane, with the Badger. So, I suppose that at this time, managing two high-end brands wasn't something common and even less easy than it is today...
Hence my goal: Revive Royal Asport and position it as it was at its first era: High-end frames and bicycles. That's in her DNA.

 

[non-fixie]

The first Regina Sport Replica will certainly be lugged steel frame, with steel fork in option. This bike will be very close to my own Regina Sport...

Nice! That is a very eclectic mix of parts you've got there. Those Weinmann brakes are impressive, to say the least.

BTW, did you happen to acquire any other historic information or materials with the brand name? I've never found much online, but have wondered about the Régina Sport line-up. As well as about the builder of my bike, which has some really nice details, and doesn't seem particularly low end:

 

[marcduchesne64]

Nice! That is a very eclectic mix of parts you've got there. Those Weinmann brakes are impressive, to say the least.

Bought it last summer from her first and only owner, who bought it directly at the factory. 35 years later or so, she's almost "as new". I just changed the seat post, the saddle, and the stem, to adjust it to my own settings. Also changed the bar ribbon, for the Benotto which was traditional at this time. The brakes: Better not do a mountain stage with those tiny pads!

 

[marcduchesne64]

BTW, did you happen to acquire any other historic information or materials with the brand name? I've never found much online, but have wondered about the Régina Sport line-up. As well as about the builder of my bike, which has some really nice details, and doesn't seem particularly low end:

It's a high-end frame, built for performance. I recently bought such a high-end Regina Sport bike. Like yours, Zeus lugs and dropouts, Campagnolo hubs, Shimano derailleurs, and all the top-level components of this time... Renovation to come sometime this spring.
This to confirm that Regina Sport was a serious brand, covering customers needs from kids to pro-level riders.
I'm in touch with the Betbeder's family. My intention is to spend some time with André, who was managing the production, to write down the key facts about Regina Sport. Definitely lots of material to collect here, from the early days just after Royal Asport to the divestiture due to some Italian comedy...
For instance, did you know that Jean Betbeder, head of the Ets Betbeder aka "Regina Sport", was also presiding the local cycling club, which had been created by Joseph Habierre, first Spaniard to race the Tour de France and founder of Royal Asport? During 30 years, Jean Betbeder lead the FC Oloron Cycling club to the summits. Lots of champions, regional and more, went to FCOC, like Hubert Arbes and Bernard Becaas, teammates of Bernard Hinault himself, or Marty Jemison, who learned the European way of Racing with the FCOC, before going back to the US where he became National Road Champion, and... Lance Armstrong teammate!
Or, did you know that Jean Betbeder introduced the Elvish brand here in France, which he promoted alongside Regina?
Last example: When the Ets Betbeder shut down, André joined the then European leader José Alvarez, to build the first Look bicycles that were distributed exclusively by Alvarez.
As you can see, there's a lot to write and publish about the Regina Sport history.

 

[non-fixie]

It's a high-end frame, built for performance. I recently bought such a high-end Regina Sport bike. Like yours, Zeus lugs and dropouts, Campagnolo hubs, Shimano derailleurs, and all the top-level components of this time... Renovation to come sometime this spring.
This to confirm that Regina Sport was a serious brand, covering customers needs from kids to pro-level riders.
I'm in touch with the Betbeder's family. My intention is to spend some time with André, who was managing the production, to write down the key facts about Regina Sport. Definitely lots of material to collect here, from the early days just after Royal Asport to the divestiture due to some Italian comedy...
For instance, did you know that Jean Betbeder, head of the Ets Betbeder aka "Regina Sport", was also presiding the local cycling club, which had been created by Joseph Habierre, first Spaniard to race the Tour de France and founder of Royal Asport? During 30 years, Jean Betbeder lead the FC Oloron Cycling club to the summits. Lots of champions, regional and more, went to FCOC, like Hubert Arbes and Bernard Becaas, teammates of Bernard Hinault himself, or Marty Jemison, who learned the European way of Racing with the FCOC, before going back to the US where he became National Road Champion, and... Lance Armstrong teammate!
Or, did you know that Jean Betbeder introduced the Elvish brand here in France, which he promoted alongside Regina?
Last example: When the Ets Betbeder shut down, André joined the then European leader José Alvarez, to build the first Look bicycles that were distributed exclusively by Alvarez.
As you can see, there's a lot to write and publish about the Regina Sport history.

No, I certainly did not know all that. But I had somewhat "educatedly guessed" that Régina Sport and the Betbeders must have had some clout, at least regionally, based on Emile's blog entry:

Régina Sport 1975

Thanks again. Looking forward to those stories.