French Artisan Road and Race Tag Bikes

[Canuk]

I bought this for mad cheap - it's an 1985 Naddeo, made by Baco in Reynolds 753, weighing in at a very reasonable 1610gr

 

[Canuk]

This is a very lovely soudo braze Helyett Speciale from 1933, genuine Tour de France race ridden bike, with provenance and a Helyett period wool jersey. I had my eye on this in auction in Lyon, but it went to 5 figures and I was definitely out!

 

[Canuk]

Soudo-braze = lugless construction

 

[JCS]

Really interesting to hear about the French cycling scene.
Do the modern French bikes still use different standards? i.e. headsets, threads, bottom brackets etc?

 

[Canuk]

Really interesting to hear about the French cycling scene.
Do the modern French bikes still use different standards? i.e. headsets, threads, bottom brackets etc?

No, everything pretty much standardised to international ISO threads in the mid 80's. There's no great difficulty in building an older French bike. 35mmBottom brackets and headsets still readily available.

 

[Canuk]

Here are some French cycling terms and definitions, which will come in handy if you're ever in France or want to buy a French bike online

1. Un casque de vélo : bicycle helmet
2. Le cadre : the frame
3. Une pédale : pedal
4. Une selle : saddle
5. Un couvre-selle : saddle cover/protection
6. Un guidon : handlebar
7. Une poignée de guidon : handlebar-grip
8. Les freins avant (m) : front brakes
9. Un amortisseur : shock-absorber
10. Une fourche : fork
11. Une roue : wheel
12. Les rayons (m) : spokes
13. Un pneu : tire
14. Une valve : valve
15. Un axe : spindle
16. Un plateau : chainwheel
17. Un dérailleur avant : chainwheel shifter
18. Un dérailleur arrière : rear derailleur
19. Une chaîne (de vélo) : chain
20. L’éclairage : lighting
21. Les réflecteurs (m) : reflectors
22. Le carénage : fairing
23. Une pompe à vélo : bicycle pump
24. Un cale-pied : toe clip
25. Une béquille : kickstand
26. Un porte-bidon : bottle cage
27. Un porte-bagages : luggage carrier
28. Une sacoche de selle : saddlebag
29. Une sonnette : bell
30. Un garde-boue : mudguard
31. Un range-vélos : bicycle rack
32. Une voie cyclable : bicycle lane
33. Faire du vélo : to ride a bike
34. Rouler : to ride
35. Jeu de direction (JDD): headset
36. Pédalier: chainset
37. Boitier: bottom bracket
38. Filetage: threading
39. Moyeux: hubs
40. Manettes de Vitesse: Shifters
41. Cadre Artisan: hand made frame
42. Tige de Selle: seat post
43. Velotaf: bikes for leisure
44. Courir : to ride (usually competitively)

 

[Canuk]

Rene Herse Demontable (quick release no sleeves)

 

[Canuk]

A very cool Bonnet Bitube c.1980

 

[Canuk]

Another Caminade 'Paris Roubaix'. There's something about these bikes that really puts me in mind of the HR Giger designs for the 'Alien' movie franchise...

 

[Canuk]

Almost certainly gonna buy this. It's Ronan Pensecs Gitane (RP 1) in Columbus EL. Can be had for roughly 600 quids... Decent for an ex pro race tag build. Paint good.