French Racing Bicycles

[Canuk]

1940s Aviac Duralumin

 

[Canuk]

1940s Velo ‘Aviac’

Duralumin (Aluminium) Bicycle

21″ Frame

26″ Wheels (650B)

Saddle is an ‘Ideale’ and the 110mm aluminum stem is a ‘Pivo’. The brake calipers are ‘Gloria’ and it has ‘Mafac-Racer’ brake levers

 

[Canuk]

Another lovely Mecadural

 

[Canuk]

Gloria Corsa Special brake calipers
CLB dual levers
Felix Boehm Super Legger hubs
Lefol Mudguards
Stronglight 49D
LJ Simplex gears

 

[Canuk]

Mecadural: how it works

In the days before screw and glue of Alan, no sufficient bonding materials were available, so MecaDural invented their own fixings. Namely an expander type method. The chain stays and seat stays are connected with a combination of bolts and aluminum sleeves, and the bottom bracket shell is held in place with two large bolts connecting the lug to the chain stays. The aluminum sleeves do double duty as the brake bridge and chain stay bridge.

 

[Canuk]

The method of connecting octagonal aluminum tubes into aluminum lugs with connector bolts was employed by Pierre Caminade as early as 1935. Joining the tubes with aluminum lugs and wedged internal expanders – the method used by Meca Dural, and other other hybrid methods involved pinning the lugs, and using a steel rear triangle.

This made for quite a flexy frame. My own Mecadural is quite an odd bike to ride. I'm used to stiff steel frames, I have a small collection of 753 and one lovely 953 French built frame. The Mecadural is like riding around on a big comfortable settee! It's not particularly light, about the same weight with guards as my 531 tourer but it is surprisingly sure footed around town, and nippy (for all it's wobbly aluminium tubes) with pin point steering.

I've swapped out the steel forks that came with it for a lively pair of CMP (Lyon) aluminium forks, which though similar to Alan are definitely more plush and refined.

I've long been fascinated by the history and evolution of French aluminium for a long time now. In aviation, the French have pretty much led the charge in the use of lightweight materials for over a century.

The final iteration of soudo brazed aluminium (welded) frames probably came to a peak with Raymond Clerc, which is the builder I'm currently chasing at the moment. He started life working for Sabliere, and produced some of the finest aluminium frames I've ever come across, bar none. I'm lucky enough to have been able to own a few. His early attempts at 'aero' frames are stunning, I have yet to see any welded work anywhere which comes close. They are heavily collected in France, and it is very difficult now to find one in good condition. He would often anodize his bikes in combination with luxurious paint which is something to behold. I'll post some of his bikes later.

 

[Canuk]

Raymond Clerc made many frames for Wolhauser, which were then decalled accordingly. In house Wolhauser had no one who could soudo brass aluminium frames, certainly not too the exacting standards of Clerc.

Wolhauser allegedly had tons of Zeus parts in stock, which he frequently installed on his own business in a reciprocal agreement. Boss really frames were not anodised, but highly polished before putting them into the retail chain. Here's an early example:

 

[Canuk]

A later anodised version. Seat lug, wow!

 

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As with most artisan builders they were a bit 'arty'. Clerc often stencilled his frames 'Etude par Raymond Clerc', fair play it's a work of art all right

 

[Canuk]

First generation of Clerc for Wolhauser in 30mm aluminium tubing