Spotted on the street

[Canuk]

London always has the odd gem locked up where you least expect it!

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Lovely Willier daily rider I saw locked up here for years!

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That Wilier is a beauty, I'm currently stalking one locally with the same bronze cromovelato finish

 

[zerogravitas]

Yes it's a lovely finish, on my Italian bike hit list for sure.
I worked round the corner from where I saw this one for a few years, spotting it regularly every week, and was impressed by how well that cromovelato stood up to being locked to a post in all weathers!

 

[Canuk]

Reminds me of these Wolhausers. But these are anodised fades, made and finished by a guy called Raymond Clerc. I'm gonna try and start a small collection of his frames, basically he was doing what Cannondale do, but ten years previous. A genius with the TIG welding. Super smooth finished joints. His finishes are legendary.

 

[zerogravitas]

So that's an aluminium frame? Looks stunning. I doubt it's anodised though, the finish looks very like cromovelato, particularly where you can see wear and tear. I imagine the process would work just as well spraying over a polished alu as over chrome.
Another on the wanted list, thanks

 

[Canuk]

So that's an aluminium frame? Looks stunning. I doubt it's anodised though, the finish looks very like cromovelato, particularly where you can see wear and tear. I imagine the process would work just as well spraying over a polished alu as over chrome.
Another on the wanted list, thanks

I believe all the Clerc finishes are custom anodised. He has some really nice painted steel finishes also. I used to have a red anodised one with a split seat tube, but I stupidly sold it ...

 

[Canuk]

This is a good site for rare French builders:

https://encycloduvelo.fr/clerc-raymond/

 

[Canuk]

As an aside, Clerc produced his first TIG aluminium frame with super smooth lugs in 1971. It's not a stretch to think an American either imported one, or saw one in France and copied it. Ten years later, voila! Cannondale.

 

[Canuk]

Here's another rare (painted) Clerc. Loving the bottom bracket details.

 

[non-fixie]

1989 Randonneur Extra, would be my guess. Excellent machine. Difficult to find, as owners are generally very reluctant to let them go.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

1989 Randonneur Extra, would be my guess. Excellent machine. Difficult to find, as owners are generally very reluctant to let them go.

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Want want want