Vintage French randonneuer's and porteurs.

Tommy27 said:
What about Alex Singer, current owner Oliver Csuka dad Ernest was Singers cousinand and now I belive Oscar's son Walter is building too, very much in the style Alex and Ernest did?
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A very interesting question. While they are indeed the same company they are turning out reproduction bike's. In the style of, more genuine the the modern "Rene Herse" offerings but still reproduction.
If I had £15,000-£20,000 I would have a modern Singer. Would I show it of here, no it's a modern bike.
 
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:cool:

Surely, it's all debateable but still not clear?

@Retrorockit - come on. Practically _all_ bikes shown in this entire thread are rideable. In fairness to you, for sure with some of these bikes you would (and want to) treat them with respect and not push them over their design remit. Some are so valuable and rare they are museum pieces.

Many what is presented here is found in an attic / barn and the new owner (bike tart or beginner) sort of instinctively by now realises there is part of heritage rather than just rusty scrap in front of them. With elbow grease it is surprising some of the results. I also think the French have no hang-ups on being satisfied with patina and preserved vs. immaculate and new bike show material.

@Tommy27 - yes, the neo-retro is and will always be an odd subject here. When I say here I mean the entire site. I've had my own and they went in the right sections of +98, modern, etc. Only the frameset being modern too despite parts.

Personally, I don't doubt for one minute that some of these bikes once restored to a semi-reasonable condition if displayed in a sea of modern look-a-like contemporary bicycles outside of a cyclist café, it would be these stealing the show and conversation.

The viewer will reflect (almost visually forced to), and in part it is due to the art and the pure fact the components and whole functioning contraption still make it recognisable as a bicycle. Very probably a realisation will happen, things have not really advanced soooo much - if it was built with quality in mind to begin there's a good chance it can be very servable today - as demonstrated.
 
Woz said:
:cool:

Surely, it's all debateable but still not clear?

@Retrorockit - come on. Practically _all_ bikes shown in this entire thread are rideable. In fairness to you, for sure with some of these bikes you would (and want to) treat them with respect and not push them over their design remit. Some are so valuable and rare they are museum pieces.

Many what is presented here is found in an attic / barn and the new owner (bike tart or beginner) sort of instinctively by now realises there is part of heritage rather than just rusty scrap in front of them. With elbow grease it is surprising some of the results. I also think the French have no hang-ups on being satisfied with patina and preserved vs. immaculate and new bike show material.

@Tommy27 - yes, the neo-retro is and will always be an odd subject here. When I say here I mean the entire site. I've had my own and they went in the right sections of +98, modern, etc. Only the frameset being modern too despite parts.

Personally, I don't doubt for one minute that some of these bikes once restored to a semi-reasonable condition if displayed in a sea of modern look-a-like contemporary bicycles outside of a cyclist café, it would be these stealing the show and conversation.

The viewer will reflect (almost visually forced to), and in part it is due to the art and the pure fact the components and whole functioning contraption still make it recognisable as a bicycle. Very probably a realisation will happen, things have not really advanced soooo much - if it was built with quality in mind to begin there's a good chance it can be very servable today - as demonstrated.
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Nicely put mate 👍 of course everything is open to debate. As you've said, plenty of information on the retro/modern not so much on the originals. It's like a whole section of cycling history has been wiped. I wanted to, I won't say put right because I think the task is perhaps beyond one man. I wanted to redress the balance.
Plus the originals are where everything comes from, undiluted, mistakes and all.
 
Guinessisgoodforyou said:
Start a thread on the stuff you like 👍 you can never have too many bikes
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There just aren't that many old bikes here in Florida. The whole area didn't develop until after WWII, and then bicycles were considered children playthings There was a baby boom you know.. The climate and the spread out development still doesn't favor it. Racing bikes, touring bikes simply didn't exist. Mostly cheap mass produced children's bikes that were disposable because they would soon be out grown. A few Schwinn bikes for teens in the 60's and 70's . Bicycle culture simply didn't exist here like it did in Europe. The MTB craze took off and there's lots of that around from the 90's on. But that's about it. For better or worse the Rene HERSE type stuff is about all there is here for that type of bike. RH has been my only exposure to it.
 
I think we could almost have a whole thread for modern randonneuring/ "all road" bikes and kit- while it still fitting into pre 96 technology.

Brian Chapman and JP Weigle are true Constructeurs, Chapman in particular can and will build you much more than just the frame, but brakes, stems and customise existing components to the extent he's more than half rebuilt it. But both belong in a separate thread. As does Compass era René Herse.

Singer maybe too. Oliver is an absolute master, but I think like Richard Sachs (again somone for a different thread), you get the bike he decides you need.

If I've time later today I might start the thread myself.
 
Tommy27 said:
I think we could almost have a whole thread for modern randonneuring/ "all road" bikes and kit- while it still fitting into pre 96 technology.

Brian Chapman and JP Weigle are true Constructeurs, Chapman in particular can and will build you much more than just the frame, but brakes, stems and customise existing components to the extent he's more than half rebuilt it. But both belong in a separate thread. As does Compass era René Herse.

Singer maybe too. Oliver is an absolute master, but I think like Richard Sachs (again somone for a different thread), you get the bike he decides you need.

If I've time later today I might start the thread myself.
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Sounds like a good idea. Modern interpretations of the classics and new development is certainly interesting and may not fit that well in this thread or the non French thread. I would definitely read it
 
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