Vintage French randonneuer's and porteurs.

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

40s Aviac. Rather special I feel, wonder how heavy this is.

 

[Woz]

1952 Alcyon porteur, a cool beer bike if ever I saw one.

We have a winner. Superb.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

30s Peugeot, lovely..

 

[grantoury]

To near the mark?

I wanted to give it a like but I chickened out

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

50s Mervill and some more alloy exotica. Check the brakes, they appear to be a superior alloy Resillion cailper. Anyone know what the round alloy part on the r/h fork leg does? It's connected to a lever on the bars on the l/h side.

 

[grantoury]

50s Mervill and some more alloy exotica. Check the brakes, they appear to be a superior alloy Resillion cailper. Anyone know what the round alloy part on the r/h fork leg does? It's connected to a lever on the bars on the l/h side.

A bell that runs off the wheel?

 

[Mickeyspinn]

50s Mervill and some more alloy exotica. Check the brakes, they appear to be a superior alloy Resillion cailper. Anyone know what the round alloy part on the r/h fork leg does? It's connected to a lever on the bars on the l/h side.

A bell! Lever operates a sticky outty bitty thing into spokes....ring ding aling?

 

[Woz]

Astounding how they all speak to me in equal strength.

Every single one is unique and worth looking at.

Nothing of the sort is available today, if you ask me. No matter how much you spend.

I bought "the Dancing Chain" as mentioned by M_Chavez. Great book, highly recommended. The variety of hub and external gears developed from late 19th century until now is immense, especially the first decades.

It struck me too how coherent they all look - even the most technically advanced and ambitious refined aesthetic value not one comes across as a mobile art gallery or garish; there is a superb balance and restraint where you don't forget you are still looking at a functional bicycle.

 

[Woz]

A bell that runs off the wheel?

Think it may be a very early speedometer.

That is indeed a bell - required by French law.

On some others, there is also something a bit lower down on the fork, which I think is a speedometer.

 

[grantoury]

A bell! Lever operates a sticky outty bitty thing into spokes....ring ding aling?

I hadn't worked that out yet