Vintage French randonneuer's and porteurs.

[Mickeyspinn]

Pedals felt fine with Shimano shoes. Frame was a Standard 1982 Raleigh Road Ace, they were fitted with the 600AX groupset as standard. The pedals were physically thin, I never noticed or had any strikes. I can't remember about overlap, don't think it made any difference ie still had it.

Just been looking at them....your right they're going to be about 20 mm lower to pedal platform!
I'm having another coffee...I'm dreaming up ideas of cranked and clutched pedal spindles now....it's possible to generate an eleptical pedal stroke...maybe hmmm I've always understood the reasoning of eggrings just not them being drivetrain friendly.
Today will be different to as planned

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Why clutched?

 

[Mickeyspinn]

Why clutched?

Generates the elipse!

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

1955 Jo Routens randonneur, translation below.

Bicycle bought at an auction during the succession of a Mr René Pouillot.
This cyclotourist friend of Jo Routens had his bike custom built. It was originally made for 650. Like many bikes built in the 1950s and kept by their original owners, it was modified, "modernised" and re-enamelled at Routens in the early 1970s. The cyclo was replaced by a Huret, the brazed-on studs for the cantilevers were re-mounted for calipers and to change to 700.
Super well equipped with all the specialities of the manufacturer: "home made" steel stem, bottom bracket reinforcements, fork with chromed pads, "home made" front derailleur, rear brake cable passage in the seat tube, "home made" bag holder with shifter.
I hesitated a bit to change it back to a 650 (I would have had to adapt "Raid" mafac), but I preferred to respect its "history" and only changed a few elements like the saddle, the handlebars and the wheels, the mudguards (to be able to put 35 mm tyres), to make it my everyday bike... Routens are the most comfortable bikes I know.
A little detail that you can't see: the brake pads are made "home-made" with cork, and it brakes really well!
I found 3 spare spokes in the pump housing!

 

[Woz]

A high spec'd Porteur - "The Beautiful Work Bike" - includes prices.

Making it simple, I'm assuming the prices are in New Francs introduced in 1960 and roughly the right age for a bike like this.

Back in 1960 it would have cost about 45 €, in today's equivalent it would be about 500 € - seems very good value.

{ https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2417794 }

 

[Imlach]

A high spec'd Porteur - "The Beautiful Work Bike" - includes prices.

Making it simple, I'm assuming the prices are in New Francs introduced in 1960 and roughly the right age for a bike like this.

Back in 1960 it would have cost about 45 €, in today's equivalent it would be about 500 € - seems very good value.

{ https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2417794 }

View attachment 662283

Today you can get an Alivio chainset for 500 euro in the current market of ebay

 

[Woz]

You are right @Imlach - I couldn't resist to see the price of city bikes, and this was one of the most expensive to see what the top end pricing was like. BMC aluminium frame, carbon forks, hub gears, belt drive. I understood that in relative terms, bikes have gone up disproportionally over time compared to other goods.

I do need to point out that if the bike was 1955 it would be almost 650 € since inflation was running very high just post war.

Still, back then, it would have been a lot of money, but a good value purchase and a quality product to last many years.

 

[Woz]

Oh yeah ...... and not even a fcuking rack on that BMC

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

This is 879 Euros.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

This is amazing value at £399. Pics below.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/high-frame-city-bike-elops-540/_/R-p-306139?c=BLUE_TURQUOISEThis is £249 with derailleurs as opposed to ig hub. Otherwise seemingly identical.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/high-frame-city-bike-elops-540/_/R-p-306139?c=BLUE_TURQUOISE