Which is the Best ?

[Lazarus]

In your humble opinion which do you feel is the better frame to build a womans bike around ? Prestige can play a part since they are most likely of equal quality .... or are they ? Said bike is to be kitted with Campagnolo throughout. Either 80's Athena/Chorus OR early 70's ish Gran Sport / Record.

1)Townsend
2)Royal Enfield
3)Batavus
4)Coventry Eagle Swallow 453 tubing
5)Claud Butler Majestique 531 tubing
6)Ridgeback
7)Motobecane

All thoughts / knowledge on the above brands are most welcome, yours Laz.

PS: particularly interested in any info about compatability of BB shells with campag BB / headsets etc.

PPS: EDIT: Pics are as per above list in decending order ie 1st name = 1st pic. Pics 5-8 are in my lower post.

 

[Goldie]

I've got fond memories of seeing glamorous friench ladies riding along the sea front at Argeles sur Mer on sun bleached Motobecanes with their poodles trotting along beside them - the Motobecane'd get my vote on that basis alone!

 

[RooKilo]

Motobecane

 

[roadking]

The Best.

Hi Laz.

The best is always something that is not a cliche (IMO), unless you're building a bicycle for Emmanuel Beart (or Bardot in another age), the glamorous French totty - with the poodle and Motobecane - doesn't work for me.

My wife rides a Hobbs of Barbican Ladyweight (Accles and Pollock Kromo throughout - 531 equivalent but rarer, all alloy components and very rare).

I recently sold a Majestique (with no interest on here I might add) and they're not 531 throughout (3 tubes and fork only). Only my view but none of the frames would justify the componentry you intend to build with.

Go for something handbuilt - that will have an intrinsic glamour - if you can find one.

Roadking (Francophile by the way).

 

[Elev12k]

What kind of lady bike? Roadbike, mixte, traditional etc etc

Gazelle had their Champion Mondial semi-race. A high end very refined mixte. That is nice. Batavus didn't carry a similar frame in their Professional line up. While ago I saw a couple postings by a French guy who created a kind of stylish Batavus (traditional Dutch model) hotrod. I think it was on BikeForums.

I had a Presto mixte, built by Jan Legrand. You can hardly get nicer than that, but it is very rare.

 

[Elev12k]

'Champy' semi-race >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/50314381@N07/

 

[Lazarus]

Hi everyone "Nice input .... very nice" Thanks. The bike is for someone to use in the London to Paris. First leg is 140+km, last 3 stages 120km'ish. She has a bike, but IMHO its not really going to makes things any easier.

I can vouch for MA40's on SR hubs as super efficient and comfortable over any distance. Those hubs make life a whole lot easier when you're on the verge of crying and falling off because the legs have packed in. A whole lot easier to push too

Campag kit goes without saying "its reliable".

You lads have seen what I built for the wife, and I reckon that "it" or a "similar" would be about right for a novice woman to tackle the L/P. Can't honestly imagine any other kind of bike giving more to the rider than it will take ie: carbon is just too stiff / no flex.

Hoping that a real good stead will boost morale, make life easier, and attract enough attention as to have this woman not notice how many miles she has done. Want something as classy & eye catching as the Faggin ... but classical ... more befitting of the challenge that lies ahead for someone so brave as to take this on as a novice

Need to post the pics of what I have lined up as a frame. The kit is already to hand (in abundance). Just want to source a frame that when rebuilt will say "bring it on"

Love that Gazelle by the way Elev ... very much. Something about womens frames that just oozes class. Sorry I walked away from a complete 1 on the bay a few months back, A Moser if if I recall ... simply stunning.

Anyways friends, gotta zip off for daughters choir thingy (singing at a presentation the Liverpool Philharmonic). Be back later to reconvene this topic gents, yours Laz.

 

[Lazarus]

Just some other options I'm leaving open Check out the bullet type rear stay ends on the last pic, blue half bike in pic12. Looks like quality to me.

 

[trek_y]

Laz thats quite a collection ! Do you have a shed, garage or aircraft hanger to house your finds
Personally I'm liking the Motobecane - very stylish and it will be travelling home. Also the Claud Butler too. I like the split / twin top tubes designs.
The silver ridgeback looks like an alu frame (?) so I suppose this is lighter than the others but would the steel springyness be more forgiving for a distance ride than stiff alu. Being a softy full suss MTB rider I have no experience of how perceptable this is.
Finally that little Raleigh looks like a nice little speed machine but I know who this is for and I would say with some certainty that comfort > weight > speed for her.

 

[hazeyblue]

Anyways friends, gotta zip off for daughters choir thingy (singing at a presentation the Liverpool Philharmonic). Be back later to reconvene this topic gents, yours Laz.

Apologies for the off-topic hijack, but I was at the Phil too (for the same event)... small world.