Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Help me decide whether to buy a vintage Frejus track bike that I can

't afford

So, this dude posts on a local bike forum about a track frame for sale, no details, no pics, but I was curious, so I emailed him (mistake #1).

He replies that it's a 70's Frejus that he's selling for his Dad, and he wants ~$300 for it, but seems to REALLY need to sell it, so I bet he'd bite for like $250. All I/he knows about the componentry is that the cranks are Japanese replacements because the originals broke. He says there's a little oxidation on the paint.

I can't see it in person unless he has his dad bring it to town, which he obviously doesn't want to do unless I'm "serious" about considering it.

So basically what I want (or don't want) to know is whether this bike is too good a deal to let go, or whether I should just ignore this horrible temptation.

looks nice. and honestly for 250 you cant lose. if you dont like flop on the bay for 150 dollar profit...

buy it

um, yea. I'd **** my pants if I saw a chrome frejus for sale, especially for $250

hmm, i just looked at the pic some more, and the wheels are held on with wingnuts, which is a little weird for a track frame. i can't tell if it's got trackends though...

ok, just looked some more, and i don't think it's a track bike; fork is drilled, and there's a cable-hanger in the headset.

but it, and if you don't like it, sell it to more for a profit. for reals.

-jason

hmm, i just looked at the pic some more, and the wheels are held on with wingnuts, which is a little weird for a track frame. i can't tell if it's got trackends though...

ok, just looked some more, and i don't think it's a track bike; fork is drilled, and there's a cable-hanger in the headset.


ahhh true true... i thought the wingnut was a tensioner... silly me. my eyes decieved me...

hmm, i just looked at the pic some more, and the wheels are held on with wingnuts, which is a little weird for a track frame. i can't tell if it's got trackends though...

ok, just looked some more, and i don't think it's a track bike; fork is drilled, and there's a cable-hanger in the headset.

Not really. Wingnuts were used up until the late 50s as the method by which wheels were bolted down. You still see older track hubs on eBay with wingnuts...

Yeah but a bike from that era would have downtube shifters and brazeons/dremel marks seem to be lacking as well as brazeons on the top and down tubes?

And $250 for a Frejus? That is frickin smokin.

i thought those were tensioners too, and i saw that cable hanger, and just assumed it was a goofy road-riding setup.

he told me "it has sweet looking wingnuts, which were standard on bikes back then."

i think it looks like track ends though

Yeah but a bike from that era would have downtube shifters and brazeons/dremel marks seem to be lacking as well as brazeons on the top and down tubes?

And $250 for a Frejus? That is frickin smokin.

braze-ons were pretty rare in the 50's

Most downtube shifters from that era were clamp on. There'd be a little ridge to keep them from slipping down the tube, but that's about it. Likewise, there wouldn't be cable guides or anything like that, and the hanger would've probably clamped onto the drop out. Geometry aside, with all the extra bits stripped off the only real difference between a road frame and a track frame would probably be the shape of the drop outs and the brake drillings.

First , I would be all over this bike.

Second , The Cable guide are add on to the headset like a spacer. Which they used as a guide. The Wing nuts still was used up until the 70s on most bikes. Yes bolts were around but some still carried the 50s-60s wheel sets. Yes they raced with winged nuts too.

Third, Not all but very few had braze-on on the frames as clamp on where still norm until the late 70s - early 80s.

Remember most roadies used their track bikes for winter training. Campagnolo developed the quick release and before then it was wingnuts , also racing the Tour De France on track frames.

just a little insight guys.

S/F,
CEYA!

hey, it looks a whole lot like this bike except for the wingnuts and the extra decals:
http://www.bikecult.com/works/archive/03bicycles/frejusPIP.html
http://www.bikecult.com/works/archive/03bicycles/frejusPIPrs.JPG

listen to ceya, he's WAY more likely to be right than i am.

Seriously, this is a chrome track bike from one of the finest and oldest Italian makes... for less than the price of an Alpha. Why is this even being discussed?

DF,
Thanks but research guys . Always listen then go see what is true or not.

Yes, I won't steer you wrong but if you look you will learn just like I did when I started riding.

Oh buy if not I will!!!

S/F,
CEYA!

Seriously. Move it or lose it, sonny.

ok ok I told the guy I'm interested, I should have it by this weekend if everything goes as planned... I just had doubts as to whether I should spend my money on another bike, but I guess this is really the wrong crowd to ask that and expect any other answer from.

Good luck, that's a steel right there.

Old Skool Track.com ,

And Frejus. In fact, there are still fond memories for Tommy Avenia and his shop in Spanish Harlem's 131 East 119th Street. In the 1960's and 70's, Tommy was perhaps the major U.S. importer of Frejus bikes. Although Tommy sold geared bikes, he preferred fewer gears. He loved track bikes, and at the drop of a hat he'd recommend them to shoppers. Sadly, Tommy passed away. He's still well respected in the racing community and is considered a major old skool influence. All of my NYC old skool friends have met Tommy or know of him.

Richard Sachs's site aka e-richie,

When I first became conscious of pro bikes, Frejus and Raleigh were two of the magic names that were considered when you went to buy that 'ultimate' bicycle—the one which may never be replaced simply because it already had top-of-the-line Campagnolo components and thus could not be improved upon.


S/F,
CEYA!
RIP Tommy!

You should probably buy it, but if you decide not to don't hestitate to pm me with his email address...

buy it or a kid in india will go to bed hungry tonight

Most folk'd sell a kidney to get that bike. I can relate to being po, but gimme a break. Is this a troll?

. . .

He replies that it's a 70's Frejus that he's selling for his Dad, and he wants ~$300 for it, but seems to REALLY need to sell it, so I bet he'd bite for like $250. All I/he knows about the componentry is that the cranks are Japanese replacements because the originals broke. He says there's a little oxidation on the paint.

. . .
So basically what I want (or don't want) to know is whether this bike is too good a deal to let go, or whether I should just ignore this horrible temptation.

OMFG. I just found this thread and I think your post might have given me an aneurism. Jesus.

BUY IT!

Christ!

Most folk'd sell a kidney to get that bike. I can relate to being po, but gimme a break. Is this a troll?

im starting to wonder if the deal is too good to be true after the kinds of responses ive gotten on here. either the bike is super ****ed up (which it doesnt look to be) or the guy whos selling it just really doesn't know what he has. im seeing it on sunday!

chances are, if he's selling it for his dad, he has no idea what he has or just really wants to get rid of it.