Classic & Vintage - Dunelt Fleur-de-Lys parts/info wanted

I recently picked up a 1960 Dunelt Fleur-de-Lys, one of the last of the Birmingham Dunelts. It's a lovely old thing with gold paint and a silver head tube, Dunlop Special Lightweight rims, Campy Gran Sport rear derailleur, 531 butted tubing and so on. I have cleaned it up a bit, cleaned and repacked all the bearings, and have been riding it a few miles a day, just so we can get to know each other.

Does anybody know about these bikes? I think it's pretty rare. I read another posting from somebody who had a later Fleur-de-Lys than mine with plain gauge 531, but haven't heard from anybody who has one like this one. I think it's a 1960 because the crank axle is stamped "6-60". It rides very well, but I would like to find some lighter, period cranks (it has steel Williams, 46/49) with a smaller chainring. I am no Lance Armstrong and we have a lot of hills around here. I have changed the freewheel for a modern one with a 28-tooth gear, so that has helped. Does anybody have something lighter with fewer teeth? Ideally, I would like to find a cottered alloy crankset, but I know--good luck, right?

I would also very much like to find any original Dunelt literature that mentions this cycle. I have two other Dunelts, sort of by coincidence. One is a prewar boy's bike with 24" Westrick rims, coaster and rod brake combo, and the other is a 1966 DL-1 equivalent with rod brakes, 28" wheels, etc. I like riding that one.

I have some NOS Bluemels Popular fenders, two with Phillips badging, for sale or trade, along with several sets of NOS Christophe toe clips and quite a few other cool thing, now that I think of it.

I think I am going to keep this one (as if I need another bike---sheesh!).

Geoff Rogers

How much for the Popular fenders? preferably w/o badging. PM me if you'd rather.

I just saw one of these at a bike swap yesterday in san diego-, 531 tubing, very light- black (orig) frame with white on the headset, original decals mostly visible, really nice ornate lugs. It had all the original components including super heavy crank, hubs, grand prix brakes, benelux (suicide shift?) style front derailleur and an nos benelux old style rear derailleur. It was disassembled so I got a good look at the parts altho I don't know all the details . It was more than I could afford ($450) but I really liked it. Enjoy yours, they are nice bikes.Are they the same as some of the early Raleigh/Carltons?....Rob

If it had a suicide shifter, that would likely pre-date the Raleigh takeover - which I believe happened within a year or two of 1960.

I recently picked up a 1960 Dunelt Fleur-de-Lys, one of the last of the Birmingham Dunelts.

I think I am going to keep this one (as if I need another bike---sheesh!).

Geoff Rogers

person cannot have too many bikes, unless you have a very mean spouse. I have, I think, a 1956 fleur-de-lis (dated by the hardware on it...I never found a good interpretation of the serial numbers), all in pieces. I originally had the idea that I would like to refinish and restore, and I have changed opinions since. I think it may be next in line, and I'll do the complete de-rust and clean, and replace the few missing parts that it has. What kind of seat comes with yours?

BTW, it would probably be cheaper and more practical to keep this one as it is and find a good solid 80's Japanese bike to ride the hills with. I only single out Japanese because they are excellent riders, and they don't have the collectors' appeal that European bikes of the same vintage have, so they can be gotten a lot more cheaply.

Re the suicide shifter on the black frame bike- it was interesting/odd as the bike also had cable guides (sorry I forget the correct term) on each side of the top of the bottom bracket. I'm 99% sure the front shifter was original as you could see the outline of the shifter mechanism where it had been mounted on the seat tube.

My bike came with twin Cyclo DT shifters. At present, it has no derailleur at all on the front, and doesn't need one, as the big chainring is just plain old too many teeth and too close to the smaller one to make much difference anyhow (remember, I'm a three-speed guy, so having five that work is almost like too many!).
I have been using the bike regularly. I put a set of Nitto alloy North Road bars on it, with cork tape, which makes for a nice look and a comfortable ride. It's a nice machine, although not as light as my 70's Mercier, which has the advantage of alloy cranks and rims. I picked up a set of Stronglight cotterless cranks last September and I will probably install these, if I can find an axle that fits the BB.
Meanwhile, it's a lovely old bike.
And $475 does sound a little hefty. I paid less than that for mine.
Geoff Rogers

I just went through all of the parts that remained on the bike:
A benelux rod front derailleur.
Brampton chainset, bottom bracket, headset (ALATET Locking washer setup).
Brampton flip-flop hubs on steel rims (haven't done these yet...).
No-name pedals, one of which is refusing to come apart.
A resilion shifter - the boss on the frame is not metric, and someone had a cheap clampon set of shifters just above the boss, for good measure, I guess.
no name seatpost.
TD Cross 5 sp freewheel.

I could take some pictures if you are interested.

Geoff,

I too have a Fleur de Lys (50's or 60's -- uncertain) that I am restoring. Here is some good information: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=75870

Cheers,

Jim Krieger
Dallas, Texas

What is with all the Necroposting going on today?

Ha. I was just about to ask for pics. But who knows if the OP is still around?

I just went through all of the parts that remained on the bike:
A benelux rod front derailleur.
Brampton chainset, bottom bracket, headset (ALATET Locking washer setup).
Brampton flip-flop hubs on steel rims (haven't done these yet...).
No-name pedals, one of which is refusing to come apart.
A resilion shifter - the boss on the frame is not metric, and someone had a cheap clampon set of shifters just above the boss, for good measure, I guess.
no name seatpost.
TD Cross 5 sp freewheel.

I could take some pictures if you are interested.

well, whilst we are on the subject, most of those parts are currently on my Claud Butler project. ala pCad, I suppose.