Classic & Vintage - 62 Frejus

Just posting pictures of this Frejus I recently finished. It was in pretty good shape when I got it but had some less than period correct components. I sourced a period correct gran sport rear and front derailleurs, some more period correct Gnutti hubs and built some wheels for it. I also did some significant rust removal and restoration of the Universal brakes. Turned out pretty nice. Haven't ridden it very much yet as the snow was on the ground before it was really finished.

This is a '62 Tour de France but has been repainted and has 70s Professional decals on it.

These pictures aren't the greatest. This was the first time I used a black background. Still not sure a white background wouldn't be better for this bike.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO2ldDVCMaI/AAAAAAAAAFc/1PM6Nan9Pmg/s800/DSC01160.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO2leXc33hI/AAAAAAAAAFc/2LAKEN2pbEc/s800/DSC01019.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO2leycCD4I/AAAAAAAAAFc/ah7x493tZU8/s800/DSC01017.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO2lfZLPArI/AAAAAAAAAFc/AMEwgGoxuBI/s800/DSC01025.jpg
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO2lg3WDlpI/AAAAAAAAAFc/jvQXsE4a28E/s800/DSC01051.jpg
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO2liXe8nhI/AAAAAAAAAFc/OCD_yMNsTgA/s800/DSC01041.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO2lirz59rI/AAAAAAAAAFc/7buK8wyAIHg/s800/DSC01161.ARW.jpg

Well done Sir. That is beautiful!

Cheers,
Chris

Wow, that is beautiful! You don't often see Italian chrome that nice.

I had junked up Frejus TdF several years ago, the chrome was completely shot and most of the components were also bad save for the Campy FD and RD.

Very nice, and the black backdrop really does help to dramatize just how nice, I think. White always tends to do hinky things with the chrome reflections, whereas black gives you some nice defining lines along with specular highlights. It's quite a lovely bike - what saddle do you have mounted?

WOW
That's beautiful! Just found a 62 Frejus myself. Still working on it.
"Torino" model, I think. Wish my chrome was in as good condition as yours was. And that the original owner had kept the original bars and stem.
Very nice! Thanks for posting.
Scott


http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee430/slipangle99/Frejus1.jpg

Very nice indeed...

blue devil & rootboy; your frejus´are spot on in their different way. Great to see!

Very nice, and the black backdrop really does help to dramatize just how nice, I think. White always tends to do hinky things with the chrome reflections, whereas black gives you some nice defining lines along with specular highlights. It's quite a lovely bike - what saddle do you have mounted?

It is the original Frejus branded Italia saddle. It is in really quite bad shape and is just HUGE but it is the original so I kept it on there. Here is a pic or two plus some more of the bike. Chrome is very nice which is what attracted me to the bike:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO6m8cinfeI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/h-ieITK901w/s800/DSC01021.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO6m9IcTqRI/AAAAAAAAAHU/zUn79Oxfxok/s800/DSC01043.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO6m-l5s8gI/AAAAAAAAAHY/KSapWWNhg8w/s800/DSC01038.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO6m_xYAT5I/AAAAAAAAAHc/tkGFNIHYf3k/s800/DSC00850.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO6nA2J_K1I/AAAAAAAAAHg/-LoXgq0wXCY/s800/DSC00849.JPG

Very nice, but one q? have you sliced any body parts on the pointy end front skewer yet?

Beautiful job!

I am not sure it is a 1962 Frejus TdF. Here are some pictures of mine, which has its original paint. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28164070@N04/sets/72157625216109977/ The rims, rear derailleur & saddle were changed at some point before I got it, but the rest of the bike is almost certainly original. Its Campy hubs are dated "62" on the lock nuts. It has Campy drop-outs with a derailleur hanger built in, & Columbus tubing. It also has no braze-ons for shifter cables at the bottom bracket. Now mine could be a 1963, but I'm pretty sure in 1962 the TdF frames had Campy drop-outs. What size is your seat post? Mine's a 27.0. By the way, shortly after I got it I got rid of the rear derailleur & installed a chrome Record. I also put decent tubular wheels on it. It is a great rider, if a bit tatty.

But you have a gorgeous bike! Well done: I envy your chrome!

Wow!

Beautiful job!

I am not sure it is a 1962 Frejus TdF. Here are some pictures of mine, which has its original paint. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28164070@N04/sets/72157625216109977/ The rims, rear derailleur & saddle were changed at some point before I got it, but the rest of the bike is almost certainly original. Its Campy hubs are dated "62" on the lock nuts. It has Campy drop-outs with a derailleur hanger built in, & Columbus tubing. It also has no braze-ons for shifter cables at the bottom bracket. Now mine could be a 1963, but I'm pretty sure in 1962 the TdF frames had Campy drop-outs. What size is your seat post? Mine's a 27.0. By the way, shortly after I got it I got rid of the rear derailleur & installed a chrome Record. I also put decent tubular wheels on it. It is a great rider, if a bit tatty.

But you have a gorgeous bike! Well done: I envy your chrome!

Well I am not really sure of anything. It was sold to me as a '62 Frejus 'Torino'. Now there is no such thing as a Frejus Torino, Torino is just where Frejus was located. It has T.d.F. stamped on both the bottom bracket and steerer tube (see pics). The serial number, 92493 (see pics), fits for a 1962 according to the serial number registry. The components on it when I bought it are appropriate for a 62 or earlier Frejus, bronze Campy Gran Sport RD, steel Magistroni crank, Universal mod 61 brakes, etc. The decals and head badge are almost certainly not original, the paint might be. Seat tube is 26.2 mm. I am pretty sure it is Falck tubing. The dropouts are certainly not Campy as you noted. So my best guess is a redecaled 62 or earlier Tour De France. What is your serial number?

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO81O1tLyvI/AAAAAAAAAI8/pD1H-5IQqTk/s800/DSC00895.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO8yj6KsGwI/AAAAAAAAAJA/IUa1cRI4EcM/s800/DSC00938.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_MHIrzPhNttY/TO80mMXGPSI/AAAAAAAAAIs/nhzii5FwPAQ/s800/DSC00943.JPG

Very nice, but one q? have you sliced any body parts on the pointy end front skewer yet?

Heh, heh. Yeah I don't know why the skewers that came with those hubs are so long. I need to cut those down. Kind of the roman chariot effect though ;-)

Beautiful bike!! The way that saddle looks on that bike is my favourite part of it, don't change it! The saddle gives the bike so much character.

It is hard to imagine what TdF on the fork & bottom bracket could possibly stand for other than "Tour de France", so it seems clear that that's what both our bikes are, in spite of their differences. Mine is #95055. In reading the Frejus serial number database on CR, it looks like bikes with 91xxx & 92xxx were bought in the early 60s, but so were bikes up to 97xxx. I suspect yours was made earlier than 1962. Many frames were built years before they got sold as new. I have an earlier Frejus track bike, #53290, that has a head badge giving CdM dates to 1955. This makes it no older than 1956. It has Libellula tubing (which I think was a Falck product), stamped drop-outs & lug work that looks a lot more like your bike than my TdF.

It is hard to imagine what TdF on the fork & bottom bracket could possibly stand for other than "Tour de France", so it seems clear that that's what both our bikes are, in spite of their differences. Mine is #95055. In reading the Frejus serial number database on CR, it looks like bikes with 91xxx & 92xxx were bought in the early 60s, but so were bikes up to 97xxx. I suspect yours was made earlier than 1962. Many frames were built years before they got sold as new. I have an earlier Frejus track bike, #53290, that has a head badge giving CdM dates to 1955. This makes it no older than 1956. It has Libellula tubing (which I think was a Falck product), stamped drop-outs & lug work that looks a lot more like your bike than my TdF.

Yes I have suspected it might be earlier than 62. The components could be from 62 but could also be from mid to late 50s so it is hard to tell. Hey the older the better in my book :-)

Very nice! Love Frejus.

Here's mine, I'd guess from around the same time. I think, like Legnano they only had 2 models: the TdF and whatever mine is. I'd guess those Gnutti hubs are 70s...

I am not sure it is a 1962 Frejus TdF. Here are some pictures of mine

That looks good to me too! Rust, well, just showing its age!

Very nice! Love Frejus.

Here's mine, I'd guess from around the same time. I think, like Legnano they only had 2 models: the TdF and whatever mine is. I'd guess those Gnutti hubs are 70s...

Cool bike dbaki. Looks to be outfitted much like mine, aside from the alterations mine went through at time of original purchase. May I ask, what is your bar and stem? How are they marked and, if you happen to know, what model they are?
Thanks

Root

Gorgeous. If you come across a 55cm - 57 cm one... :D

Very nice! Of course, I am partial to Campy-equipped bikes of that vintage. :)

Are the hubs Gnutti or Normandy ?

Stunning bike! Nice job, I'd love to find something like that.

May I ask, what is your bar and stem? How are they marked and, if you happen to know, what model they are?
Thanks

Root

I remember them as Ambrosio (but could be 3ttt). Don't have the bike handy, it's in my storage. Don't know the model names... Yes, yours looks similar (if not identical, period wise to mine). Pretty much as I found it, justy cleaned up. Here another Ambrosio on a Zeus:

I remember them as Ambrosio (but could be 3ttt). Don't have the bike handy, its in my storage. Don't know model names... Here another Ambrosio on a Zeus:

Thank you

Root

The ones that came on my Frejus TdF are Ambrosio Champion chrome steel stem & alloy bars. Dbaki, your bike looks like a pro model from the mid-1960s, before N.R. came out. What's the serial number? Here's a set of photos of a 1968ish Frejus pro I got recently, before I cleaned it up. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28164070@N04/sets/72157624978523716/

The changes made to the TdF frame between 92493 and 95055 are fascinating.

Beautiful bike. Nice photography too. I really like the black background.

My hubs are Gnutti from the 70s. When I got the bike it had low flange Miche competition hubs. Not so good. The Gnuttis are much closer in date and look. The only period correct hubs or wheelsets I could find were very expensive.

My bars and stem are Ambrosio Champion.

Frejus is my favorite bike of that period. In a sense, I consider it a "holy grail" bike. I would do what I could to buy one if the opportunity came up.

The ones that came on my Frejus TdF are Ambrosio Champion chrome steel stem & alloy bars. Dbaki, your bike looks like a pro model from the mid-1960s, before N.R. came out. What's the serial number? Here's a set of photos of a 1968ish Frejus pro I got recently, before I cleaned it up. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28164070@N04/sets/72157624978523716/

The changes made to the TdF frame between 92493 and 95055 are fascinating.

**Another beautiful bike! May I ask, just curious, what are those stickers on the exposed section of the handlebar flats?
Looks like some kind of code.
And thanks to one and all for info on bars and stem.
Rootboy

**Another beautiful bike! May I ask, just curious, what are those stickers on the exposed section of the handlebar flats?
Looks like some kind of code.
And thanks to one and all for info on bars and stem.
Rootboy

Those look like gearing tables to me. The numbers look like gear inches.

Those look like gearing tables to me. The numbers look like gear inches.

Must be. Kind of like having your set list taped to the top of your guitar.

You got that right. Somebody had written out the gear ratios in longhand & taped them to the bars.

Seems like with these several old Frejus showing up on this thread, we could all maybe ...somehow ...add to the general Frejus base of knowledge, somewhere. Different component groups, as found, etc. I'm not sure how or where. Frejus owner's club?

I thought about this also. This thread will go into the archives so the text info will always be around. Some pictures get lost in the archiving process though. I think making sure the pictures get into some long lived archive, like the wooljersey.com archive or on a major photo site would also be helpful.

Not a bad idea BlueDevil. I'm not very adept at the computer, but maybe I'll take a look at the Wool jersey site. Perhaps we can start a 60's Frejus page there?

Amazing restoration!

Not much to add -> my humble frejus commuter fleet. Green one is late 50's, Blue on is late 60's, and the copper one is mid to late 60's. Oiler ports on headtube and BB (all three). For some reason, the green and copper frames had decals removed.

I rotate these for my ride into work (rear rack for pannier). These days, wheels are alll tubular, which make for a quick commute among Philly traffic.

For rain and foul weather, I use a Gloria branded bike - U08 like. Original purchase photo below - cleaned up some since (seat is now ideale, brake levers/tape replaced - otherwise original)...



180155180156180157

Gloria commuter:

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=151560&d=1274277770 (http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=151560&d=1274277770)
http://www.bikeforums.net/images/misc/pencil.png
http://www.bikeforums.net/images/misc/pencil.png

Here's another on ebay, for those of you looking. Seems pretty complete less rear derailler.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250733868272&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2Fi.html%3F_nkw%3D250733868272%26_in_kw%3D1%26_ex_kw%3D%26_sacat% 3DSee-All-Categories%26_okw%3D250733868272%26_oexkw%3D%26_adv%3D1%26_udlo%3D%26_udhi%3D%26_ftrt%3D901%26_ftrv% 3D1%26_sabdlo%3D%26_sabdhi%3D%26_samilow%3D%26_samihi%3D%26_sadis%3D200%26_fpos%3DZip%2Bcode%26_fsct %3D%26LH_SALE_CURRENCY%3D0%26_sop%3D12%26_dmd%3D1%26_ipg%3D50%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1#ht_720wt_1141

[QUOTE=dbakl;11852147]Here's another on ebay, for those of you looking. Seems pretty complete less rear derailler.

Pretty cool, thanks. Serial number maybe places it late fifties? Also, : "TdF 56" stamped into BB. The TdF is fairly self-expnatory, but what do you suppose the 56 stands for? Frame size? Kinda looks like it. Or, year made? Neat bike. Like those Frejus brakes.

WOW
That's beautiful! Just found a 62 Frejus myself.



http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee430/slipangle99/Frejus1.jpg

UPDATE ON MINE: pictured here, as found. Curious on this whole dating thing, and the stampings on the bottom brackets; additional data here. Mine has "62" stamped into the BB, no other letters, etc. Stamped MC 61 on the fork steerer. Frame sizings? Could be, as mine measures 60 C to C, but 62 all the way to the top of the seat cluster lug. How did they measure frames back then. I dunno. And, though I was leaving them for last during the overhaul process ..they'd been sitting for ages as the original owner had gotten a set of clinchers to ride when he bought the bike...and they are very dirty, I decided to pop off a hub locknut, DUH!...and the nut is dated 63. So, it appears I have a 63 Frejus and, probably a 73 and not a 72 Motobecane TC. I'm always a year off. At least. :)

I'd guess the 56, 62, 61 are the frame sizes...

and another...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Frejus-Bicycle-/120651744715?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c176785cb#ht_500wt_1156

and another...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Frejus-Bicycle-/120651744715?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c176785cb#ht_500wt_1156

That's an interested collection of parts. Nice color. And, I think you're right on the frame size stamping. That would indicate C to Top measuring for my frame.
That other one on ebay is a neat machine. I was doing some quick math in my head; he got it from an elderly lady. "Elderly" can be subjective. Say she's seventy. She was born in 1940. Her father may have been in his early 20's then, and he raced that red bike in the mid fifties, in his mid 30's, perhaps. He'd be in his eighties now....right? The question remains; which of the grand kids knocked grandpa's derailleur off with the lawn mower twenty years ago and had to have the local bike shop slap on that Suntour?

[QUOTE=dbakl;11852147]Here's another on ebay, for those of you looking. Seems pretty complete less rear derailler.

Pretty cool, thanks. Serial number maybe places it late fifties? Also, : "TdF 56" stamped into BB. The TdF is fairly self-expnatory, but what do you suppose the 56 stands for? Frame size? Kinda looks like it. Or, year made? Neat bike. Like those Frejus brakes.

Frame size.

I am keeping my eye on the Ebay one.

May I ask, what is your bar and stem? How are they marked and, if you happen to know, what model they are?
Thanks

Root

This is the stem on mine:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ambrosio-Gran-Prix-Stem-10cm-Vintage-Rare-/140484085249?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b5810601#ht_500wt_1156

The 3ttt version:
http://cgi.ebay.com/3ttt-Record-vintage-95mm-stem-Win-pista-handlebar-set-/140484013630?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20b57fee3e#ht_500wt_1156

Bars are plain and stamped Ambrosio as I recall.

Its raining Frejus:
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-FREJUS-TORINO-BIKE-BICYCLE-CAMPAGNOLO-PARTS-/200548777722?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb1a37efa#ht_500wt_1156

Cats and dogs! here's another one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/FREJUS-ROAD-BIKE-CAMPAGNOLO-RECORD-GROUP-1960s-/170572569149?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item27b6eada3d#ht_500wt_1066

This is the stem on mine:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ambrosio-Gran-Prix-Stem-10cm-Vintage-Rare-/140484085249?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b5810601#ht_500wt_1156

The 3ttt version:
http://cgi.ebay.com/3ttt-Record-vintage-95mm-stem-Win-pista-handlebar-set-/140484013630?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20b57fee3e#ht_500wt_1156

Bars are plain and stamped Ambrosio as I recall.

Thank you for the links. I appreciate it. Rootboy