French Made Vintage Racer- Please identify Maker.
05-23-11, 09:42 AM
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Bikes: Cannondale F1000, mango 1997, with xtr 8 speed components, bought secondhand. Spend a long time cleaning and regreasing and tuning. THe vintage lavender roadbie pictured in my thread. Kona hahana Singlespeed conversion.
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French Made Vintage Racer- Please identify Maker.
Hi,
Here are some photos of my vintage French (most probably) Road bike.
The only markings on the bike were the reynolds 531 sticker (in English), and the frame size -53 on the bottom bracket underside. The stem is a Cinelli A1 22.0, B.B has a French thread 35*1 with RFG cups. and a T.A spindle.
Dropouts are Brev. Campagnolo,
Any help with identifying the frame builder will be very much appreciated.
Thanks Elad.
Here are some photos of my vintage French (most probably) Road bike.
The only markings on the bike were the reynolds 531 sticker (in English), and the frame size -53 on the bottom bracket underside. The stem is a Cinelli A1 22.0, B.B has a French thread 35*1 with RFG cups. and a T.A spindle.
Dropouts are Brev. Campagnolo,
Any help with identifying the frame builder will be very much appreciated.
Thanks Elad.
05-23-11, 12:32 PM
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The only thing I can guess is that it's a color that Mercier used, especially on their top frames. But I'd expect an "M" engraved in the forkcrown if it was a Mercier.
You say the cups are RFG (Garrette Bros.) do you mean the BB shell? I ask cause I didn't know that firm made cups, but they made a lot of shells that were used by many builders in France, England and elsewhere.
You say the cups are RFG (Garrette Bros.) do you mean the BB shell? I ask cause I didn't know that firm made cups, but they made a lot of shells that were used by many builders in France, England and elsewhere.
05-23-11, 02:14 PM
#3
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I was thinking Mercier originally as well, but I don't remember seeing any with chromed lugs, also the seat cluster doesn't have that melted chocolate look that most Mercier's have. I don't have a clue.
05-24-11, 08:56 AM
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The only thing I can guess is that it's a color that Mercier used, especially on their top frames. But I'd expect an "M" engraved in the forkcrown if it was a Mercier.
You say the cups are RFG (Garrette Bros.) do you mean the BB shell? I ask cause I didn't know that firm made cups, but they made a lot of shells that were used by many builders in France, England and elsewhere.
You say the cups are RFG (Garrette Bros.) do you mean the BB shell? I ask cause I didn't know that firm made cups, but they made a lot of shells that were used by many builders in France, England and elsewhere.
I was refering to the actual cups-- the adjustable and the fixed cups have RFG printed on the, as well as the threading 35*1. There was a company called RGF which made the B.B shell, but these cups say RFG, not RGF. The are no engravings or markings that would identify a builder. The Color is actually LAVENDER, and not as pink as the Mercier.
And there is a lot more chrome than the Merciers had. BTW the seat post is 26.2 is was this typical French?
Is there anything else I can do to identify this frame? Thanks
05-24-11, 12:55 PM
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05-26-11, 09:23 AM
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JohnDthompson, incredible find. But what does CL, C, And DR mean?
05-26-11, 11:44 AM
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from CR list archives:
"that RFG of Saint Etienne (France) was a
> high quality maker that in addition to pedals also made bottom brackets,
> headsets, and hubs.
>
> This firm is not to be confused with RGF, "Raccord Gargette Freres", the
> French lug maker whose RGF in oval is often seen stamped in bottom
> bracket shells."
So, now we know...and I spelled Gargette wrong, too.
26.2 might be a metric plain gauge seat tube, it's not as common as 26.4 and 26.6 on FR bikes made with ,say, 531 or Vitus, but not a size unknown.
"that RFG of Saint Etienne (France) was a
> high quality maker that in addition to pedals also made bottom brackets,
> headsets, and hubs.
>
> This firm is not to be confused with RGF, "Raccord Gargette Freres", the
> French lug maker whose RGF in oval is often seen stamped in bottom
> bracket shells."
So, now we know...and I spelled Gargette wrong, too.
26.2 might be a metric plain gauge seat tube, it's not as common as 26.4 and 26.6 on FR bikes made with ,say, 531 or Vitus, but not a size unknown.
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