Picked up a weird one tonight - Roold, anyone?
05-29-07, 11:36 PM
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Picked up a weird one tonight - Roold, anyone?
As part of a 3 bike deal that included a Schwinn Speedster and a Raliegh Grand Prix, I picked up a strange little French(?) mixte. Marked "Roold" on the downtube and headbadge, the crest appears to be a large rat holding a wheel.
The running gear is low end Simplex, wheels are checkered steel marked "SAMIR SAMINOX", and the frame appears to be ordinary gas-pipe construction. The hubs are high flange alloy and look like Normandy, but are marked "EXCELTOO SUPER COMPETITION". The skewers are straight blade, and marked "BREV STOP".
I took some quick photo's - take a look:
The running gear is low end Simplex, wheels are checkered steel marked "SAMIR SAMINOX", and the frame appears to be ordinary gas-pipe construction. The hubs are high flange alloy and look like Normandy, but are marked "EXCELTOO SUPER COMPETITION". The skewers are straight blade, and marked "BREV STOP".
I took some quick photo's - take a look:
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05-30-07, 12:02 AM
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Repeat after me: " I before e except after c, except in the cases of neighbor and weigh. And weird, and Raleigh, and any other words that don't conform to the rule.
05-30-07, 01:36 AM
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Looks Chinese to me, because of the way all the parts look like copies, but have unfamiliar logos. I have a chinese road bike with Shaino components...
05-30-07, 05:11 AM
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I have some similar components on the St. Etienne I picked up a couple of weeks ago--same Exceltoo hubs, same stem (which I think is a Belleri). Ah, the 70s bike boom produced some pretty varied stuff.
Neal
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05-30-07, 05:15 AM
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I certainly wouldn't mind having a pair of those CLB brake leves. They are a little bit prettier than the Weinnman design.
Last edited by jjvw; 05-30-07 at 06:09 AM.
05-30-07, 05:25 AM
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Peugeot knockoff? That's what the decals kind of look like? The downtube and headbadge decals anyways?,,,,,BD
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05-30-07, 06:04 AM
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Stacey needs this bike if it's truly a Rat on the headbadge. Could it perhaps be a kangaroo? Thus the name RooLD. Perhaps an import to Australia? And is that the official stem of Bike Forums?
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05-30-07, 06:24 AM
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I remember Roold. My father was a prof at Texas A&M back in the late '60's and early '70's. There was one in a display case in one of the buildings on campus. It was a top of the line model and had all Campagnolo NR components, and this new type of tubing called "Vitus". Good looking bike. I think it's Dutch.
05-30-07, 06:34 AM
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Originally Posted by mswantak
Repeat after me: " I before e except after c, except in the cases of neighbor and weigh. And weird, and Raleigh, and any other words that don't conform to the rule.
05-30-07, 07:51 AM
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Strange, but a Kewl squirrely old bike. 
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05-30-07, 10:02 AM
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Originally Posted by vpiuva
But you can seize this opportunity to make BBM some special Raliegh decals
Neal
05-30-07, 10:15 AM
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Roold is French
from the Vintage Bicycle Geneology and Archive:
RE:VINTAGE LIGHTWEIGHTS: Lejeune 10 speed......... posted by JONathan on 8/28/2004 at 8:28:36 AM
Great find! They were a well respected bike, at least in track and TDF races, which would be top of the line mounts, of course. I would feel lucky to find one, even their modest, consumer-type versions would be cool to round out the collection. My French bikes are; Peugeot (of course); Jeunet; Motobecane; Mercier and Roold. I have not even seen a LeJeune around here, N. Ca..
How does it ride? Compared to a UO-8, forinstance.
Good luck, JONathan
by: 67.118.246.174
https://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache...lnk&cd=2&gl=us
from the Vintage Bicycle Geneology and Archive:
RE:VINTAGE LIGHTWEIGHTS: Lejeune 10 speed......... posted by JONathan on 8/28/2004 at 8:28:36 AM
Great find! They were a well respected bike, at least in track and TDF races, which would be top of the line mounts, of course. I would feel lucky to find one, even their modest, consumer-type versions would be cool to round out the collection. My French bikes are; Peugeot (of course); Jeunet; Motobecane; Mercier and Roold. I have not even seen a LeJeune around here, N. Ca..
How does it ride? Compared to a UO-8, forinstance.
Good luck, JONathan
by: 67.118.246.174
https://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache...lnk&cd=2&gl=us
Originally Posted by bigbossman
As part of a 3 bike deal that included a Schwinn Speedster and a Raliegh Grand Prix, I picked up a strange little French(?) mixte. Marked "Roold" on the downtube and headbadge, the crest appears to be a large rat holding a wheel.
The running gear is low end Simplex, wheels are checkered steel marked "SAMIR SAMINOX", and the frame appears to be ordinary gas-pipe construction. The hubs are high flange alloy and look like Normandy, but are marked "EXCELTOO SUPER COMPETITION". The skewers are straight blade, and marked "BREV STOP".
I took some quick photo's - take a look:
The running gear is low end Simplex, wheels are checkered steel marked "SAMIR SAMINOX", and the frame appears to be ordinary gas-pipe construction. The hubs are high flange alloy and look like Normandy, but are marked "EXCELTOO SUPER COMPETITION". The skewers are straight blade, and marked "BREV STOP".
I took some quick photo's - take a look:
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. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
05-30-07, 10:19 AM
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Cool find BBM,
I agree w/ Pastor Bob, this mixte should be Stacy's
I think that they were litterally located right down the block from the Motobecane plant in the late 60's and this was an "Aussie" theme. That's not a rat you dirty rat, it's a Kangaroo! (supposed to signify speed, lightness of step, agility...)
We should start a thread listing thoughts and pictures of all of the wildlife/creatures used on vintage bikes ehh??
I agree w/ Pastor Bob, this mixte should be Stacy's
I think that they were litterally located right down the block from the Motobecane plant in the late 60's and this was an "Aussie" theme. That's not a rat you dirty rat, it's a Kangaroo! (supposed to signify speed, lightness of step, agility...)
We should start a thread listing thoughts and pictures of all of the wildlife/creatures used on vintage bikes ehh??
Last edited by bigwoo; 05-30-07 at 10:25 AM.
05-30-07, 10:25 AM
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Thanks for all the help, guys. 
(excepting Tom and bigwoo )
I found a fixie conversion with the same head badge here:
https://velospace.org/node/2362
And a poster here:
https://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/pd--...cles_Roold.htm
Actually, the poster art seems quite common, judging from all the Google hits. Roold must have been a fairly prolific manufacturer at one time, and does appear to be French - at least it says "Made in France" on the bike
(excepting Tom and bigwoo )I found a fixie conversion with the same head badge here:
https://velospace.org/node/2362
And a poster here:
https://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/pd--...cles_Roold.htm
Actually, the poster art seems quite common, judging from all the Google hits. Roold must have been a fairly prolific manufacturer at one time, and does appear to be French - at least it says "Made in France" on the bike
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Last edited by bigbossman; 05-30-07 at 10:47 AM.
05-30-07, 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by bigbossman
Thanks for all the help, guys. (excepting Tom and bigwoo )
I found a fixie conversion with the same head badge here:
https://velospace.org/node/2362
And a poster here:
https://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/pd--...cles_Roold.htm
Actually, the poster art seems quite common, judging from all the Google hits. Roold must have been a fairly prolific manufacturer at one time, and does appear to be French - at least it says "Made in France" on the bike
(excepting Tom and bigwoo )I found a fixie conversion with the same head badge here:
https://velospace.org/node/2362
And a poster here:
https://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/pd--...cles_Roold.htm
Actually, the poster art seems quite common, judging from all the Google hits. Roold must have been a fairly prolific manufacturer at one time, and does appear to be French - at least it says "Made in France" on the bike
__________________
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
05-30-07, 11:55 AM
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Hey Bossman, check out the July 15 entry, the only other mention of Roold I could find on the net! The Blue bike in the picture is the Roold mentioned in the journal entry.
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. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
05-17-16, 08:07 AM
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I know this is a little late for this thread, but I have a Roold bike. I bought it new in 1973 and it was top of the line then. The bike was manufactured in France with mostly French components. I paid $400.00 for the bike then. It was light weight for a steel bike, handled very well, and went very fast. I rode the bike thousands of miles over a period of 15 years, and then garaged it until 2015. I puled it out of storage last year 2015, cleaned it up, had new tires, brakes, cables, and handle bar tape installed. I also had all the bearings lubed, the gears cleaned and the derailleurs disassembled cleaned and lubed and the wheels trued. The bike is back on the road and is just as fast as I remember it. Although I'm a bit older now, I can still keep up with some of the guys with new carbon bikes! I do get some funny looks though. So that's a little
bit about a Roold bike.
05-17-16, 08:41 AM
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I know this is a little late for this thread, but I have a Roold bike. I bought it new in 1973 and it was top of the line then. The bike was manufactured in France with mostly French components. I paid $400.00 for the bike then. It was light weight for a steel bike, handled very well, and went very fast. I rode the bike thousands of miles over a period of 15 years, and then garaged it until 2015. I puled it out of storage last year 2015, cleaned it up, had new tires, brakes, cables, and handle bar tape installed. I also had all the bearings lubed, the gears cleaned and the derailleurs disassembled cleaned and lubed and the wheels trued. The bike is back on the road and is just as fast as I remember it. Although I'm a bit older now, I can still keep up with some of the guys with new carbon bikes! I do get some funny looks though. So that's a little bit about a Roold bike.
If it is not too much trouble, would like to see more pics, some closeups maybe?
Thanks,
gbi
Last edited by gbi; 05-17-16 at 08:56 AM.
05-17-16, 09:09 AM
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I know this is a little late for this thread, but I have a Roold bike. I bought it new in 1973 and it was top of the line then. The bike was manufactured in France with mostly French components. I paid $400.00 for the bike then. It was light weight for a steel bike, handled very well, and went very fast. I rode the bike thousands of miles over a period of 15 years, and then garaged it until 2015. I puled it out of storage last year 2015, cleaned it up, had new tires, brakes, cables, and handle bar tape installed. I also had all the bearings lubed, the gears cleaned and the derailleurs disassembled cleaned and lubed and the wheels trued. The bike is back on the road and is just as fast as I remember it. Although I'm a bit older now, I can still keep up with some of the guys with new carbon bikes! I do get some funny looks though. So that's a little bit about a Roold bike.
I remember seeing a white one in a display case, top of the line model. I think it was '71 or '72. One of the first bikes I ever heard of with this new Vitus tubing.
Hard to remember all the details but at the time it looked like a well made bike. Certainly not a bike you run into very often.
05-17-16, 12:32 PM
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Welcome to C&V, @Scothoney! Thanks for sharing that Roold. Given the relative obscurity of the brand we really welcome this entry. I'll join @gbi in asking for more and bigger pics, if it isn't too much trouble.
From the picture you posted it looks to be a touring bike in great condition. More of a civilian bike than a true racer, though, and $400 seems a trifle high for a bike with what looks like steel cranks and rims in '73. But I may be wrong, and even if I'm right and you like the bike, it means that with aluminum cranks and (especially) rims it will be even nicer.
I'm sure you get funny looks keeping up with the carbon fiber boys. They're the good kind of funny looks though, from our C&V perspective anyway. Keep that up!
From the picture you posted it looks to be a touring bike in great condition. More of a civilian bike than a true racer, though, and $400 seems a trifle high for a bike with what looks like steel cranks and rims in '73. But I may be wrong, and even if I'm right and you like the bike, it means that with aluminum cranks and (especially) rims it will be even nicer.
I'm sure you get funny looks keeping up with the carbon fiber boys. They're the good kind of funny looks though, from our C&V perspective anyway. Keep that up!
05-17-16, 02:10 PM
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Strange, Roold, French?? Sounds like Dutch..... but I guess the Vitus tubing mostly confirms that it is French........
05-17-16, 02:20 PM
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05-17-16, 02:47 PM
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