pwebbs

Trying to figure out what this bike is. My best guess is a Crescent. What other bikes were threaded french with Nervex Pro Lugs and Campagnolo dropouts?

Ex Pres 

So you bought it. I posted that one during the auction and no one had any answers. The only clue we had was the hole in the derailleur dropout was most likely for a Campagnolo Sport derailleur, dating the frame to the early 60's. Just an FYI, the only one of those derailleurs on ebay this week was at $90 with a bid.

If you - and the other bidders - had been about $15 less I might have owned that frame. I liked it, it looks like nice construction, but knowing I would have to repaint a frame with no ID I kept my budget really low. But I think you snagged a good one.

Welcome to BF.

Edit: I couldn't find any French makers in my search of classicrendezvous pics with that rear dropout brazing treatment, and it doesn't look like the Crescents on CR, either. Good luck in your hunt.

bobbycorno

Could be, but I don't remember ever seeing a Crescent with chrome stays and fork blades. An overall shot would help, as would detail of the seat cluster.

SP
Bend ,OR

gaucho777 

Looks nice, whatever it is. Why do feel a strange desire to go to a Parisian disco?

unworthy1

the only (really a longshot) that I can offer is that the way the stay ends are pointed is similar to several Swiss makes...though I don't say that makes this Swiss. Don't think it's a Crescent either but only cause I don't know if Crescents were in production when this "sport" type 1010 dropout was in use.

pwebbs

Well I never said my best guess was a good one. Thanks for any and all input!

Ex Pres 

What are your build plans?

pwebbs

I'll likely build it up as a singlespeed atleast initially. Contemplating color for the powdercoating. The sparkles nauseate me. I am going through late 50s early 60s Peugeot photos. Supposedly a 5 digit serial number would place it in the 50s though. When did they start using that Campagnolo Sport derailleur? Seems most of the Peugeots of the 60s era used Simplex dropouts. Was it possible some in the 50s used Campagnolo ones? More research necessary. Bob Hanson of Stronglight might have my answer. Gotta got through his flikr galleries.

pwebbs

A Follis 472, 572 or 672 seems most logical to me at this point. Can't find many photos of them online. Strange for a company that was in business for over 100 years.

retyred

Not a Peugeot, which you've probably ruled out. I'm not familiar with Follis, perhaps some BFers own them and could help in your search. Still looks Swiss to me, as mentioned earlier. Don't rule out a small builderas there were a lot of them.

pwebbs

Just got the frame sand blasted. Found out that the head badge was attached at two points that are vertically aligned. Is that how the Mercier head badges were?

Shouldn't the right cup be left threaded if it is Swiss? Shouldn't that be indicative?

abarth

Me think it's a Motobeercans based on the head lugs.

mainstreetexile 

The campy dropouts / fork tips, nervex lugs and french threaded bottom bracket could be an earlier high end moto, but most motobecanes I've seen have a simpler 'M' shaped fork crown without the notch in the middle:



The ornate headtube lugs look slightly different too, could be a different type of nervex?

unworthy1

yes but not all Swiss bikes used Swiss-threaded BBs, many used FR threaded BBs (Mondia amongst them). mercier badges do have two holes, vertically aligned, but this bike doesn't jibe with what I've seen of merciers that used campy DOs. Follis had a triangular badge (later a foil decal) mounted point down with 3 rivets, but the details don't look typical Follis to me, either.
These lugs^ look more like a varient on typical nervex Pros or possibly the Prugnat lug that looks very similar to the front side of Nervex pros.

abarth

You are right. I don't think the OP frame is a Moto. BTW, that's my Grand Record frame.