ftwelder

I didn't expect anyone to vote for me, that's for sure. LOL.

My question is less about who may have built the most beautiful frame but more about who your favorite is and why. My friend Eric (who has spoken to Fraysse) found an older Limongi frame and it is certainly not of the "quality" of any of the dudes on Andrews list but it's got a certain panache that is unmistakable.

I have a Chas. Roberts and a Grandis that are stand-outs also.



Here is something I grabbed off the net

"Giuseppe Limongi was born in France to Italian immigrants, as a young man in his late 20’s or early 30’s he was an apprentice frame builder with the man who supplied Jacques Ancquetil with his frames. M.Limongi eventually bought the enterprise & built the last bicycle used in his last Tour victory his 5th the first man to achieve 5 Tour de France victories.
M.Limongi also manufactured name brand bicycles for famous teams, although it was never officially known who rode them. He made bicycles used by the Renault Elf team of the early 1980’s which included riders Laurent Fignon, Greg Lemond & Pascal Jules. The only rider that it was known for sure who rode a Limongi was Pascal Jules tragically killed in 1987 in a car accident. Pascal Jules was also World Cyclo Cross Champion in the 80’s, & a Tour de France stage winner. Limongi was allowed to have the rainbow stripes decorate his frames.
In the late 70’s & early 80’s many hands on frame buileders were also great machinists and carried out other manufacturing to have enough work. M.Limongi made some of the BB Shells that Ernesto Colnago used to make his 1st bikes. He also made BB shells for the 1st aluminum frames Vitus. Also for the 1st Ti bicycles out of the US in the 70’s Teledyne. With Pete Morelli( ?) an american based Italian innovator in cycling.
In Canada, Limongi bicycles were made & used for elite racing as well by the 1989 Womens Team Trial Team that went to the World Champs, which I have 1.
They used a 650c Front & a 700c rear common in that era. Also Paolo Saldanha the top Canadian ever at Kona until Peter Reid podiumed. He had a 8h :51 Ironman in 1989 or 1990. M.Limongi & Hutsebaut used mostly Columbus tubing especially SL,SP,SLX, & MS, but used a little Reynolds like 531,653 & 753."