(also posted at oldroads.com) Last weekend I trash picked an odd branded bike, the headbadge says Jacques Anquetil Bicycles, France. It's missing it's handlebars and wheels, but looks to be in fair condition otherwise. It has red label Simplex Prestige derailleurs, Mafac center pull calipers, Solida steel cottered cranks, Stronglight headset, and uses French threading throughout.
The forks are chrome tipped, with a cast and somewhat decorative chrome crown, semi fancy lug work, white paint with bright orange, chrome, red, and yellow decals with a black and white photo of Jacques Anquetil himself on the seat tube. The headbadge is a foil decal type as are all of the decals.
I trial fitted a set of both 700 and 27" wheels, and it appears to have had 27" rims.
The only info I have found online so far is a pic of a 20" folding bike with the same decal set and another one on ebay that was similar but appears to have different style lugs and forks, that one may have beeen a little newer. It looks comparable to a Peugeot U0-8 and by looking at the components, I would guess mine to be from around the mid 1970's. I have compared the lugs and the fork to a Peogeot I have here but they do not match, I am assuming that it was probably made by one of the larger French manufacturers for a smaller company or distributor? It just seems that a Jacques Anquetil branded bike in the mid to late 70's would be unlikely due to the fact that his winning streak was in the late 50's/early 60's? I would have thought that his name would have been somewhat unknown by then, especially to a somewhat entry level bike buyer? Especially if these were produced by someone other than Jacques Anquetil.
Has anyone here heard of or maybe have any info on these?