LeJeune Champ du Monde frameset: worthy first build project?
 

Hello all,

I'm new here, so apologies if I'm posting to the wrong forum, and many thanks in advance for any help you can offer. I'm considering purchasing a LeJeune frameset for a winter project. This will be the first complete build I've taken on, so before diving in I'd very much appreciate your reactions.

I'll post the actual link / pictures once I'm up to 10 posts, but Googling these keywords should do the trick: "minneapolis craigslist lejeune champ du monde frameset 7220117464"

Here is what's offered in the description:
Beautiful French LeJeune frameset early to mid 70's, Reynolds 531, with a Velo Orange headset, the bottom bracket is 68mm French threaded, rear spacing is 120mm, Campagnolo dropouts, beautiful lug work. The frame has a lot of features that a Bernard Carre built Lejuene has, such as the willow leaf seat stay caps, the fish mouth dropout treatment, and rear derailleur cable housing loop. It may be a Carre frame, but I can’t say for sure. The previous owner had the frame painted, it is ready for decals (can be found online) and to be built-up. The color is emerald green, which didn't photograph well. These framesets were regulars in the Tour de France in the 60's & 70's.

A few questions:
- Does $145 seem like a fair price?
- Any guidance on whether this is actually a Champ du Monde model, or something else?
- Any recommendations for component choices, aesthetic touches, etc.? I'm hoping this can be my go-to commuter and joy-rider, and I'm considering a single speed but I'm very open to being convinced otherwise!

Many thanks in advance,
JJ

Looking at the photos it does look like one of the Bernard Carre built frames. I don't know the LeJeune models very well but Carre did build their high end frames. Even if this isn't a Carre frame it looks to be a high end French frame. With that in mind you will be limited on bottom brackets and headsets (french threaded). Seat posts are available but will take searching. Stems are limited if sticking to the french size but a good bike shop can easily ream that out to the standard 1" size.
For components/look/etc I would build the bike up with gears just because I think it looks silly when there is a derailleur hanger on a fixie (and I wouldn't cut a classic bike). If you are leaning towards something a little simpler it might make sense to build a 1x6 gear setup with a nuovo record rear derailleur, and a TA or Stronglight crank. for brakes run mafac racers (easy to find cheap, and clean up easily with polish) with modern aero levers (it's not vintage, but it improves the brakes a lot, and comfortable hoods)

Thanks! That's really helpful info, just the type of guidance I was looking for. Regarding wheels, are there any limitations I need to be mindful of with either the frame dimensions or the Mafac brakes? Would 700c fit?

I think it's a lovely frame and neatly made. For a stem, I would suggest Nitto; sometimes one might need to open up the top locknut where it is often smaller diameter than the actual steerer tube interior, but with the Velo Orange headset that shouldn't be a problem. I've found that I can run Nitto stems in metric steerers just fine, and currently have them in a Gitane and an Allegro, both of which have Nervor metric steerers. You may also wish to run a brake cylinder hone into the steerer tube and seat tubes to clean up any corrosion, etc., which makes things fit better.

That probably takes either a 26.4 or a 26.6 mm seat post, both of which are out there. As far as a bottom bracket goes, there are relatively inexpensive French BB cups on Amazon now, or you could go hog wild and install a Phil Wood with French mounting rings. I did the latter on my Gitane, but I snagged those on eBay and I was patient. For that matter, Velo Orange sells sealed BBs in French thread, though they cost more than a standard one. Still, those are also out there. Finally, there is vintage stuff out there on the 'Bay and also in the Classic and Vintage Sales forum attached to this one. Nervar's stuff was always serviceable and usually a bargain, Stronglight was always highly regarded and every vintage T.A. bottom bracket I have handled has been exquisite. Sugino made LOTS of French BB stuff, some of which was excellent, and all of it was at least serviceable.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about the derailleur hanger, I would just leave all the gearie stuff in place in case you later decide to run it with derailleurs. As I write this I have two fixed-gears with integral derailleur hangers and they don't bother me at all. You'll always have the option of running variable gearing should you so desire. Tell yourself you're emulating British club cycling practices of 60 or 70 years ago and all will be well!

Thank you, rustystrings61 ! I expect I will be returning to your comment regularly as I gradually piece this project together. I particularly appreciate your easy-going advice about temporary single gearing and being patient as I look for quality components. If you have any photos (or previous threads) of the French frames you've worked on, I'd love to take a look for additional inspiration. Thanks again!

If the fork is not original, check for front end collision damage by feeling the top and down tubes near the headtube lugs . More difficult with a repaint. If the repaint was done by an owner (not an experienced painter) then I would be extremely suspicious and inspect very carefully. Put a front wheel in and see if the distance to the down tube looks correct. Maybe someone owning a similar year and model can take a measurement of the 'tire to tube' gap that would be correct (depending of course on tire size); this is a less precise measurement, but it should be close.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2b492c1b03.jpg

Good point, I'll ask if the fork is original and whether it was professional painted. And I'll bring along a couple front wheels to check alignment. Thanks, Wildwood !

One front wheel should do.
Although a rear wheel secured in the dropouts can give an indication of a twisted frame, if the tire is closer to one chainstay than the other. A minor difference can be corrected with the dropout adjusters.

That's a nice-looking frame, although as others have mentioned, check for damage. It's kind of funny the fork is not painted. I'm thinking it may be original because the forkends look like the same type as the rear dropouts (no eyelets for fenders or racks), also the fork crown is a Wagner which Lejeune used quite a bit. If it were mine I'd paint the fork to match, I love emerald green. It's a racing frame, so it's made for skinny 700C tires. It will work best in a light, go-fast configuration since you won't be able to use fenders, racks, or fat tires. For components the most desirable would be all-Campagnolo Record or all-French. Campy is great (and very possibly what was on the frame to begin with) but very common, while French is more rare and distinct. The French made a lot of nice racing components in the 1970's, unlike Italian components (Campy or Campy copies) you have two or three or four interesting and distinct choices for every part. It would take a bit of money and effort to get everything together but it would be fun, and probably wouldn't cost any more than doing Campagnolo. You'd learn a lot about French cycling from that period and you'd have a really cool ride by the time you're done.

700c will be what you want to run on this frame. As others have mentioned how wide you can go on tires may be an issue (23 or 25c should fit). For the rear because it's 120mm spaced currently it won't fit more modern wheels, but a good shop can spread the rear to the standard 130mm if you want to go that way (allowing you to run modern cassettes/gears). For some ideas on what people have done for non classic check out: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ead-1-1-a.html
The mafac racers have good wheel/tire clearance.

I've always wanted to find a French frame good enough to build as top of the line all-French parts
it seems you have just that frame. almost all top line bike were full Campy Record BITD. It would be
fitting to build an all top line French bike to show how good their stuff was just b4 the French parts
industry died (many articles to be read on the subject)

And I will take this opportunity to show a Lejeune kitted in all French components. (with exception of seat post and saddle). Since this photo, the gold headset has been swapped for a correct Stronglight P3 and correct brake hanger.

Also, a point of detail. It is Lejeune, not LeJeune and not Le Jeune. That based on seeing the signature of one of the Lejeune brothers, among other things.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...81236000_h.jpgLejeune Pro Pancake 2 by L Travers, on Flickr

I can tell you that I run 32mm GravelKings and 32mm Vittoria CX without issue on these frames. The two tires measure out to about 30mm. I also tried to run some 32mm Vittoria CX tubulars and front cleared the fork, but if you got into any mud...... YRMV.

Thread moved from C&V to C&V Appraisals.

I think the fork is orIginal - frame has been modified the top tube guides on top and the waterbottle bosses are not original- I added waterbottle braze ons to my bike decades ago.

the seat binder bolt is not original - check that it works well- I exchanged one years ago but had to reduce the outside diameter of the head.
on another LeJeune- I needed to use a helicoil to address the weak threads.

I think you will like how it rides... I think they should be RED or Red with a blue headtube or an opaque French Blue.
but Green?!?

Thanks for all of the encouragement and great recommendations. The seller provided some additional information to the questions raised in this thread:

"The green portion looks professional, the fork and the dropouts were probably painted later and not quite as well on close inspection. The fork is french-threaded and original. I had wheels on it and checked the alignment as carefully as I could and seems straight & true."

I'll be picking the frame up next weekend, and will begin scouring the boards for interesting French components right away. Stay tuned! Many thanks again.

This will take you to my '71 Gitane TdF, which still wears its Simplex hanger that a previous owner threaded for a conventional rear derailleur; this way to the pix of my '73 Raleigh Competition Mk. II, which for an English bike has low trail and a French Huret derailleur tab and is currently set up using two chainrings and a Surly Dingle cog. If you go to my overall albums list, you can see poor quality pix of a '75 Peugeot PR-10L, a Falcon San Remo and a c. 1981 Trek 620 that got the same treatment.

$145 is a fair price for this frame and HS. I'd put up WTB ads on the C&V for sale forum looking for the parts you need. A stronglight crank and BB and mafac racer brakes will not be hard to find and the price won't be too crazy. With wheels, you might want to build your own set of 700c clinchers around a set of hi flange hubs (campy tipo or campy record would be my choice). For derailleurs, you'll have to decide whether you want to go with simplex or not. Those are getting harder to find and prices tend to be high as well. You may just want to mod the drop out and run campy derailleurs.

I was thinking more esoteric on my parts group. instead of Stronglight and Simplex which makes me think of my
first race bike (a PX10 of course) I was thinking maybe TA Trevano, Jubile, and Pelissier 2000,maybe something
from CLB. of course this gets price prohibitive! but I'm just dreamin here...