Gazelle PX 60
 

Well, not really. But had there been one, it might have looked like this. A Champion Mondial semi-race frame with slightly longer chain stays and braze-ons for a generator, rack, fenders and kick stand.

The weather was lousy most of the weekend, so I found myself a little project. Just did a short test ride and first impressions are quite promising. I plan to finish it this week and take it for a nice long ride next weekend.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...23f7346d4d.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7691bdf368.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0d20490319.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...20022e7eb2.jpg

A flat metal plate for the brake bridge on a Gazelle ? I know these came on early Sears frames but did not expect to see it on a 531 bike.

I guess they thought it the best way to mount a rear rack. These semi-race models have been part of the race department's line-up for a long time. They always came with upright handlebars. Even when the rack was not yet standard, the plate was already there:

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Grotefoto-78PPS3EN.jpg

You did a great job!

Such a practical and sporty Gazelle.

Bet it rides quite well and hopefully your weather turns so you can take it out and enjoy yourself.

Nice bike, I remember them from the folders back then.
They were expensive bikes then.

Such a sweet bike, and I love that champagne color. I spend half a day contemplating a fast, fendered bike during last week's edition of the - wet - Joop Zoetemelk Classic.

Makes sense. It does make a great platform for brake and rack combinations. That is a great looking upright.

On my Belgian Rapidix, it came with a tubed brake bridge but had the flat piece bolted on as an accesory for a rack. This one came as a drop bar model but they had it on the bike if the new customer wanted to convert it to upright. My thinking, guessing.

They were expensive indeed. Many "super sports bikes" - as the category was called - from the established brands, like the Gazelle Tour de France and the Batavus Sprint, would retail at around 500 guilders in the late seventies. The Champion Mondial semi-race would set you back all of 1,120 guilders in 1978.

What you got for more than twice the money was a bike weighing 13 kilograms instead of 15. Or so Gazelle said in their 1978 brochure. I guess they were very conservative, as I just weighed my 62cm bike at 12.3 kgs.

Interestingly, the PX 60, which was sold in Holland until 1976 (priced at 995 guilders at the time) was cataloged as weighing 11 kilograms.

I have to say that my Gazelle Sprinter Race, with its long wheelbase and Reynolds 531 frame, is the most comfortable and 'solid' bike I own. Race bikes seem squirrely in comparison.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-T...elle-30-vi.jpg

I remember that bike from the Clunker 100 Challenge. :) Glad to see you're still riding it.

EDIT: anyone know why the picture shows up in the quote but not in the original post?

My old Batavus Tour de l'Europe had one, but it was not 531. Might have been a Benelux (the countries, not the SA conversion setup) thing during those years.

Well done Sir! I like that a lot!!!

Cheers,
Chris

Hi non-fixie! Do you still have this bike? I am wondering from which year it is. Basically, I found the same semi-race Champion Mondial, but it has different lugs and pre '73 Reynolds decals. The frame number is 3170586 which means that it's from 1974.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...27af018ed3.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...19b74f1e78.jpg

Nice find, @alexnagui! :thumb: Looks to be very original. Must be one of the earliest versions built with Reynolds tubes. What are your plans with it?

And yes, I've still got mine. A '79 IIRC.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6dd475a7b0.jpg

Yeah, it looks to be original apart from the saddle (Brooks B73) and the rear hub, which is something else than the Normandy high flange hub on the front. I really like the Titan stem and handlebar, by the way. Unfortunately, there is a small dent on the top tube which I didn't notice while buying the bike. Also, the paint on the top tube is touched up, so it's not perfect. Anyway the bike is my size so I definetely want to keep it and ride it. I am planning to give it a complete overhaul, to begin with. After that, I will think about some modifications, I am not so sure about Simplex stuff, but I will see.

So you took your Gazelle to Italy. Nice!