But the stories are always charming.

Leroux was a sponsor. As in Helyett Leroux. And I guess if you want to be absolutely correct, Helyett-Leroux-Fynsec-Hutchinson.

Thanks Lynn, just try fitting all of that on a jersey or downtube!

The sponsor is Chicorée Leroux.

Up through the 1960's, a lot of Brits favored rear dropouts without derailleur hangers... Reason being, they could mount a derailleur with a claw attachment, use the bike with a SA internal gear hub, or use it as a SS or fixed gear bike. One bike for all seasons (but mostly for economic reasons).

Those are Simplex Ref 881 forged steel dropouts.



verktyg

Chas.

Nice saddle too.

I'd jump all over it for €250! It looks new!

The frame is the same as a 1978 or thereabouts Gitane Olympic model. The Gitane Olympic bikes came all Campy equipped.



Since Helyett was a secondary line for Gitane, they probably used less expensive components.


Historical note: Gitane supposedly justified their use of the rainbow colors based on Anquetil's successes while riding for Helyett which as mentioned above, was taken over by Gitane in 1962. This ad shows Anquetil's 5 TdF wins: 1957, 1961, 1962, 1963 & 1964



However, "Rolf Wolfshohl won back to back World Cyclocross Championships on his Gitane in 1960 and 1961. Jean Stablinski became World Road Race Champion in 1962 riding his French “racing blue” Gitane." per GitaneUSA.com website


verktyg

Chas. USS Anopheles CVM 1

Hilary's ad states the hanger has been cut off. It doesn't look like it ever had one to me, but I figure Hilary is the man on the scene.

That Helyett does correspond with a European Gitane model, the Nation (see the catalogue pic I posted earlier in this thread). Huret Succes derailers, Sugino crankset and Weinmann Carrera brakes. Frame is indeed the same as the Olympic. Here's mine, I replaced the brakeset with CLB.

Nice one CMAW. What's the ride like? Taking in to account wheelset, style and all the rest...

I bought it as a bad weather back-up for my Olympic, the paint is a bit rough here and there. I don't know what the secret is of these Gitanes but they fit me to perfection and have given me the best riding experience on vintage bikes so far: they feel faster and nimbler but hold up very well for long rides. I do appreciate the look of the Huret derailers as well (titanium knuckles!) and they shift smoother than the NR stuff on the Olympic.

thanks [MENTION=61614]verktyg[/MENTION] for all of the excellent detailed information!

one question comes to mind regarding the dates. in message nr. 25 of the cr discussion posted by [MENTION=57649]iab[/MENTION] above Norris states that Helyett operated two manufacturing facilities and sold off the first to Griffon in 1962. He says they retained and kept in use the second, producing Helyett machines until 1966.

your date of 1962 for the MICMO acquisition of the Helyett name is one i have read elsewhere. wonder if Norris may be mistaken here or if there is a wrinkle which provides some grain of truth in both dates.

thank you again. this great detail much appreciated here!

Norris is a wealth of inside information so the answer could be both... Sometimes his timelines differ from other people's experiences or opinions. Same with some of his histories.

His insight into the French cycling world is priceless (but don't take all of it as gospel).

Several things to consider about classic bikes: In the historical perspective, bicycles began in the 1800's as rich man's toys. They soon became a major form of transportation in the western countries. With the advent of cars and public transportation, in many places bicycles became relegated to the poor man's transportation.

WWI devastated much of Europe. The US economy was booming after WWI while much of the rest of the western world was still struggling to recover from the war. Bikes again became important for transportation in those areas.

The Great Depression affected most of the western countries and again a resurgence of bicycles. WWII was far more destructive than WWI. In Europe and Japan after the war, bicycle manufacturing was one of the first industries to get going.

After WWII in the countries that economically recovered the fastest, bicycles soon gave way to mopeds, then scooters, motorcycles and by the 1950's cars. Bicycles again became the poor man's transportation.

European bike racing from around the time of WWI until the 1950's or 60's was a poor man's sport. It was a way for men to earn some money (not much) the hard way.

Back then, there was no concept that those old bikes would became collector's items; there wasn't much in the way of records and history being kept. There was no Antiques Roadshow!

Who woulda thunk people like us would want those old bikes!

I've avoided mentioning Asia because sporting and competitive cycling were never a much of a part in those cultures.

Lecture over...

verktyg

Chas.

Hi Guys,

Just registered aso this is my first post on here. I came across this thread when doing a google search for Helyett bikes after I'd found the red one pictured earlier on in this thread for sale ona 2nd hand bike website.
Anyway, I only live a couple of hours away from the vendor so I had a drive over and bought the thing. It's in really good condition, I reckon I got a bargain for 250€.
The wheels were an odd pair so I put these Mavics on which I had in the garage.
I haven't ridden it because I haven't glued the tubs on yet - can't wait! although not sure about climbing Mont Ventoux on the 42-22 lowest gear!
Here she is:

Great pick up. Such a nice looking bike.

Before:


After:

Hi everybody,

I just wanted to add a precision about this topic, when at the moment I'm working on a project about it.

In fact, Jean Stablinski became World Road Race Champion in 1962 in Salò, Italia on his green Helyett (Helyett Spéciale). A few seconds before his Irish teammate Seamus Elliott, also on Helyett.

I wrote the book about the story of Helyett. I will enjoy to show you

Another fact is that Helyett didn't stopped the racing sponsoring in 1962, but in the beggining of 1963, in March after Paris-Nice won by Jacques Anquetil. I explain in part why in the book
First Campagnolo became the new technical sponsor of the Saint-Raphaël cycling team, then Gitane.

Is it a free download?

looks awesome to me.

No, for the moment the project is in crowdfunding campaing to be published. In French first.
Than, we expect to do it also in English.

No need to bother with the crowd funding complexities, publishers and printers. You can just tell us the story here. A nice and big, well-educated and knowledgeable audience.

BTW, welcome [MENTION=457772]gregoo[/MENTION]! Nice of you to drop in.

Ahah hi, thanks !

Ok, to answer quickly, in fact 1962 was a great year for Helyett with the St-Raphaël team. The best in around 40 years of professionnal racing sponsoring for the brand. They won Bordeaux-Paris, la Vuelta a España, le Tour de France, the World Championships, Paris-Tours, il Giro di Lombardia...
Was of course good for Helyett, but paying the victory bonus to the champions and being present on races became also too heavy. The brand was in a certain way victim of his own success. In the same time, there were a huge competition with other companies developing in France the "moped", like Motobecane. Was also the arrival of the car for the general public. Many cycling brands stopped at that time.

That's what I can say about this chapter

Welcome to C&V Forum @gregoo, fantastic history lesson. If and when your book is published in English let us know, please. I would love to purchase a copy for my library. I am hoping that you'll stick around the forum, it will add to the many knowledgeable people already here.

@MiloFrance, another chapeau for the pick up on the Helyett, its a really nice looking bike, as said above. That is a really popping red colourway it has.

Bill

Hi Bill, thanks.
I can show you the cover (as soon as when I can post a link after 10 posts)

You can see the whole project here : https://fr.ulule.com/helyett-le-livre/ (all in French, sorry... if you have any question, I will be happy to help or translate)

Support us ! Any contribution will be highly appreciated !

[Quick spoiler] Something interesting to note there is that the name Helyett come from the operetta "Miss Helyett", in which Miss Helyett "Smithson" comes - not from England as I already read - but in fact from the USA, to spend holiday times in the Pyrénées (where later will pass the Tour de France). The story of the brand is also in another chapter related to the cycling in the American continent.



Title means "In progress, always ahead", which was one of the slogans of the brand.