Pretty french Bertin, any help on id?
 

Hey all,

Just got this beautiful Bertin. The guy I got it from did not know much about the history, said it was ordered "custom" from France by the first owner. Maybe that just means he got it with Campy parts instead of Simplex etc.? It has full Campy Nuovo Record, Mavic GP4 rims, Bernard Hinault Turbo saddle and 3ttt stem and bars. Rear derailleur has Pat.84 written on it. Seatpost is Milremo with 26.6. diam.

I can not find much info online. It really looks like this is a C80 SSC with Columbus SL tubing? It has the same kind of lugs, chrome fork and Shimano vertical drops and integrated brake cable that other C80's have, just the decals are a bit different. Any info on C80's (what year were these made?) would be appreciated.

Bike needs a full service and regrease, but parts are in quite good condition. Planning on keeping it close to original, just changing a longer stem and some new tubs and bar tape.

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Yes, that looks like a Columbus SL decal, so it should be a C80. It's 1978-1987 based on the Columbus decal style, so it may be 1984, per the derailleur patent date. There should also be component dates on the back of the crankarms and hubs' locknuts. If they all match, that should increase your confidence in the date. This Bertin decal style has also been seen on models with Shimano Dura-Ace AX, which were 1981-1985, so that fits too. Hopefully, Jim will be along shortly to provide a more informed answer.

Beautiful Bertin, the Campag components just look right on it, to me. Looks like a mix of SR and NR components, largely Super Record, too, if I am correct in my seldom functioning memory system:foo: Disclaimer: I am prejudiced about this one, your components are almost dead on what I have on my Medici. It is very enjoyable riding with them. I think you'll be pleased, as long as the fit is right for you.

Other than a few scratches and scrapes, in the decals, it looks excellent. I'd take it, in a minute, no hesitation what-so-ever, and just do a thorough cleaning and maintenance session or three. Decals could be had, if you are so inclined, thankfully the paint looks really good. Enjoy the miles you get out of her.

Listen to the guys like T-mar, and the French experts here, they can tell you most everything you need about keeping it at 100%, and having the right things for it.

Bill

@zastolj Nice Find! It's a Bertin C80-SSC. They were produced from the early 1980's until ~1986. This was Bertin's top racing model frame made with Columbus SL tubing, chrome plated forks and an Arcor Microfusion fork crown, Bocama 83 Competition lugs,and Shimano dropouts. (Someone got a little heavy handed with the gold lug lining. It can be rubbed out and redone with a gold paint pen)

TheC80-SSC could be ordered from Bertin as a full bike with Spidel, Campagnolo or Shimano DuraAce components but most were sold as bare frames. Ron Kitching sold them in the UK too.

I got this 1986 C80-SSC frame pictured below from the original owner who bought it new in 1987. The bike was built up with a mishmash of components. Here's a link to the Classic Rendezvous website showing how the bike looked before I bought the frame:

Bertin, Jules M's

I haven't gotten around to building it yet but I have a Spidel gruppo so it will be all French.


Bertin also produced the C79-SSC, same frame but built with Reynolds 531SL tubing instead of Columbus SL. 531SL was lighter than Columbus SL. Reynolds changed the name of 531SL to 531P (Professional) about 1983.

I bought a C79-SSC frame on eBay. It took me a while to figure out what I had. The frame was probably all white like @zastolj bike but someone sprayed most of it with maroon paint. I built it with mid range Shimano components. Very light bike!

These C79-SSC and C80-SSC frames are full on racing models with very short wheelbases and steep angles. My C79 compares to my Gios in ride and handling... a little on the stiff side!


We imported Bertins at the company/shop that I managed during the 70's and were in regular contact with the folks at Cycles Andre Bertin. I left the bike business in 1979 so I lost track of what Bertin was doing after that time until I got back into collecting about 10 years ago.

One thing that a lot of people don't understand about Bertin was that even though they published catalogs, they were just a rough guide to their offerings.

While Bertin kept some inventory of the catalog models on hand, the specs changed all of the time:

les spécifications sont sujettes à modification sans préavis!

Same thing with decals... When we placed an order with Bertin we could specify the components and sizes but not the lugs, colors or decals. They seemed to have used whatever they had on the shelf - old style, new style - C'est la vie... So decals are not a good guide to determining the year of a Bertin bike. Hint, sometimes the size and year are stamped into the left dropout: 57 = 57cm. The serial numbers have no basis in reality!

I put together this Flickr album of some of the Bertin decals:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/282672...57624013703517


Model numbers were really just frame numbers! For example the C-37 was their top model from the early 1960s through the early 1980's. I've seen factory equipped C-37's with every thing from Huret Allvit derailleurs and steel cranks to full Campy.


Most wholesale orders were built to their customer's specifications! This included larger European bike shops as well as importers around the world including, over the years, 6-7 shops in the US.

That's the reason why you will see so much variations in componentry on Bertin bikes!


@T-Mar Columbus used the same French frame decals from the late 70's to the mid 80's. These are some repops that Cyclomondo in OZ made for me. I thing that he still has some. See pictures below.


verktyg :50:

Chas.

Wow, thanks for all the replies! Nice to know what model this is.

Crank arm had a circle with a '2' inside, that would make the crank from 1982.

I will try ebay for the new columbus decals. Paint is good with a few scrapes, after a good clean I will consider just a bit of touch up paint. Even the white lever hoods are amazingly in perfect shape. Chainrings and the Regina freewheel are in very good condition. I would guess this bike has not seen a lot of miles. Chain is a Sedis. Will try post some pics along the way.


Edit: [MENTION=61614]verktyg[/MENTION], very interesting, thanks for sharing!

When I worked at a Peugeot-Nishiki dealership in Santa Monica CA in the early 1970s, a competitor up the street sold Bertins. My boss confidentially commented on how much nicer they looked than our bike boom era Peugeots, whose craftsmanship and finish was a bit hit-and-miss. Very nice find -- I am jealous. :)

Halcyon years back then selling and working on bikes, other than the pay!
At least there was the employee discount.

Yup -- I was a starving UCLA grad student who worked (more than) full time every summer and Christmas break and about 20 hrs/week during the school year at Bikecology, which was literally a mom-and-pop shop. I worked all day every Saturday year round, although the boss did begrudgingly let me off for the 1972 Los Angeles Wheelmen Double Century (Grand Tour). Friday afternoons and evenings we enjoyed great camaraderie while we ate pizza and assembled bikes until about 11pm for the Saturday rush.

Fortunately, UCLA tuition was only $207.50 per quarter back then, and when we got married, my wife and I found an apartment a mile and a half south of campus for $140/month. Being able to buy bicycle parts at dealer cost did help, since we rode our bikes everywhere and did not have a car until three years later.

Pretty bike! Thanks for sharing...

My first WLA apartment just out of high school was $182.50 a month. Then came rent control fortunately. When I left, they immediately rented it for double just three years later. The owner was a grinder, about a year in everyone in the building was accused of skipping a month's rent. Some did not have all the receipts and paid a month extra, I had all my checks, made copies and that ended that.

WLA / SM had a number of interesting shops. MDR Cyclery, Bicycleville, Braun's Multiprises, SM Bike shop (closed in 75 or so), Helen's, Bikecology, Hans Ohrt, C.Hardings, I Martin Imports, BH bike Shop.
Helen's is still around with multiple locations, Alan sold out twice essentially, he was probably the most savvy of the bunch.

Alan was an attorney who specialized in draft cases. The draft lottery and subsequent suspension of military conscription forced him to find another line of work, and instead of picking another legal specialty, he decided to become a full partner with Suzy in her fledgling bike shop. They made a very effective team, and I was extremely saddened to learn later from a former Bikecology coworker that Suzy had died much too young, in her 40s or 50s.

Sorry everyone -- I know we have drifted way off topic, but it is always fun to reconnect with folks with shared work and geographic experiences.

zastolj no problemo... moja družina izvira iz Kostanjevice na Krki v SLV :)

zastolj and [MENTION=79743]curbtender[/MENTION]

You probably wont find any French language Columbus decals like those on eBay.

Contact Greg Softly at cyclomondo.net and tell him Chas. sent you. He'll make them up for you. Here's his email:

gtsoftley@ozemail.com.au


verktyg :50:

Chas.

Aaahh! Those french... I will try contact him! Thank you! :)

Just spent a few hours with the bike. Amazed at how well it cleaned up, I got most of the small scratches and marks rubbed off. Then put some touch up paint to a few places. Really happy with the result so far. (Pic below shows some grease left from the bottom bracket assemblying...)

Polished the fork and got rid of the rust expect for one spot on the other leg. It had a 'C' and a Columbus logo stamped in the steering tube.

The french bottom bracket was literally full of thick grease, no dirt. Still I cleaned it and put some new grease in. Spins very well. Same with the french threaded headset, very good condition. Lucky me.

The other Campag lever bolt was a bit stuck. I got it removed but broke it in the process. Luckily I had an old spare set of levers so I could replace the bolt.

Next up is go through the hubs. Took some time to find my old two notch freewheel tool for the Maillard freewheel!

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Very, very pretty bike.

Nice clean look and coming out great. Nice find.

Tres elegante.

Exactly.

Timeless and elegant.

Look forward to seeing the end result!

First rides after rebuild
 

Finished the rebuild and after a couple rides this french beauty has stole my heart. Everything they say about fine steel frames is true here, especially with Vittoria Corsa SC tubulars this ride is really like a magic carpet! Yet plenty stiff when accelerating. Cornering is a blast. The Record gears shift beautifully light and precise after the rider has had some experience with them. Even the Sedis chain seems like it's in good condition. Only thing new on the bike are the tubs and the Regal saddle.

Rear brake cable is integrated in the frame. I carelessly pulled out the old cable out of the frame, then got scared how will I be able to install the new one. I was relieved when I found out there was actually some sort of tube inside the frame. I pushed the cable from the other side and it came out the other side just like that! Easiest integrated cable install I've ever done. I used some really old NOS cables because they had white outers. Probably will change these to something better at some point because these are far from smooth.

Decided to use my NOS 3ttt shiny and plasticy bar tape on this because it somewhat fits the colour scheme. Still not sure if I like the look of it or not but the tape feels nice.

Rear GP4 rim is slightly dented, I have one GP4 as a spare and was ready to change it, but then noticed it needed to be a 32h... spare was a 36. Never mind, I'll find a new rim later, it's fine for now.

I'll keep this as a nice weather, special event bike.



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zastolj -

Lovely job! The bike looks great and I'm glad you are enjoying the ride.

Ordered the new french Columbus decals from Cyclomondo. New salmon pads from Kool Stop arrived that fit the campagnolo pad holders. Feels like a major increase in braking power. Still need to redo the cables though, got some white modern Dura Ace outer cable so thinking of using that. Not period correct of course, but should be a big improvement in riding.

[MENTION=61614]verktyg[/MENTION], do you know more about the left dropout stamping? I do have a 54(the frame size presumably) and what looks like a letter "C". Could the C refer to the year?

What a beauty!:thumb:

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Does anyone recognise the Milremo marked pillar? Be she some manner of Satri? Thank you.

http://i.imgur.com/Fg7bWlX.jpg

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