IEthatsME

My daughter acquired this bike up recently. I don't know what it is but we believe the previous owners bought it in France if that helps. Anyone recognise it?

juvela

The first photo would likely be the most helpful to readers...if only with a bit more illumination.

One puzzle is the presence of a two plateau chainset yet the spot where a front gear mech would be mounted is taken by a tubing joint in the frame. Wonder if chainset original or perhaps bicycle was originally fitted with a "suicide" front mech.

Frame was contructed to accommodate a different rear gear mech than is presently fitted, as evidenced by plate brazed to underside of righthand chainstay. It is likely the cycle left the factory with a chainstay mounted rear mech of limited capacity and a single chainwheel crankset, yielding a derailleur three or four speed drive.

This forum thread discusses a French machine of similar concept and era:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...and-sport.html

Wheels look to be 650B size; is this correct?

Yes to French appearance. Pedals are Lyotard 460D, handlebar stem looks to be an AVA. Chainset appears to be Cyclo of France.

non-fixie 

Welcome to Bikeforums!

Nice bike. Bikes like this one were made in France from the thirties into the early sixties, I believe. This could be a very late example, but more likely an earlier bike that was updated sometime during the seventies.

+1 to @juvela's remarks. More and better pics would be appreciated and also maybe enable us to tell you more about the frame.

What are your / your daughter's plans with it? It would certainly make a nice project for someone.

IEthatsME

Thanks for the responses. I'll get my daughter to take some more photos as I won't have access to the bike for a few months. The plan is to restore the bike (we're used to restoring motorcycles). At the moment we're trying to learn what we can about it it to see how original we can get it back to. I'm amazed at the details you others have picked up on ready. I'll ask her about the wheels and post an update.
Thanks for the link to the other thread - really enjoyed that.

IEthatsME

A few more photos. We now know that it has Atom hubs and Ava rims...

non-fixie 

Thank you for the additional pictures. I still have no idea what brand it is, and I also still think the wheels and fenders might be younger than the rest of the bike. Like @juvela has stated before, it would have had a chainstay-mounted rear dérailleur, and a shifter on the top tube, much like this bike:



Having said that, even with the parts you've got it would be nice to get it back on the road.

IEthatsME

It looks close to this but again I haven't found anything yet with the same frame lugs.

IEthatsME

Still a mystery but I have more photos. Anyone recognize the back light so I can buy a new lens?

blakcloud

It looks like a Soubitez Catalux.

IEthatsME

Thanks for the help
Blackcloud. I did a search of the name and I think your right. Looks like a Soubitez Catalux #8. Might be tough finding a lens.

non-fixie 

They came on a lot of French bikes and mopeds BITD, so they do pop up regularly here in Holland. I'd be happy to facilitate, but shipping costs will be steep.

IEthatsME

It looks like I have the model #8. A short square base and long loop. If a lens shows up I would certainly be interested.

IEthatsME

Now I need a bit of advice on the gear shift mechanism. The photos show whats on the bike right now. 4 gears in the rear,2 up front and a Shimano Altus C20 deralleur. There's no cable attached, no lever of any sort and no front derailleur. I'd like to fit a period gear change system to it; what do you think -a simplex?

non-fixie 

I suspect it would originally have been a 1x3 or 1x4. The rear derailleur would have looked something like this one:

non-fixie 

BTW, I think this type of mount is called "monobloc". You'll need at least the derailleur, the spring and the lever. Something like this.

IEthatsME

Thanks non-fixie. I'll keep an eye out for a set.

IEthatsME

Still searching. Does anyone recognise the logo on the stem here? Also I know the shifter on it at the moment is much newer than the bike bike does anyone have any instructions or some sort of pdf manual about the Shimano Altus C20?

juvela

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There is a french cycle fittings company called Poutrait-Morin which would fit these letters but I had not heard of them as a provider of stems...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/strong...7630330714620/

https://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=5893
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IEthatsME

Thanks Juvela, it helps in my search for the identity of the bike.

juvela

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On the stem -

Found one on a La Perle bicycle ca. 1950 -



One of the posters in this forum thread suggests it may be actually "APM" -

https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopi...nce+PM+#p73275

If course it could also be "AMP"...

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non-fixie 

Nice to see this bike back on page 1! What would you like to know about the Altus derailleur?

IEthatsME

Thanks,

Well, I did by a 1930's simplex derailleur in good condition for it but for now I'd like to hook up the Shimano that's on it. I was hoping to find some instructions about setting it up and adjusting it. Also what do I need to fit for the front sprockets as there is nothing on the bike for making any gear changes up front?

I have re-plated the Jeay brakes and bought new blocks for them. The bike will be off for powdercoating in a few weeks when I get back to work on it. (the bike is in Scotland, I'm in California so I only get to work on it a couple of times a year).
Here's a before and after of the brakes.

juvela

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Fine job with the brakes!

As regards subject of chainset & front mech -

mentioned back in message nr. 2 that there appears to be no room for the mounting of a front mech. we can only think that cycle left factory with single plateau gearing.

note in this photo the positions of the chainguard mounting brackets on the down and seat tubes. because of the way the frame is made and the position of the chainguard, when in place, there is just no room for a front mech.



you mentioned frame is go out for respray. one way you could do it and keep machine "period correct" or at least "period plausible" would be to remove the two chainguard mounting brackets and have a framebuilder braze on a boss to the seat tube to mount a Simplex Competition manual ("suicide") front mech. alternately, you might be able to get by with the clamp-on version as it mounts fairly high on the seat tube...







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IEthatsME

I wonder if the logo on the stem is "atom"?

IEthatsME

Interesting Juvela. I don't really want to cut any parts off, but I like the suggestions. Maybe I could switch to a single front sprocket? I take it there's a good reason the front shifter is called "suicide"?