Got this frame from a fellow C&V'r in my city, stored it, and nearly completely forgot about it until I just moved. Haven't done much homework on it myself. It came with a TA crank and French threaded pedals. Obviously bike boom, seems pretty heavy so I'm guessing gas-pipey. It is pretty though and I don't have a yellow bike.


Liberia by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr


Liberia by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr


Liberia by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr


Liberia by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr


Liberia by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr

Pretty frame and love those decals. I wouldn't discount it, gas-pipe or no. Some of my nicest riders have been low end French. Bonus on the claw is that you can switch it out and run whatever rear derailleur you want.

That yellow is really gonna pop with some cleaning and polish. So, we doing the whole ROY G BIV are we?

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The curved brake bridge, pentagonal no-slide pib, braze-on housing stops and ends set are all NERVEX items, despite the BOCAMA lug set. Shell looks like it may be RGF, you might be able to read the marking through the paint.

BTW - that work bench is waaaaaaaaay too empty. We need to get you started on some bike projects in your new home!

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I concur, it appears to be boom era. While the stamped dropouts do suggest hi-tensile steel, if the TA crankset is OEM, there may be a possibility of a higher grade main triangle or at least a lightweight hi-tensile steel. The possibility of a higher grade main triangle supported by the apparent lack of top tube cable stops, unless they are hidden on the opposite side. To this, end I'd determine the req'd seat post diameter, before I declare it gas pipe. I'm assuming a metric tubeset, but it best best verify the seat tube outer diameter too.

Top tube cable stops are present and hidden in the photos. I think a seatpost came with it, can't quite remember. I'll check when I get home.

Somewhere he's got an incomplete drum project...

TWO great reasons for a new bike!

And I get to post one of my favorite pictures once again.

Just the slave to the double bass pedal I'm not currently using. I've done the only drum project I ever want to do, diminishing returns unless it's a really nice older Gretsch or something.

I'm knee deep in bike projects that need finishing. Trying to triage once I get the space cleaned up. Plan is to get all of my bikes back rideable so I can have some bikes around for friends and family, then finish the wife's project bike (needs 650b wheels), then I can tackle my two bare frames.

Also really want to add wheelbuilding to my repertoire, as I'm tired of passing on hubs and rims I want and letting projects fall behind because the cost of having someone else build them up would be too high.

Pretty bike for sure. I've never seen that brand before. Should make a good city cruiser or whatnot.

Looks mid range-ish to me too. Not low end. Not top of the line. I'd agree with T-Mar that it may be a better grade of hi ten with the possibility of something fancier in the main triangle. They wouldn't have put TA on a low end bike.

FWIW hi ten is not gas pipe. I know we're all joking around, but some folks might get the impression that hi ten and gas pipe are the same - they're not. Hi tensile steel is kind of a wide category but includes some very good grades of steel. OTOH there were some actual gas pipe (mild steel) bikes - all those spot welded Huffys and All-pros they made in the 70s for example. Some hi tensile high carbon steel is quite good stuff, and approaches chromoly in tensile strength. The 2040 steel used in later Motobecanes for example made a very good frame. Those in some ways were a better that their competitors that used chromoly maintubes and mystery steel on the stays and forks. [/rant]

Here are a couple of pics of a comparable looking bike. Cottered cranks on this one. Just links as I'm on mobile and posting from Flickr on my phone is seemingly impossible??

https://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...hmentid=397524

https://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...hmentid=397525

The only real difference I can see here is that I have chrome fork tips on mine.

I'd build it up. Will likely ride pretty nice, I bet.

More info: the fork is completely chrome underneath, and is French spaced (96mm, right?)

Some pics of what came with the bike:


Liberia parts by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr


Liberia parts by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr


Liberia parts by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr


Liberia parts by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr

Lyotard pedals


Liberia parts by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr

TA crankset


Liberia parts by Joshua Paschall, on Flickr

Nice! That is one of the older TA cranks. It has the pedal hole blocked off in the back arm. Pedals will clean up great. One reason those bars aren't drooping, made with good steel.

This will be a nice project.

I'm curious as to what other bits would be appropriate for this bike, as I am not well versed in French stuff. Mafac centerpulls are a given, but what about derailers, shifters, brake levers? Need to respace the front fork to 100mm, probably took 27" wheels originally?

MAFAC is a shoe in as were the levers. They are highly praised then and now. Others might be Universal 61, ballila.

Hurst for the drivetrain or if the pockets are deep, Campagnolo. Thoughts to mull over during the long winter.

Clean and polish the frame, then the bike genie will talk to you.

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Safety note -

Her stem has a 25.0mm clamp while her bar has a 25.4mm centre.

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This probably explains why they are still mated. I'll see about separating them later.

Looking around at Huret stuff, looks like Challenger and Success series are the most age appropriate lines?

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Those would be very good!

Their launch may be just slightly later than frameset but well within "the ballpark."

IIRC their launch was ~1974.

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I really like Simplex Prestige derailleurs. I know everyone thinks they are junk. But I have them on most of my bikes and they operate great if you are mechanically proficient and use any shift levers other than plastic Simplex.

And everytime I see Liberia I think of John Libera, a Chicago photographer. He photographed many races in the 70's. Lots of great night shots at the Northbrook track. And even made a movie of the National track championships in Kenosha.

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I would expect that with a two plateau chainset he is build planning for more than a four speed drive.


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I've never heard anyone expound the benefits of French "steel" handlebars... is that a thing? May need to keep my eyes peeled for a French build. Any particular brand to seek out?

These aren't French bars, they're Nitto.

Great looking parts and nice parts stash. I'd give serious thought to running suntour derailleurs as well.

If that can't be used as a sales plug, I don't know what could!