I know, mixte means "universal" and was not meant to be gender specific. That being said, I was looking through old Fuji catalogs and it appears that when the top tube runs all the way to the dropouts, splitting at the seat tube, they label it a mixte. When there is a single top tube that runs down to the seat tube and stops, they label it an "L" for ladies.

Did other companies do this? Or are they all considered "mixtes" outside of Fuji?

I'm looking to overhaul a mixte for someone for the first time so I'm doing my research and just thought this was interesting.

Nope. Mixtes, and there are various tubing configurations, are the ones you think they are and ladies' frames are the stepthroughs. This seems to be pretty consistent in my experience.

Or, to further confuse you, all mixtes are stepthroughs but not all stepthroughs are mixtes.

Ladies frame (AKA step through) has a second tube that is typically parallel to the down tube. It goes from the head tube to the seat tube and stops.

A mixte has dual stays that start at the head tube, and go straight towards the rear axle. They pass the seat tube and continue to the rear dropout. The rear triangle of a mixte as a result had 3 sets of stays instead of just 2. There is an alternate version with the dual tubes between the head tube and the seat tube are replaced by a single tube.

Many manufacturers if not most made mixte frames in the 70s and 80s,

From the wikipedia article. To complicate things there are many variations and hybrids.

ladies





mixte

Absolutely right!

However Mixtes were available much earlier than 70/80s.
I have a Carlton from 1950ish. Other makers/hand builders also offered mixte frames on order.
Here below is my 'golden oldie anyway': ) Oscar Egg mixte lugset, etc. A fine,elegant frame.

Also a catalogue page from Stallard 1950ish showing his period mixte offerings.

I'd call the triple triangle frame a true mixte, but the lower??
A step-through with extra downtube extensions, but only one triangle for strength...
A hybrid mixte, being a bit more than a simple step-through? Cannot be as stiff a frame as the 'proper' triple triangle mixte....

Then there's the quality of the tubing used in construction, finding a frame of double butted tubing or Reynolds tubing is few and far between. They are also a more flexible frame, though the double butted mixte Nishiki Olympic 12 I had was a fine bike for bumpy trails where its frame flex took a lot of the edge off the road shocks. I am awaiting a loop frame (double tube ladies) to see how different it rides compared to the Olympic 12. Nice thing about these bikes are the brazeons most have for fenders and some even have double for fenders and a rear rack. They make a nice commute/pick up the groceries bike and often have clearance for 32cm/1 1/4" tires which really make a difference. Good luck on your restoration.

They are out there, but as you say, rare. I still miss this Stella mixte I had. Quite a looker. It was mostly for decoration till I gave it to a bandmate during my slacker years. I think the frame was Vitus, but can't recall absolutely. Components were nice -- Campy, Stronglight, Jubilee, etc.

That bike was a rocket. Super quick. Riding a quality lightweight mixte opened my eyes a bit, and made me think perhaps all frames should be mixtes. It's in some ways a better design than a standard diamond frame.

Most Americans do not know how to pronounce mixte.

Thanks Ghrumpy for the excellent back ground information. In the bottom Table 1. in the second column third down I am awaiting a (Loop type) frame, the silver bike in the pictures below, which appears to share some of the frame design features of the Cinelli shown above it as pointed out to me by another forum poster. I have previously had a (Mixed type) frame (Nishiki Olympic 12) and have just finished a (Parallel type) Fuji Absolute build for my grand daughter, her first full sized bike.

bravo! that was the chart I was thinking of an couldn't find!

Who does?

The French.

I posted them recently on another thread somewhere but couldn't find it. The second one is from the JIS bicycle manual.

This is so cool. Something new.

So I assume it's a 'meex-t'?

Schwinn made the high-quality Paramount in a Reynolds 531 ladies' ("Anglais," according to that great illustration). I still kick myself for not buying the $200 one I found many years ago.

And here's a Swiss-made Condor 3-speed I found at the local co-op and just had to have.

: )
Question then is:
How do the French pronounce it??
I pronounce it 'mixter' but I think the terminal e is silent in French?

How neat & classy!
Condor is a new name for me, but I've had a Swiss Tour de Suisse mixte of similar quality. It's all down to the pleasing curves for me.

Meext

Actually,'Ladies' is correct in this case, according to my reference sheet. A 'cadre femme':

i agree.