Poguemahone

...if you haven't already.
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT

Poguemahone

And yeah, I know the seller's dating is likely a few years off.

suntreader

Your sanity and the purchase of that bike are actually two separate issues.

That being said, good luck with the restoration. It looks like you have a lot of work to do... especially on those forks.

DerekRI

Heh, what's up with that? Sprayed over the Nervex lugs and everything...

mswantak

Heck, we all already know you'll buy anything as long as it's 63cm.

muccapazza

"Odd find, lots of work though, good thing you can draw Penguins"

I was wondering what the story was with your avatar. Nice penguin. I don't think Berkeley Breathed is losing any sleep at night.

USAZorro

Seems to me that in order to judge sanity, one must:

A. Define it
B. Recognize it
C. Possess it

I hereby deem myself unfit, by reason of clauses A & C (above).

Rather than shoot my argument in the foot by declaring others on the board as somehow unqualified, I will confine my observation to noting that statisticians prefer to see polls conducted using either a random or a representative sampling of respondents. I would hazard to propose that any results garnered here will be skewed.

Z

btw - great pick-up. With some effort that should become a real treasure.

Poguemahone

Actually, the avatar is wonder warthog; Gilbert Shelton drew him. I'm not guilty.

Figured the parts on this one were at least worth something, so if it proves undoable I'll have some interesting stuff. Think the green is the original colour, just badly mottled.

spider-man

I think you came to the right place looking for encouragement. Great find!

muccapazza

Like that "classic" ARlo Guthrie song where he explained the significance of the pickle (I don't want a pickle, just want to ride on my motorsickle, and I don't want to die, just want to ride om my motorcy...cle) I want to know, what is the significance of the penguin? Is it some secret that I will only understand after many more years of classics and vintage lurking?

Anyway, that bike's cool, and I don't begrudge you scooping up all the 63s, I passed on a 64cm 70's Cinelli super course and a 62cm Paramount track bike last year, they weren't cheap, though, so I can't complain.

This is easily the best poll I've seen in my brief time here at BF.

Poguemahone

I occasionally have to draw creatures for work... I don't want to jinx it, but the next piece of work may involve Penguins, and it may pay for this restoration, if I choose to restore. First I'll look the patient over and stabilize it enough to ride. Then see how it feels. Talked to one of my vintage car buddies today and she gave me some advice. I know some vintage car folks from my pre-internet days; they run into some of the same problems we do and are always a great help. I can probably find a bike this fall I can pay ten for and sell for two hundred, so I'll just view it as a trade anyway, and this one looked fun. Maybe not .

suntreader

I hate to return to the original topic, but...

Poguemahone, what's your game plan with the bike? It looks like you have plenty of work ahead. Where will you start?

TysonB

Sorry Poq.

The first option: "COMPLETELY Insane," is the only viable answer to this poll!

Tyson
Partner of the Irrepressible "Mimi"

ollo_ollo

Me too, I had to go with #1 (takes one to know one!) Looking forward to pictures of the finished product. Don

Poguemahone

Like I said, the rust gets stabilized first-- cleaned and covered. Get it into ridable shape, ride it, see if it's alright. That shouldn't take too long. Then figure out the paint options and start reproing the decals, which I'll attempt to do my own self. I'm open to suggestions from this board on it.

This one may take a couple years (duh), good thing I have other bikes to ride.

If it's hopeless, strip the parts. It's not a bad little messo on this thing.

I think most people go for the "ramen noodles" option on the poll.

TysonB

Like I said, "Completley INSANE!" However, I kind'a like your thinkin', if that's what you call it.

Tyson

lotek 

Pogue,
you are one shrewd negotiator.
Here's why:
Sloans 1970 edition complete book of bicycling
Louison-Bobet Pro C-35
reynolds 531 double butted tubing and fork
Nervex lugs
campy dropouts
Stronglight super 63 competition crankset
chainwheels (dural)
Hubs Campy Record high flange
derailleurs Campy Record
Freewheel competition?
rims Mavic Professional dural 27 inch
dural bars and stem
Unica mod 63 saddle (or brooks b17, yours is a swallow or
butchered b17)
mafac top63 Dural Forged centerpulls
pedals Campy (you have lyotard?)
cost $225.
PX10 was $160 and Paramount P13 was $245.

So you are completely crazy (like a fox)
I want to see it when its rebuilt. a keeper if you ask me.

Marty

Poguemahone

Lotek-- did that edition have a picture of the bike? I'd like to see it if so, may have to hunt up a copy... have an 80ish edition of sloanes, lots of nice Japanese stuff, no L-B. I think the bike is slightly earlier, given the Stronglight crankset, which I think is an early 60's cottered model. The Nervex lugs and Simplex drops suggest very good steel, though. Like the Lyotards, they're part of the reason I bid on the bike. The components pushed me over the edge.

Near as I can figure, the first L-B bikes were @ 1955; prior to that Bobet rode Stellas. This bike is later, I think. I put it mid sixties, though I'd love to find out if seller's assumptions on the serial # code is correct.

luker

not a swallow, i think. This has eyelets for a bag, so it'd be a cut back B-17...and probably original to the bike, looks like.

lotek 

Pogue,

No pictures of the Bobet in that edition. I did find specs for a
mid level Bobet and it sounds more like your bike.
Straight guage 531 tubing, Nervex lugs, campy Gran Sport
derailleurs, Lyotard pedals (big clue here!) and mafac Racer brakes.
The saddle was an Ideale I believe.
I don't have the book with me here at work,
but will post the specs when I get home.
There is also an entry level Bobet but I'm sure it is not the
same as yours (gas pipe, cheap drivetrain etc.).
Cost was about $145 will again verify when I get home).
Marty

luker

belay that about the swallow. Older ones come with bag loops. I just found a picture. The bottom edge of the cut on a swallow is stitched on the earlier ones. You're gonna have to post some pictures when you get it.

lotek 

The RD in the ebay auction looks like N. Record not Gran Sport (nor record for that
matter). The front is also not Gran Sport.
I'm thinking you have the top o' the line bike, not the mid level one.
I can't see the pics on the auction well. what do the Reynolds stickers read?
is the 531 diagonal?

cvv

Well, You must be crazier than me-- you outbid me.
I had a Bobet in graduate school, but of a lesser quality. I ordered it from Cyclopedia, in about '68 or '69. I do not remember a lot about it, but maybe a future flashback will help me.
Charlie

Poguemahone

Charlie-- thank you for the info, and my apologies for outbidding you. I'd been plowing ebay for some lesser known french makes for awile now, and they don't come up real often in my size.

I did find the following in a 1972 edition of Richard's Bicycle Book:

Louison Bobet c-34
Reynolds seamless 531, lugged, low temp brazed frame (no note as to lug manufacture)
Campy Grand Sport derailleurs
Stronglight 3-pin cranks
Normandy hi-flange hubs
Mavic dural tubular rims with double butted spokes
Mafac center pull brakes
Lyotard pedals
Ideale 41 saddle
wt, 24 lbs complete

I'm guessing the c34 is the bike under the c35 (but we know about assumptions. Maybe there's a c34.5). The Lyotard pedals aren't much of a clue, as no matter what the seller said, I'm convinced at least a few of the components on the bike are later replacements/upgrades. One of them is the pedals-- Lyotard made a few models, and the Berthets were the nicest IMHO, and also the coolest, one of the times French design and function came together nicely. Also in the RIchard's is a listing for a "sport" model, which this is not.

I'm thinking the bike is slightly earlier than either 70 or 72. Neither listing lists Simplex drops, for instance. At any rate, the bike is in transit; I'm not sure what's exactly on it, and the seller's listing, while not innacurate, is not real helpfull either. I'll post close-ups of the saddle and mechs when I get the bike; I'm well aware there are those on this board who know far more about things Campy and Brooks than I (Lotek, Otherguy, and Lurker, to name three of many). I asked the seller about decals, but he said they were pretty gone... we'll see when I get the bike. I can usually fathom out partial 531s, but it could be Luxtub or Durifort or Vitus, for all I know.

At any rate, the bike was bought so I could have the masochisitic fun of figuring out what to do with it... and what exactly it is, anyway. It'll provide me with endless hours of amusement and frustration. A bargin at any price.

suntreader

I don't know much about French bikes... but I DO know that ramen noodles is good noodles. I'd rather eat ramen noodles and ride a decent bike, than eat steak and ride a clunker.

Good luck with the project. I have a good feeling about this one.