The 1957 Express Werke Modell 65 L is Back on the Road!
03-28-23, 02:03 PM
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The 1957 Express Werke Modell 65 L is Back on the Road!
Howdy folks!
Since introducing this Express Werke AG Modell 65 L road bicycle last year after purchasing it from its second owner, an elderly German man named Jurgen who had it from the original owner just a year after it was built in September 1957, I've finally completed the restoration. Besides the internal chain and spring on the rear derailleur and the guts of the freewheel, everything was completely disassembled, cleaned and re-lubricated, and the frame was touched up with automotive paint, making it one of my most thorough restorations yet involving so many original components. The first thread I made documenting some of the details, research and restoration can be viewed here:
A Mid-1950s Express Werke AG (Bavarian) Road Bicycle - Bike Forums
Only the consumables, the chain and the neat adjustable stainless toe clips are new to the bike. Oh, and the SKS frame pump which happens to have been made in West Germany. There are a couple of little kinks to work out, including tightening one of the cheap cotter pins I bought (that are also too short) - if anyone has any hardened, longish 9mm pins I'm interested! The bicycle rides very comfortably on the Pasela 38mm tires, but I can't imagine the hassle I'll have getting them out through the practically non-adjustable Weinmann 730 calipers. Will have to be almost no air in them to make that work! The price we pay for luxury. Cheers!
-Gregory
Build sheet:
- Brooks B17 Champion Standard saddle
- Unmarked steel seat post
- Phillipe stem (~95mm)
- Scheeren steel handlebars
- Huret lever-actuated front derailleur
- Huret Tour de France rear derailleur
- Huret down tube shifter
- Unmarked forged 3-arm crankset (I suspect a German-made copy of a French model)
- Durex (German manufactured) Simplex 51/49 chainrings.
- Lyotard Marcel Berthet pedals
- Regina Gran Sport 4-speed freewheel
- Weinmann Type 730 brake calipers
- Weinmann AG brake levers
- Maillard Normandy high-flange hubs
- Rigida Chrolux steel 700c rims
- Aiglor front wingnuts
- F&S rear wingnuts
(EDIT: Please excuse the uncut and capped cables. Have to be ready for the possibility of early adjustment and I just couldn't wait to photograph it.)
Since introducing this Express Werke AG Modell 65 L road bicycle last year after purchasing it from its second owner, an elderly German man named Jurgen who had it from the original owner just a year after it was built in September 1957, I've finally completed the restoration. Besides the internal chain and spring on the rear derailleur and the guts of the freewheel, everything was completely disassembled, cleaned and re-lubricated, and the frame was touched up with automotive paint, making it one of my most thorough restorations yet involving so many original components. The first thread I made documenting some of the details, research and restoration can be viewed here:
A Mid-1950s Express Werke AG (Bavarian) Road Bicycle - Bike Forums
Only the consumables, the chain and the neat adjustable stainless toe clips are new to the bike. Oh, and the SKS frame pump which happens to have been made in West Germany. There are a couple of little kinks to work out, including tightening one of the cheap cotter pins I bought (that are also too short) - if anyone has any hardened, longish 9mm pins I'm interested! The bicycle rides very comfortably on the Pasela 38mm tires, but I can't imagine the hassle I'll have getting them out through the practically non-adjustable Weinmann 730 calipers. Will have to be almost no air in them to make that work! The price we pay for luxury. Cheers!
-Gregory
Build sheet:
- Brooks B17 Champion Standard saddle
- Unmarked steel seat post
- Phillipe stem (~95mm)
- Scheeren steel handlebars
- Huret lever-actuated front derailleur
- Huret Tour de France rear derailleur
- Huret down tube shifter
- Unmarked forged 3-arm crankset (I suspect a German-made copy of a French model)
- Durex (German manufactured) Simplex 51/49 chainrings.
- Lyotard Marcel Berthet pedals
- Regina Gran Sport 4-speed freewheel
- Weinmann Type 730 brake calipers
- Weinmann AG brake levers
- Maillard Normandy high-flange hubs
- Rigida Chrolux steel 700c rims
- Aiglor front wingnuts
- F&S rear wingnuts
(EDIT: Please excuse the uncut and capped cables. Have to be ready for the possibility of early adjustment and I just couldn't wait to photograph it.)
Last edited by Kilroy1988; 03-28-23 at 04:37 PM.
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03-28-23, 05:19 PM
#2
Disraeli Gears
Beautiful job! I think those Weinmann brake levers have an extra helping of reverse curve on the tips, which is very stylish -- wish they were all like that. And the red cable housings, bar wrap and toe clips are a great accent color for that bike. Enjoy it!
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03-28-23, 05:29 PM
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Fabulous, what a gem, great work. 
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03-28-23, 08:26 PM
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Thanks! By the way, it's a 61x57cm frame (center-to-center) with lots of steel parts.. Looks pretty lithe, but it weighs 29.8 lbs as it sits according to my scale!
-Gregory
-Gregory
03-28-23, 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Kilroy1988
Thanks! By the way, it's a 61x57cm frame (center-to-center) with lots of steel parts.. Looks pretty lithe, but it weighs 29.8 lbs as it sits according to my scale!
-Gregory
-Gregory
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03-29-23, 08:55 AM
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Outstanding!!!
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03-29-23, 09:27 AM
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I emailed Petra (Jurgen's daughter) with the photos and got a response, which is certainly the most satisfying part of this entire endeavor:
"Hi Gregory,
Thank you so much for getting in touch! The bicycle looks fabulous. You did such an amazing job and my dad is so happy to see that his bicycle gets to have this second life. He is so happy that you enjoy and appreciate his old treasure.
Thanks again for the message and the photos. I hope its rides as well as it looks!
Best, Petra and Juergen"
"Hi Gregory,
Thank you so much for getting in touch! The bicycle looks fabulous. You did such an amazing job and my dad is so happy to see that his bicycle gets to have this second life. He is so happy that you enjoy and appreciate his old treasure.
Thanks again for the message and the photos. I hope its rides as well as it looks!
Best, Petra and Juergen"
03-29-23, 10:55 AM
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Originally Posted by merziac
Maybe so but cool factor outweighs that by a mile.
I, too, am a rabid fan of Weinmann brake levers, because they fit my hands properly from either position (hoods or drops), unlike most of the Mafacs, Modolos, Campagnolos, et al., with their longer fingertip reach requirements.
I have also thought that Huret front derailleur was a huge improvement over the more common Simplex Competition (or the fairly rare Capo Exakt) of the early 1950s.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
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03-29-23, 11:26 AM
#11
Pedal to the medal
Thanks for the update. I remember your first post about this bike. You did an excellent and tasteful job rehabbing it and the previous owner's response ties it all together.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
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03-31-23, 03:26 PM
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Howdy folks,
After some tweaking and a couple of additional quick neighborhood jaunts to get things dialed in, I took the Express out for an 18-mile ride into the countryside during my lunch break today, as the persistent clouds have finally dispersed, and it was gorgeous outside! I have not been riding much yet this season due to grad school on top of work, but I pushed it a little bit after finding everything to be tight and got up to nearly 28mph. The rolling resistance from the 38mm tires was easy to feel at that speed but it was comfortable and responsive overall. I think the closest bicycle I've owned in ride quality was a 1972 Raleigh Super Course made with straight gauge 531 tubing on which I fitted 27x1 1/2" tires. Cheers!
-Gregory
After some tweaking and a couple of additional quick neighborhood jaunts to get things dialed in, I took the Express out for an 18-mile ride into the countryside during my lunch break today, as the persistent clouds have finally dispersed, and it was gorgeous outside! I have not been riding much yet this season due to grad school on top of work, but I pushed it a little bit after finding everything to be tight and got up to nearly 28mph. The rolling resistance from the 38mm tires was easy to feel at that speed but it was comfortable and responsive overall. I think the closest bicycle I've owned in ride quality was a 1972 Raleigh Super Course made with straight gauge 531 tubing on which I fitted 27x1 1/2" tires. Cheers!
-Gregory
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