Italuminium

Nice ride don, I don't see any reason not to go Oh and BTW, is will you riding the Retroronde van Vlaanderen? Or anyone else of the yurpeans?

Zieleman

I still want to go, but my so called mates have all cancelled (lack of balls for cobblestones, or vice versa)! So it'd be cool to team up for ths one and make it a BF-trip.

paulkal

I would like to come, but that weekend I already have a 600 planned.

non-fixie 

Thanks for reminding me. I'm still not sure I'll be available on 6/16, but I'd like to be there. Officially I'm vacationing with my better half that week, so I'll need to get permission for this one.

BTW, you kept that Gazelle outfit for yourself, did you?

pullup

I'll join the Haarlem ride and maybe try out my latest find.

This mini Rih Bustraan, almost as found. (Changed the tape and straps and cleaned a little bit)

Just have to make sure how this little sized bike agrees with me. Probably will be allright

Some nice details like the gold lug lining and brazed on bottle cage



Serial number 8919 for the non-fixie Rih database so it is an early 70,s example

Italuminium

Nice find! Tiny though. I'm looking forward to the meetup in june.

Woutervanwijk

Hi guys, wil most likely ride both events. And steffen got another Beautiful RIH in his stable! I will show Up with my own RIH.

Elev12k

Dito for me. I will be attending both events. Yesterday I trained 140km for Belgium.

Steffen, your RIH is a very nice bike. I find the cage kind of odd. It will be lighter.

pullup

Strange isn't it, a one piece steel cage wich seems too have been brazed on the frame and then the bottom part got painted as well. I,ve never seen a mount like this and would't have ordered the build like it is as it looks pretty irreplaceable in case of accidents.

non-fixie 

Can't make Vlaanderen. There'll be a horse trailer on the tow bar instead of my bike rack next weekend. Negotiations regarding Haarlem are still ongoing.

non-fixie 

Thanks for the heads-up. I've added it to the list. '75 or '76, would be my guess. Nice bike, BTW.

verktyg 

I have 2 NOS Gazelle frames that I got from a seller in NL.

The first is a 1973 A Champion Mondial frame:





The second is a 1994 AB Champion Mondial with a pro team number tag. The color is day-glo chartreuse (neon):




The frame is made with Reynolds 531 Competition tubing.

I've had these for 4-5 years and have all the components to build them up but haven't gotten around to them yet. The 73 is going to be built with mostly French components while the 94 will have all black Shimano parts.

verktyg

pullup

Beautiful frames both of them but especially that 73 red CM which looks NOS

verktyg 

Yep, NOS...

Thanks

I'm planing on using an NOS Stronglight crankset, NOS MAFAC brakes Campy NR derailleurs, plus Campy hubs.

verktyg

paulkal

The red Gazelle looks very nice. Can wait to see pictures of it build up.

non-fixie 

I really don't need more bikes, so I decided to stop buying, but when I saw this I had a relapse and made an offer. Picked it up tonight and made some pictures in the last remnants of daylight.

It's branded "Rob van Oel". Nothing on the internet about it, other than the confirmation that at least in 1972 and in 1986 there existed a bike shop in Gouda by that name. The first owner had it made to measure and kept it until his death a few years ago. Last week his heirs put it up for sale.

It looks to be a well-made bike from the nicest materials (butted 531, Campagnolo dropouts, first generation Shimano 600 derailleurs and brakes , SR cranks, stems and bar) that was taken care of during its operational life (even the Bluemels Club Specials are still in one piece).

Anyone want to venture a guess as to who made this frame? The serial number seems to be 13578.

paulkal

That is a nice looking bike, never heard of Rob van Oel. I will ask my LBS, maybe they know something more about Rob van Oel.

Zieleman

Nice score Maarten! I saw it as well, and thought the decals said Rob van Del... Really nice one, even more so now I see it 'up close'. Is that a Campy headset? On the BB under the brazed on cableguide there is a small kind of logo sticking out maybe? I'm no connaisseur, but it kinda reminds me of the early, high end, Belgium made Jan Janssen. But only because of the lugwork and seatcluster, so no real lead there I think.

Zieleman

first time i've seen one like my red '78!

just dank

restoration put to a halt on this beaut. Gazelle Champion Mondial AB

non-fixie 

Thanks! That would be cool. I've sent an e-mail to another LBS in the region, who seems to have been an apprentice at Rob van Oel's shop in the eighties. I'll report back.

non-fixie 

Glad it's not your size then, or we might have ended up killing each other in a bidding war. It is nice indeed, and now I've cleaned it up a bit, it looks even nicer! Headset is a Tange Levin. There is indeed a stamp in the BB shell. I've seen it before. I can't remember where, or what it said, but I seem to remember it was the logo of the BB shell manufacturer.

You're wrong about there being no real lead in the Jan Janssen-like details. Good eye! I just heard back from a man who worked at Rob van Oel's in the eighties and he wrote that the frames were bought in Belgium, probably from a Luc Desmet. So I'll be taking this to the Belgian Bikes thread, and see if our friends there might be able to shed a little more light on the background of this bike.

Apparently it was fairly common practice in those days for Dutch bike sellers to buy frames from Belgian builders to cater to customers who wanted a nice bike, but couldn't or wouldn't shell out for a handmade Dutch frame.

Here it is after some cleaning and adjusting (and holy blessing ):

Italuminium

Sweet, sweet bike. With those fenders, it'd be a great bike for Brevets. Just add a big seat bag!

hhliao

Here is my humble contribution.
Recently put together this mid-70s Gazelle Champion Mondial A-frame with a mishmash of parts. It is my current commuter. The ride is incredible! It seems to be stiffer and more responsive than my mid-80s EM Corsa Extra!

non-fixie 

Mishmash or not, it looks well-balanced. Nice! Thanks for posting.