I'd guess 5 years or less... I bet frames almost identical, except the seatpost clamping band. The champagne and red is the classic Frejus paint job.

I'm thinking mid to late '60s for the blue one, and 50s for the OP's bike. Largely my estimate is based on assuming it's a high-end frame with contemporary racing-grade cottered crank, mostly products of the '50s? Plus the blue one has the name framed on the downtube, where the OP's bike does not.

Plus the TdF sticker on the OP's bike is 1950. Was that Frejus last participation in TdF?

I have a frame with a headbadge that reads 1930-32,48,51,53,54,55. The ebay frame has 1930-32,48,51,53,54 (no 55), which may imply that it's a 1955-56 frame (just my theory).

The OPs bike is obviously older, but not the same headbadge style. For the mid-late 60's bikes that I have, the headbadge is frejus torino with the rainbow design.

Yeah, 60s for mine, later 50s for the OP with the Record hubs, unless wheels were changed. Recent ebay bike had the 3-piece Gran Sport hubs, which to me places it earlier.

http://s635.photobucket.com/albums/uu78/malcolmsfrejus/
Here's a link to pic's of mine - I had it repainted/decaled and the fork repaired, that's why it looks new.
The frame details are identical to the OP's bike down to the seat cluster with collar but no "window". There's one on CR that doesn't have the window also but the cluster is chromed. Mine is, as best I can guess, early to mid 60's, based on the CR Serial # list and the fact that the receipt is dated 1966.
Tha main difference is the components, mainly stem and brake calipers - mine had Balilla center pulls.
My decal scheme was also slightly different - DT panel and had/has more bands on seat tube.
The original "Mod. Tour De France" sticker on the down tube had no date, the replacement has 1950.
Also the headbadge is the same.
I had Jack at Franklin Frames do the work and he said that it will be a great riding bike but it's nothing really valuable except to you. TDF's were always at least their second tier bike behind the Super Course or maybe it's Professional and at some point later in their history started coming with Huret der's and Nervar cranks.

It's just a crap shoot, there's no way we'll know if it had the 3-piece hubs or these Records.

I like crap...

HAHA, my cutoff was 250 as well. guess it would've been a serious fight between the two of us.

Nah, I couldn't even really afford that, and I already have a Frejus. But somebody or two really wanted it...

120, you struck gold.

My eye doctor says her husband has an old Frejus he will probably be willing to give me. She keeps nudging him, so it may happen one day. I can't wait to see it. Frejus was most definitely among the world's top bikes in its day.

Absolutely fantastic bike, great find. That is the genuine McCoy and well worth keeping and spending time on. To put that more clearly, you have a very collectable bike. If you aren't going the "full restoration" route (not my choice, but it's a defendable optionà, I definitely don't reccomend acid of any sort. Either you wan't it brand spanking new looking and have a stash to spend on it, or you "stabilize it" whilst immproving appearance a bit, and giving it some "patina" compatible with a very collectable vintage machine. The chrome, not a lot to do except rub with 000 wire wool (lightly) and chrome polish. Then rub in loads of oil and run and rub and rub. The painted stuff, you can scrape away the worst rust with a scalpel, and again rub in a real load of oil (coton rag). Hand polish any aluminium. Just my opinion, take other better qualified people's advice before mine :)

No doubt this bike is just the kind we all like!

That Frejus needs to be CONSERVED*.

* refer to older thread for definition. :)

Here is the 1962 version (I found this while searching newspapers for something else).

The advertisement is from November 8, 1962:

http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/a...stalpinaad.jpg

Hey Tom, I need to see an eye doctor, would you recommend yours? Sounds like someone I'd like to meet....

:roflmao2:

Funny how we got onto that topic, but she's an amazing mensch, and we end up talking about anything and everything. I really love her, and so do all of her patients.

driftwoodtx, what business printed that ad?

The ad posted earlier was in the Los Angeles Times. It was placed by ToyTown in Rosemead, CA.
I looked up the address (8914 Valley Blvd) on google -- it is now a RiteAid.

I searched more ads for Frejus. ToyTown appears to have had the lock on imports since they were the only ones advertising it between 1961 and 1967. The San Gabriel Bicycle Store advertised it from 1959 to Jan 1961, then disappeared from the map. ToyTown stopped advertising it in 1967 and I can't find any mention of Frejus thereafter in the LA Times (either ads or news)..

I posted a bunch more ads at Photobucket that might give a better idea of components and relative pricing. The dates of the ads and who placed them are included in the description.
http://s888.photobucket.com/albums/a...odtxyz/Frejus/

Dang, here's another on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-1962-FRE...d=p3286.c0.m14

and other:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-FREJUS-B...#ht_2347wt_909

That first one nearly gave me an orgasm. It's my size, too.

Maybe one day I will succumb. I'll be strong today.

Your size? That's my size. Anyone want to contribute to my "get the last bike on my list fund"? :p

Actually, both are my size, but the first one is far more appealing, since it's not a repaint (at least not an obvious one), and seems to have reasonably correct equipment (wrong stem on the 2nd one). Besides - this is C&V and I'm "thrifty" :D

You guys saved me some searching. Thanks for the great info. Recent "gift"
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...r/DSC00549.jpg

what beauties in this thread!

Wow, thanks for all the nice comments and info! Sorry I haven't visited the post to see them all sooner! Anyway, the advertisement is interesting to me because this bike came from San Gabriel. The SN is 74054. In regard to the wheels (rims) they had cheap clinchers on them but it seems like I remember my wife's Grandpa (the bike's donor) saying something about having "those glued tires taken off".

Here's a few more pics and some work. I hope I'm doing this right but I started on it before I started this post. There is no chrome left due to the rust on the lugs etc so I sort of had to fake it:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/DSCI7863.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/IMG_1463.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/IMG_1460.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/IMG_1461.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/DSCI7856.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/DSCI7858.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/DSCI7859.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/DSCI7861.jpg

120, that's a lovely bike. The hubs are fantastic hubs and worth keeping. The rims and tires are awful. I recommend rebuilding the wheels with better rims. I'm not a period-correct type of snob, so if it were my bike, I would put modern rims and tires on it. Replace the bad; keep the good.

As far as the response goes - yes, you have quite the bike. I mentioned earlier saving the wheels to the side. It's mainly just a shortcut since the amount of effort needed to clean-up the frame and components will take some time. Wheels can be done last - it's all preference -> how much you want to spend/amount of time.

Your bike should clean-up very nicely. You are fortunate in that your bike has period components. My frame (below) is used as a sunny day commuter and I have more modern components (suntour superbe, ideale seat, and new 27" wheels). Enjoy your bike...




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