Hi Everyone

First off, I'm new to this forum so a big hello to all the members!

I have picked up a old Andre Bertin Road Frame &Forks and am trying to identify the model.


pics here https://www.flickr.com/photos/92035759@N02/sets/



From what i can find on the web I think its an 80's model judging by the decal and fork crown shape. (Ive had a search at https://bertinclassiccycles.wordpress.com/ and the examples seem to confirm this)

There is no identifying number on the frame apart from RGF on the BB shell. The only other indications I have are :

Milremo rear dropouts
Supervitus fork dropouts
A Reynolds sticker on the fork (im sure its says 531)
A Bocama sticker on the downtube, I assume jsut applies to the spearpoint lugs.

Any idea what the main tubing might be ? Vitus, /Durifort? ..or Reynolds to match the fork?

The frame has no dents but the paint work is fairly bad and is very faded, as you can see a deeper colour where the components used to be. Im torn between keeping it as a beater or, getting it resprayed and sourcing some replacement decals , its my size and might make a good upgrade from my current Gitane Interclub frame which has stamped dropouts

Does anyone have any idea what model it may be?


Thanks!

Peter

I'd guess early 1970s given the lack of water bottle mounts and downtube shifter mounts. I have an 80s Bertin, which has both. Also, looks like yours has a replacement fork given the eyelets on the rear dropouts but none on the fork.

I would also say early 70's based on the lack of brazeons and the metalic lime green paint color. As siad the fork looks like nicer replacement fork and not original the few 70's Betins I have seen had fork crowns similar to the frame matching paint and chrome socks.

Hi, zootsuit81-
Your bike may be a late 70s or early 80s C 70 with an aftermarket fork or a C 37 missing its 531sticker on the frame. I have a 79-80 Bertin catalogue showing a C 70 with exactly your decal scheme. If the bike is a C 70, it was probably built with hi-tensile tubing. If you look in the chainstays with a flashlight you should be able to actually see and feel the seam from the tubing’s longitudinal weld. It may also be visible in the head and seat tubes. Be aware that many Bertins likethe C 34 had seamed alloy steel Durifort tubing. If the frame is a stickerlessC 37, you should find 531 pressed into the steel of one or more frame tubes and possibly the steerer or fork blades as well. Given the eyelet-less chromed fork, that is probably an aftermarket addition to the bike.
The lettering on the bottom bracket shell identifies the casting manufacturer. The lack of a serial number is not uncommon with Bertins. Some frames have a size identifier like 56 stamped on a dropout, some have a multi-digit serial number, some have both with one of each on opposite dropouts and a rare few have no numbers at all.
Your Gitane is a nice bike but you may want to just do a quick and dirty build up of the Bertin so you can compare them. Typically, Bertins were a little nicer in specification and workmanship compared to thebig players and it is the right size which is very important. I hope you havefun with it.

I think late 70's to very early 80's.
The handling of the dropout/stay intersection is not typical for earlier.
I am not sure about a C37. But I do think above a C70.
Keep in mind that with a fairly small order of "like" bikes, an importer or even a shop could spec a unique bike.

Way back in the mid 70's the shop for which I worked did just that often had custom models created including a run of 25 C37 "Artisan" frames, special color, 5/10 tubing, selected lugs, shell and crown.
These were to compete against the Italian big name bikes, they lacked the high quality graphics the Italians had at the time and a few other details such as many braze ons.
Bertin was not ready to add much to the lighter gauge tubes at the time.
Pretty rare frames, I have never seen one show up on ebay yet.

+1

I was going to reply to this thread, but Jim beat me to it. No one knows more about Bertins than he does, and I would agree with everything he said. Early 80's - replacement fork, etc.


If you're thinking respray, I can particularly recommend the Bertin decals offered by JR at VeloCals. https://www.velocals.com/servlet/the-BERTIN/Categories

That's interesting. So when did Bertin start putting on water bottle and shift mounts? Here's a link to mine:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1030950...eat=directlink

First: I wouldn't call it a beater or use it as such. I have one and they are very nice riding bikes. Secondly: I wouldn't repaint it. Just clean it up nicely and ride it. As they say, it's only an original once. I had mine resprayed and although it looks very nice, I later regretted it.

That' s very cool - what shop did you work at? I'm curious about the special C37s. What color, what lugset, etc.?

superLJ-

Bertin, being a smaller manufacturer, could be quite flexible in their production specifications. They even added special decals for some shops (usually on the downtube) to differentiate the special model. The Bertin/Gauthier C 56 here is a good example.

Thanks Jim!

Did the tires I sent ever get there?

Cool color.

any one got any photos of there bertins serial number? i think ive got one as well but theres no decals or nothing

In the 70's in the decent bikes with forged ends, they stamped the serial number on the LH (off drive side) dropout face, lower region, with the frame size on the upper part of the clamping face, completely visible when the axle was all the way forward in the dropout. Numerals had a bit of a serif, pretty nice for stamping dies.

Wow thanks for all the responses, never fails to amaze me how much knowledge is out there!

Bertinjim: I can't see / feel any seams though didn't have a flashlight handy so will try again tonight. Feels pretty smooth though

Repechage: can't see any such markings on the dropouts , though the inner surfaces are a bit worn. Could only find a 'o' on the bb shell , though all the lugs have a number on so it may refer to the bb shell?

I did find s.v 980 on the fork steerer, I'm guessing this means super vitus 980? If so I wonder why the Reynolds sticker, is it likely to have a different material for the steerer?

I think my next free weekend ill swap out my gitane frame and see how this one feels....anyone in the uk got a spare french headset ?!!

Thanks again!