1961 Frejus
12-22-13, 08:15 AM
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Fat Guy on a Little Bike
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1961 Frejus
Well, I did a partial cleaning (still lots left to do). Here she is...as near as I can tell it's a super Corsa in the team paint scheme. Most parts replaced...interesting campy triple. Lots of patina, but not bad for over 50!
27.0 tubing - what I'm reading indicates these were Reynolds.
27.0 tubing - what I'm reading indicates these were Reynolds.
12-22-13, 08:19 AM
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She's seen a few years; sweet bike. That is a very cool bike.
12-22-13, 08:47 AM
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That's one of my grail bikes. Yes, Frejus use Reynolds tubing a lot. What size is it?
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12-22-13, 08:54 AM
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That is a gem. Triple front and Rally out back? Awesome. I hope you maintain all that lived in patina (or should I call it "beausage?"), that's a great bike.
12-22-13, 08:54 AM
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Very cool! Old Freji (i just made that up) are as coo as they come....
12-22-13, 08:59 AM
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BTW, be sure to blue locktite these on after you overhaul the fenders. They're a real b**ch to find, and not easy to make! :>
12-22-13, 09:07 AM
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Measures about 56 ctc...I don't see any other markings.
I won't be changing or restoring the patina.
I won't be changing or restoring the patina.
12-22-13, 09:09 AM
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12-22-13, 09:13 AM
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My fenders are damaged 
The rear has a tear near the stay...though they seem to be solidly stable.
The rear has a tear near the stay...though they seem to be solidly stable.
12-22-13, 09:27 AM
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I like this bike very much. I am trying to place the style / design differences of 3ttt stems... The bars stamped like this continued till 1972 for sure but the stem here is earlier... anyone know what years this design included?
12-22-13, 09:43 AM
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Far out Campy close range triple. Dig it.
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12-22-13, 09:48 AM
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Funky threading too. 3.5 mm as I remember, and probably cit on the stays with one of those little hand threading adjustable die thingies. They were undersize.
12-22-13, 09:53 AM
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Heh, yeah. FWIW, from the Classiclightweights.uk website:
"The frame numbers are stamped at right angles at the top of the seat tube on the left hand side – usually a six figure number starting with 01, 02 and 03 on early models. The model type could be identified with the frame size which was stamped under the bottom bracket; i.e. MC 56, MS 60, TDF58 etc. "
https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/frejus.html
It's hard to find the original specs on these bikes. I obtained an early Ambrosio bar and chromed stem for mine, from Aixaix.
"The frame numbers are stamped at right angles at the top of the seat tube on the left hand side – usually a six figure number starting with 01, 02 and 03 on early models. The model type could be identified with the frame size which was stamped under the bottom bracket; i.e. MC 56, MS 60, TDF58 etc. "
https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/frejus.html
It's hard to find the original specs on these bikes. I obtained an early Ambrosio bar and chromed stem for mine, from Aixaix.
12-22-13, 09:55 AM
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Another great score by the SnakeMan! Cool bike, Aaron. FWIW, my fenders had some ripples too. No tears, thankfully. I used auto body dollies and a soft-faced hammer to tap them out, but I didn't quite have the correct radius dolly.
12-22-13, 12:44 PM
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Oh yeah, that's a beauty, for sure. Congrats! 
I'm not real sure which model yours is, but it's definitely set up nicely, for touring-type riding. My '71 Professional is double butted Reynolds 531, so it's hard to say what yours is, exactly. Probably a similar high-end frame, but I have no idea if the db part applied, 10 years earlier. I don't have any of those grease nipples, but that seat tube cluster cut-out is unmistakable, our bikes are true brothers. 
I often wish I had a decent paint job, like yours, but I'll just have to rough it, with the full naked chrome look. 
BTW, that stem is awesome. I have a very similar early 3TTT seatpost, in 27.2, that works great, & it's far lighter & easier to adjust than Nuovo Record. But I use SunTour derailleurs & a mix of parts, so mine's not exactly "traditional", overall.
I'm not real sure which model yours is, but it's definitely set up nicely, for touring-type riding. My '71 Professional is double butted Reynolds 531, so it's hard to say what yours is, exactly. Probably a similar high-end frame, but I have no idea if the db part applied, 10 years earlier. I don't have any of those grease nipples, but that seat tube cluster cut-out is unmistakable, our bikes are true brothers. I often wish I had a decent paint job, like yours, but I'll just have to rough it, with the full naked chrome look. BTW, that stem is awesome. I have a very similar early 3TTT seatpost, in 27.2, that works great, & it's far lighter & easier to adjust than Nuovo Record. But I use SunTour derailleurs & a mix of parts, so mine's not exactly "traditional", overall.
12-22-13, 12:49 PM
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Fat Guy on a Little Bike
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With 27.0 tubing I think it has to be double butted. Show yours man...maybe we need a Frejus thread?
12-22-13, 01:03 PM
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The Seahawks play in a couple hours, & I can't allow myself to get distracted. If I go down to the basement for 5 minutes, it often turns into an hour or more, cause I start fidgeting with things that don't even need fidgeted over.
12-22-13, 01:13 PM
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Very nice bike!
Do you suppose the dimples where the chain stays insert into the bottom bracket shell were an alternative to pinning to hold the stays in place while brazing?
Brent
Do you suppose the dimples where the chain stays insert into the bottom bracket shell were an alternative to pinning to hold the stays in place while brazing?
Brent
12-22-13, 01:22 PM
#22
incazzare.
That is a really cool bike. Congrats on adding it to the collection. I dig it.
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12-22-13, 01:40 PM
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I wasn't sure for mine as it had a stove pipe in it. Got a 27.2 and it fit. My 531 decal says 3 main tubes, FWIW.
Are those Balilla brakes? Interesting. Mine came with Uni 61's
Is the triple crank 144 BCD? 151? Did they have triple record cranks back then?
I dig the 3TTT bar and stem. Could be original, as I think Avenia and others built these up from frames.
What kind of rims? No Record hubs?
Oil nipple on the BB as well?
And, lastly, surprised the owner got what looks like a Campy seat post binder bolt to hold on that QR brake bracket.
Super cool bike. I like the colors.
12-22-13, 02:19 PM
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Nice! Dig those fenders.
12-22-13, 02:23 PM
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Many Q's Aaron. Campy seat post? stamped 27? yes and yes
I wasn't sure for mine as it had a stove pipe in it. Got a 27.2 and it fit. My 531 decal says 3 main tubes, FWIWI don't see a tubing sticker
Are those Balilla brakes? Interesting. Mine came with Uni 61's yes - believe original
Is the triple crank 144 BCD? 151? Did they have triple record cranks back then? 151! Probably not original...these are the real triples, not the tripleized double
I dig the 3TTT bar and stem. Could be original, as I think Avenia and others built these up from frames. This did come through Avenia
What kind of rims? No Record hubs? Fiamme red/no record high flange
Oil nipple on the BB as well? yes
And, lastly, surprised the owner got what looks like a Campy seat post binder bolt to hold on that QR brake bracket. sugino
Super cool bike. I like the colors.
Thanks!!
I wasn't sure for mine as it had a stove pipe in it. Got a 27.2 and it fit. My 531 decal says 3 main tubes, FWIWI don't see a tubing sticker
Are those Balilla brakes? Interesting. Mine came with Uni 61's yes - believe original
Is the triple crank 144 BCD? 151? Did they have triple record cranks back then? 151! Probably not original...these are the real triples, not the tripleized double
I dig the 3TTT bar and stem. Could be original, as I think Avenia and others built these up from frames. This did come through Avenia
What kind of rims? No Record hubs? Fiamme red/no record high flange
Oil nipple on the BB as well? yes
And, lastly, surprised the owner got what looks like a Campy seat post binder bolt to hold on that QR brake bracket. sugino
Super cool bike. I like the colors.
Thanks!!
Last edited by KonAaron Snake; 12-22-13 at 02:30 PM.