French Campeur bike
 

Here is a bike i have just got and i think it's dated from the late 40s into the 50s.
At some point it has been updated with CYCLO derailleurs.
It has the early M.A.F.A.C cantilever brakes and levers and MAVIC fenders.
It is missing it's JOS lights front and back but still has the dynamo.
The frame looks nicely made and the big rear rack is brazed onto the frame.
The front rack has had the rear part removed or snapped off.
The TA chainrings appear to of been added later as well.

This is how i received the bike and as you can see it needs some work!

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3796/1...9d6584c6_b.jpg

Some more photos

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2892/1...6ce4ce1b_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3779/1...28f694fd_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3673/1...a683a99e_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3734/1...1416a470_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3716/1...bdf28f5b_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3814/1...4d2a3a8d_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/1...a5ae3cd8_b.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2737/1...658ae252_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3702/1...e1fcabaf_b.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3693/1...5fa60ae7_b.jpg

I've already started working on the bike and here is the result so far.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7360/1...f2fb1399_b.jpg

Wow, that is quite a turn around!

Nice start and as always, interesting bikes you find. Shame about the missing headbadge. Any idea of the maker ?

I dig the 4 cog hub but am in love with those MAFAC cantilever brakes. Noticing as well the fancy work on the lugs. Was the shifters originaly on the down tube and the PO moved them to the seat tube or vis-versa ?

More,more

Oh yea, bikes great, new picture wall sucks !

Love those fenders!

I have no idea at the moment of the maker but the headbadge was fixed via three rivets.
So i need to study bikes with the same three rivets and frame details.
So far i have found a number 7 under the bottom bracket.

As can be seen in one of the photos the downtube has a braze on for a lever.
There is nothing on the other side. So i suspect it would of had a hand operated front derailleur.
Or perhaps the Cyco front derailleur is original with the lever clamped on the seat tube.

I also got this beautiful Mixte bike this week.
The name F Maillard is hand painted on the down tube and MF painted on the head tube.
I'm fitting a front porteur rack to this one at the moment.
Then i need to get some clamps so i can fit a chain guard.
The original chain guard braze-ons have been broke off.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3670/1...d971521d_b.jpg

So separate control locations ?

I noticed another feature I have seen on 80's MTN and road bikes. On the drive side chainstay is a loop that I suppose was meant to protect a cable or the paint ?

Back to look over the pics again.

It looks like the mixte has the tires that the first campeur had. Much better condition too.

Why would you think the Cyclo gears were added later? Many bikes of the period had them. It even has a braze on for the spring.

The white tyres were originally on the mixte.
But when i found these red ones i replaced them.
They might end up on the campeur yet!

And yes it's quite common to see these chainstay loops on the older bikes.
I think they are to protect the frame from the chain slapping.

If you take another look at the close up of the Cyclo lever you can see an original braze-on for a different lever just beside it.
It wasn't just Cyclo using these springs and the Huret that i have fitted uses the same spring.
Also on the frame and chain stay there are two braze-ons for running a single cable to the rear derailleur.

Great bike, nice find. Can you tell if it's chrome moly or high-ten? I often wonder that about the old French tourers.

Learn something every day...nice bike, thanks.

A french campuer is among my wishes. The stuff of dreams for me. Maybe someday it will be realiized

campeur:

what is your thinking on changing out the rear mech?

arms look like they may be durax.

is bb spindle a verot competition 55? appears it may be hollow.

is the gear bloc a moyne?

hs appears it may be lightrace.

concur with dating.

f. maillard:

is she fitted with beborex roller cam brakes? those beborex guidonnets are a rare item indeed.

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for 3speedslow, here is a picture of the rubber strap which mounts of those chainstay braze-ons to protect the finish from chainslap: http://tinyurl.com/nygpup4

thanks Daveyates for sharing these two fascinating new arrivals. :)

Juvela,

That is my" learn something " item. I think I actually have one of those straps in a box of unidentified parts. Green,Edelweiss name on it. dry rotted though.

Thanks for the enlightenment. Your knowledge of French bike parts on this side of the pond is something, Bravo !

you are most welcome 3speedslow ;)

while most commonly seen in black they are made in something like half a dozen or more current colours to match or contrast with the cycle as the owner desires.

seeing one stretched onto its standards always reminds me of those t-shaped clothesline posts.

am certainly enjoying these two fine finds by Daveyates :thumb:

Let me know your size and i'll keep my eyes open.

Hi,

I explained above that the derailleurs are not original to this frame and so that's why i changed them.

I'm not sure which crankarms they are but i would guess no to Durax.

I have not heard of Verot before but i shall check when cleaning.

The freewheel isn't marked with a maker's name, I haven't checked the back yet though.

I'm not sure but isn't Lightrace more 70s?

The brakes on the Maillard are CLBs and the levers are the nicer ones by LAM.

The braze-on is a singular one and not a double for a rubber strap.

The stem is starting to look nicer.

Before

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3673/1...a683a99e_b.jpg

And after a quick polish using sandpaper and then metal polish with wirewool.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2887/1...9e89418b_b.jpg

Thanks Dave that is very kind of you
60 seat tube 57.5 top tube; saddle height 77