LazyLegs

Arrived today, looks like it's been in a barn for a few years - Haven't found a serial number yet but haven't cleaned or stripped down yet. Mix of Campag Valentino Extra, Ofmega and universal, late 60s?. Mid range but decals are not bad and should look nice once cleaned up. Classic Rendezvous has a lot of example but all seem to be higher quality.

David Newton

It may be a lower-tier Frejus Lazy Legs, but what great shape it is in!
It will make a great riding bike. Be sure to add to this thread once you get it all fixed up.

cb400bill

Your's looks very similar to forum member bigchainring's Frejus.




photo courtesy of forum member iab

LazyLegs

bigchainring's looks like a similar paint scheme but with chromed stays and fork ends.

It should keep me occupied for a while and quite fortuitously there was a forum post on dealing with stubborn Cotter Pins, earlier today. Everything else seems to be in ok shape apart from the usual rust and grime on a bike this age. Haven't looked much at the wheels but at least one bent spoke caught my eye and the usual hub disassembly will be required. One thing I didn't count on was tubulars, started using them racing this year but cheated and used tape instead of glue and have never used them in circumstances where spare wheels weren't available for punctures. It would be a shame not to stick with the original wheels, so I guess I better get glue sniffing and learn how to carry a spare.

Will post again with some progress pics.

3alarmer 

...thanks for this thread and the photos. I just bought a bike almost identical in frame, paint, and decals, but with none of the original components.
It is always of great interest to see the more original componentry, which I have the sense maybe yours has.

Mine has pretty good paint, too, but needed some frame straightening, which resulted in some flaking.

I, too was wondering about the approximate age, apparently impossible to determine precisely.

3alarmer 

...
...on the cotter thing, often it turns out that if they stick badly, it is on only one side. If that is the case, see if you can get the remaining crank parts off by pulling the cup on that side (italian cups so both RH). This makes it so much easier to work on, especially if you have to drill it out.

I've had some luck with Freeze Off, but read here recently that a mix of acetone and ATF has better penetration. Also, of course, the torch business, if you are so inclined, seems to work.

LazyLegs

@3alarmer It was advertised as 60's and the parts seems to suggest it was late 60's alright, although it could be a later model built up from the parts bin but I would say 68/69 is a pretty good guess.

Thanks for the tips on the Cotter Pin, yes just the one side stuck. Will try a combination of penetrating fluid and the vice method and see if that will shift it. Won't have time to do that for a while tho, so will concentrate on cleaning the other parts.

rootboy 

No serial number stamped near the seat cluster, eh? I guess they disn't put one on every frame. Did you also check the Frejus serial number data base on Classic Rendezvous Frejus site to compare models and components. Limited usefulness probably.
I do have a copy of an early 60s Frejus catalog but unfortunately it's a bit too early and doesn't show a model similarly equipped as yours.

LazyLegs

On Classic Rendezvous, some of the example bikes in the pictures mention that they have no serial number, so it's not too uncommon. I wonder why this is tho, were they workers hobby bikes that they were allowed to build up with parts not suitable for production bikes, was someone bringing bits home 'One Piece at a Time' to cobble together their own bike or to make a few knock offs. Must be some reason why some bikes didn't get numbered.

3alarmer 

...I'm pretty sure after looking at yours that none of the components on mine were original, and mine had a bent frame and fork, so I think this is as far as I'll go.

juvela

afaik those dropouts are proprietary. have never seen them employed on non-bozzi bici. have this same frame in bare metal except that mine may have a malaguti seat lug. haven't pulled it out of its spot in quite a spell.

you mentioned ofmega. what fitting(s) comes from this manufacturer? does the stamping on the crank arm read frejus? what make are the hubs? appears pedals are on the window sill, sheffield by the look of them. brake levers are balilla; are calipers this make as well? do they have pins to act as stops for the spring or do they show a wraparoung spring?

think dating estimate spot on. doubt that economy allen key stem could have launched much before '68. thanks for sharing your find.

RiseAlways

Oh that's nice!

LazyLegs

Haven't really got around to moving this along much, working on a few things at same time so this has slipped down the pecking order. Still have a stuck crank cotter pin to remove and haven't got the required tools yet - So apart from stripping everything else from the frame, I've more or less parked it until I get the crank off.

To answer a few of the questions.
Calipers are Universal.
Headset is Ofmega.
Wheel Hubs are stamped Legano.
No Frejus marking on the Crank.
No Brand Marking on Pedals.

Few more pics below - Brake pads are interesting, don't look like they would be very effective at stopping in a hurry. They look homemade.
@3alarmer Nice bike, Frame and Chrome seems to be in a lot better shape on yours. Lots of rust spots on mine, especially underneath and the chrome on the fork crown is badly flaked.