Ok, these Mafacs are cool....
03-07-23, 03:34 PM
#26
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If someone back in the heyday of MAFAC brakes knew about filing the washers to toe them in, they weren't letting on. Most of us just tried to bend them like we did with every other brake and it didn't work very well. My bike with Racers squeals when the rims are wet, but not otherwise.
03-07-23, 09:33 PM
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Mafac Racers everywhere: "Let me proudly sing you the song of my people."
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Richard C. Moeur, PE - Phoenix AZ, USA
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03-07-23, 10:00 PM
#28
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This thread is excellent; I have a made-in-Austria JCPenney "10 Speed Racer" with knock-offs from the brand "Altenburger", not gold though
03-08-23, 10:54 AM
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These are my favorite Mafac's, first quality set of brakes I ever bought and the classiest IMHO. 
https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.a...117&AbsPos=329
https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.a...117&AbsPos=329
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03-08-23, 03:15 PM
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Thanks, good to know!
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
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03-08-23, 04:16 PM
#32
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But the Tiger-length cables appear to be gone, sold thru and not replaced. There just aren't many Tiger brakes out there, so everyone in America who needed a cable probably already bought one from Scott, and now the market is saturated.
You may know Scott from his websites SDBicycleGarage.com (seemingly on hiatus at the moment) and SexyRaceBicycles.blogspot.com His ebay handle used to be joeeramone (for those who remember dealing with him back then) but now it's AllCampagnolo. Which is a terrible name because he sells lots of stuff that's not Campy!
He's very knowledgeable, reliable and honest — buy from him with full confidence.
Mark B
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03-08-23, 05:55 PM
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posted just because I
love the look of these .
love the look of these .
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03-08-23, 06:23 PM
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I thought Scott Davis had those made in the US, but I know he imports/resells GB stuff, so maybe these cable he sells are GB too? Or maybe GB got them from Scott. But I know he also had them made in the longer length for Mafac Tiger, partly at my request I think. I mean, he didn't have them, then I asked for some, then he had them, no causality necessarily ivolved.
But the Tiger-length cables appear to be gone, sold thru and not replaced. There just aren't many Tiger brakes out there, so everyone in America who needed a cable probably already bought one from Scott, and now the market is saturated.
You may know Scott from his websites SDBicycleGarage.com (seemingly on hiatus at the moment) and SexyRaceBicycles.blogspot.com His ebay handle used to be joeeramone (for those who remember dealing with him back then) but now it's AllCampagnolo. Which is a terrible name because he sells lots of stuff that's not Campy!
He's very knowledgeable, reliable and honest — buy from him with full confidence.
Mark B
But the Tiger-length cables appear to be gone, sold thru and not replaced. There just aren't many Tiger brakes out there, so everyone in America who needed a cable probably already bought one from Scott, and now the market is saturated.
You may know Scott from his websites SDBicycleGarage.com (seemingly on hiatus at the moment) and SexyRaceBicycles.blogspot.com His ebay handle used to be joeeramone (for those who remember dealing with him back then) but now it's AllCampagnolo. Which is a terrible name because he sells lots of stuff that's not Campy!
He's very knowledgeable, reliable and honest — buy from him with full confidence.
Mark B
I suspect that he got them from Grand Bois as they are listed as a small part from their Chouette brakesets that are available in both Racer and Raid formats…and share a whole range of small parts with their forebears that inspired them.
03-08-23, 07:28 PM
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That MAFAC GT is the sweetest centerpull I've ever seen. It's so pretty that it doesn't matter if it works or not. I wrenched at a Schwinn/Raleigh/Motobecane dealer in the 1970s and only saw MAFACs on repairs and a few Motobecanes as Bike Boom substitutions. Everything else came with Weinmann or Dia Compe for centerpulls. When I did get a MAFAC on the stand I hated it as there were just too many degrees of freedom in those brake shoe mounts, and they always seemed to squeal like a banshee. I had Weinmanns on a Motobecane and my first Paramount and thought they worked just fine, only later realizing that the MAFACs stopped better than the long reach Weinmann 750s. The MAFAC Racer had such a cheesy look to it that it was a mighty hard part to love. The Competition has a much nicer aesthetic--like it was a bicycle part and not an alternator bracket on a car engine. Personally, I think a little gold can be fine, but when one gets carried away with gold everything it starts looking gauche, like the lobby of a Trump hotel.
03-08-23, 07:34 PM
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I have never seen those before. A cousin of the GranCompe 450s that are equally elegant.
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1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super, 1971 Raleigh International, 1998 Corratec Ap & Dun, 1991 Peugeot Slimestone
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super, 1971 Raleigh International, 1998 Corratec Ap & Dun, 1991 Peugeot Slimestone
03-08-23, 08:15 PM
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What model is that Peugeot? I just picked up some nice Competitions from a C&Ver and have been thinking I need a frame to hang them on. Thinking old European. Probably not French but that bike could change my mind. (English or French BB? I have the bench vise to take a French fixed cup off and on but I'd have to get new jaws.)
03-08-23, 08:20 PM
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Isn't there a way to make your own? Could you apply a nicropress fitting, perhaps cut to length before swaging, then file to shape? (I've got the tool.)
03-08-23, 08:33 PM
#39
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I had not seen Racer gold prior to this thread. Only Competition and 2000. Some of my gold below:
20220502_141535 by L Travers, on Flickr
Since the photo below, the gold headset was swapped for a period correct Stronglight and hanger. At one time, I had a gold Stronglight 93 mounted, but its gold did not work with the Simplex and Mafac gold.
Lejeune Pro Pancake 2 by L Travers, on Flickr
20220502_141535 by L Travers, on FlickrSince the photo below, the gold headset was swapped for a period correct Stronglight and hanger. At one time, I had a gold Stronglight 93 mounted, but its gold did not work with the Simplex and Mafac gold.
Lejeune Pro Pancake 2 by L Travers, on Flickr
03-08-23, 09:04 PM
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What model is that Peugeot? I just picked up some nice Competitions from a C&Ver and have been thinking I need a frame to hang them on. Thinking old European. Probably not French but that bike could change my mind. (English or French BB? I have the bench vise to take a French fixed cup off and on but I'd have to get new jaws.)
Has a couple of unusual frame features . One being the brazeons for the calipers .
03-08-23, 09:12 PM
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They came out in the 70s apparently , which figures with my machine being a 1978/79 .
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03-08-23, 09:22 PM
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This might be the time to ask, “Aren’t the original straddle cables heavier gauge than shift cables?” It always seems to me that the slot at the anchor bolt is pinched too tight on what I assume is a shift cable end from the trash bin.
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03-09-23, 05:31 AM
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Not that long, but I would be remiss in not adding that the Gran Compes must have taken inspiration from those for sure.
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1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super, 1971 Raleigh International, 1998 Corratec Ap & Dun, 1991 Peugeot Slimestone
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super, 1971 Raleigh International, 1998 Corratec Ap & Dun, 1991 Peugeot Slimestone
03-09-23, 12:04 PM
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As long as this thread has turned into one of general Mafac celebration, I don’t think it’s fair that the sidepull part of the family has not been mentioned. Here is the Spidel branded Mafac LS2. It’s really a shame that Mafac went out of business as these sidepulls were very good.
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03-09-23, 12:15 PM
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And general question re" Mafac: When did they go out of business? And why? They made a product that was timeless and and was designed to be cheap to make with tooling that I'd think lasted for years or decades before needing replacement. (Simple forged parts with minimal machining and polish.) Bike shops didn't like the too many ranges of freedom and set-up challenges?
03-09-23, 12:31 PM
#46
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Well put! 
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03-09-23, 12:36 PM
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03-09-23, 12:44 PM
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So I've now seen a photo of unobtanium. Thank you!
And general question re" Mafac: When did they go out of business? And why? They made a product that was timeless and and was designed to be cheap to make with tooling that I'd think lasted for years or decades before needing replacement. (Simple forged parts with minimal machining and polish.) Bike shops didn't like the too many ranges of freedom and set-up challenges?
And general question re" Mafac: When did they go out of business? And why? They made a product that was timeless and and was designed to be cheap to make with tooling that I'd think lasted for years or decades before needing replacement. (Simple forged parts with minimal machining and polish.) Bike shops didn't like the too many ranges of freedom and set-up challenges?
03-09-23, 12:56 PM
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I just noticed the clever little arrow cutouts in the pad holders; presumably making it more difficult to mis-install regardless of language. Or is this more common than I think? And I''ll bet someone will post a photo of these -- backwards.
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