Product Description
This French roadie is something special. It was made in an era where the French constructeurs were winding down their reign over the market, and yet before Peugeot and their PX-10. It's styling and features are one with the old world, complete with Simplex dropouts, pointy Nervex lugs, and a flat fork crown. It has a the long and low geometry many 1950's and 1960's frames had, and leading to a stable and predictable ride. Like most high end French frames it requires French standards for it's headset, stem, & bottom bracket. It is built to fit 700c wheels with Mafac Racer long travel centerpulls. It came with 700x26c tires and there is TONS of clearance. It looks like it'll fit 700x40c or so, or maybe 32mm-35mm with fenders.
I bought it complete from a collector who did a nice build and write-up on it (here ). I decided it's too close in styling to a few of my other personal bikes, so I picked some of it's parts to go on my Nishiki Professional and am offering the frame up for someone else to love! I do have many of the parts shown in the built up photos available. Here are a few linked at the bottom, and ask if there's something else you need for to build this up with.
It was restored sometime in the 1980's. The paint is a brilliant metallic candy blue, with gold pinstriping around the lugs. The Urago details are historically accurate and period correct reproductions. The famously elusive "Smiling Stayer" head badge depicting Francois Urago is a well done reproduction (details)
At some point in it's history the Driveside Simplex dropout had it's finger grip removed, to allow mounting a non-Simplex derailleur with a claw hanger. It's trail hasn't been measured, but the long fork rake and smooth turn-in handling feels similar to randonneur bikes with trail numbers in the 25mm to 35mm.
Though it was originally intended to be a racing bike or almost path racer with drop bars, it would be equally lovely with swept back bars like upside-down North Roads or lauterwasser style bars.
Parts from the original build: Stronglight Competition V1 Knurled Headset - Philippe Mil Remo Polished Stem 22mm - Stronglight 49D Crankset & BB - Wine Cork Bar Plugs - Mafac Course 121 Half Hood Levers - 1st Gen Campagnolo Record Steel Rear Derailleur -
Size
The long and low geometry of this era was intended to be ridden with just a fist full of seatpost showing at most, and standover height wasn't remotely a concern (racers often rode bikes they couldn't even straddle). This combined with the shorter top tube leads it to fitting riders shorter than the 62cm seat tube would suggest. I would say this bike fits riders roughly 5ft 10 to maybe 6ft 4 at the high end. I am 5ft 10 and this bike fit me quite well (though I would have needed a shorter stem than the one in the photo).
Condition
This frame looks magical from a few feet away, but up close you see scratches and chips throughout. Luckily there is a lighter blue of some sort (primer?) underneath the top coat of paint, which makes these chips and scratches not super noticeable as you can see (or not see!) from the photos. This is a rare case where my photos look nicer than the actual product in person. There are a lot of chips, scrapes, and scratches all over, yet it looks like nice patina instead of a beat up old frame. The only damage on the frame is two VERY shallow (1mm?) dents on the top tube. One is a non-drive side handlebar ding and the other is closer to the saddle.
Details
- Frame number: 417-060
- Top tube: 59cm
- Seat tube: 62cm (c-c)
- Head tube: 181mm
- Chainstays: ~430mm to the shortest position
- Dropouts: Simplex REF 1752/1753
- Headset/stem size: French standard 22mm
- Bottom bracket threads: French
- Seat post diameter: 25.4mm (I have a San Marco GS in this size)
