Re: [Classicrendezvous] Egg ...Russ's mystery bike

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2004)

Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2000 12:59:57 -0700
Subject: Re: [Classicrendezvous] Egg ...Russ's mystery bike
From: "Dave Feldman" <feldmanbike@home.com>
To: Rick Chasteen <chasteen@kcaccess.net>, Larry Osborn <losborn2@wvu.edu>
CC: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


In my mechanic-ing experience, starting in the early 70's, parts substitutions are the norm in production bike building, and that goes double for anything produced in Europe before 1980! I have seen Nervex Professional, BCM, Carlton Capella, Prugnat 62 and Prugnat long-point used on Raleigh sub-International models--Competition and Gran Sport. Huret dropouts I've only seen on 1972 and later Competitions, but I'd believe almost any variation on that model and on the Gran Sports. Gran Sports especially seemed to take frame parts potluck and components potluck in a big way. This sounds like an early 70's Competition or GranSport to me. Here's another one: 1968 or 1969 Gran Sports, chrome with yellow painted trim panels, Huret Alvit or Luxe derailleurs, and Zeus cranks!

David Feldman ----------
>From: "Rick Chasteen" <chasteen@kcaccess.net>
>To: "Larry Osborn" <losborn2@wvu.edu>
>Cc: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: Re: [Classicrendezvous] Egg ...Russ's mystery bike
>Date: Thu, Oct 26, 2000, 6:19 AM
>
>Huret dropouts on a GS of that vintage?
>
>Rick Chasteen
>Kansas City
>> My first guess was along the same lines as Greg Parker. Perhaps a late 60s
>> Gran Sport. I've not seen one that I recall, but the same vintage
>> Competition had chromed Nervex lugs, forks and stays (not sure about the
>> stays, I have to dig back into some photos over the weekend) and came in
>> either black or forest green. The GSs would probably have been a different
>> color. Probably Huret dropouts but again, I have to dig back into the
>> archives. Not trusting MY memory for a minute! Not today. However, the
>> 73/74 RRAs as suggested by Peter K would have a "CC" cutout in the bb
>> shell, Campy vertical dropouts on the rear, and no bridge for a rear
>> centerpull brake.
>>
>> >
>> >Nervex Pro lugs - but no sign of the lugs ever having been chromed
>> >Forged, flat crown with epaulets - but no inner stiffeners, and again, no
>> >sign of chrome
>>
>> Some of this makes sense but I'm not sure about fork blade stiffeners on
>> the Comps/GSs. Absense of chrome is a stumper. What does the rear brake
>> bridge look like? Not sure what you meant by "solid".
>>
>>
>> >No signs of chrome on fork or stay tips
>> >Huret dropouts (amazing what you find when you scrape off layers of spray
>> >paint)
>> >27.2 seatpost size, English threaded BB
>> >Round section chain stays with a very fast taper to a very small
>> >cross-section
>> >
>> >Interesting notes - the headset (I know, might not be original) is devoid
>of
>> >all markings - steel, good chrome, and the lower race (above the fork
>crown
>> >race and lower bearings) has ten wrench flats (dexagonal? I dunno).
>>
>> The 10-flat no-name headsets were standard Raleigh issue. Not sure if it's
>> Brampton or some other brand, or what other makes of bike they may have
>> appeared on. I accidentally found a couple of these new at T-town but they
>> turned out to be French threading. I'll find a way to make them work or
>> just steal parts out of them.
>>
>> >
>> >The paint on the fork steerer, as well as the paint that seems closest to
>> >the metal, is white. The lugs are also white when you get down far
>enough.
>> >
>> >What the bike makes me think of is an International, but with Huret ends.
>I
>> >have a vague memory of an early version of the Competition coming with
>Huret
>> >ends and Nervex lugs, but weren't those all black? Back when we had a
>> >lively thread, it seems to me the earliest Comps came with Zeus cranks,
>> >Simplex derailleurs, etc. Then the Comp Mk. II, Comp GS, etc. - which
>this
>> >bike definitely isn't.
>>
>> Keep scraping the paint off the bb shell and try to find a serial number.
>> Should be a letter followed by four numbers if it's something like an
>early
>> Comp/Gran Sport.
>>
>> Gotta go
>> Larry "All answers questioned" Osborn