Re: [CR]What Have I found? PBP Jerome Koshar

(Example: Framebuilders:Richard Moon)

From: <CYCLESTORE@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 13:48:34 EST
Subject: Re: [CR]What Have I found? PBP Jerome Koshar
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Cc: Bill_Bryant@prodigy.net


Hello gang,

I can't say who built the bike but I remember Jerome. He arrived at the 1983 PBP event with the International Randonnuer group and his whole family. As I remember he owned a bike shop (?) but passed away not long after the event of a heart problem. He was in his 50's I suppose, maybe much older. I don't remember seeing him in 1987 but I remember reading about his death in the old IR newsletter. He was very well thought of. He was from New York (Long Island?) as I remember being told.

The frame number from the Paris Brest is one of the treasured keepsakes from this classic event. As you can see from Bill's writing it can also tell a story.

Off to PBP in 2003 Gilbert "76 miles Saturady"Anderson Raleigh NC USA

In a message dated 2/3/02 12:06:57 PM, Bill_Bryant@prodigy.net writes:

<< Hi Eric-- The Paris-Brest-Paris frame number was useful. In 1987 there were 2597 starters from around the globe, of whom 230 were Americans. The green ink on the number indicates a 90-hour starter (red or blue numbers show the two other groups which have either 84 or 78 hours to do the ride.) BTW, although American Scott Dickson was first to arrive back in Paris at 44 hours, compared to the overall drop-out rate of 19%, the US contingent didn't do too well with a national rate of 46%. :-(

I thought that anyone keeping their frame number on the bike after the event would do so out of pride of finishing, especially since the 1987 event was infamous for 4 days of continuously cold/wet weather to cycle hilly 1200 kms--anyone who earned their medal that year was a REAL randonneur! So, I used the official finishing list and (eventually) found:

#4215 Jerome Koshar, USA--individual (i.e., no local club)--successfully finished just under the 90-hour time limit.

I looked also at the current membership of the Randonneurs USA and found no Jerome Koshar listed, so his cycling interests have moved on from randonneuring. Anyway, if you can track him down, perhaps he could tell you what kind of bike he rode in that epic event. Alas, without a club to use as a starting point, that means a pretty tough search. It's a ~very~ long shot, but maybe someone on the list might recognize his name. At any rate, those pencil-thin seat stays held up to some rugged bicycling! Good luck with your quest.

Bill Bryant PBP 1983 & 1999 Santa Cruz, California

Eric Elman wrote:
> Yesterday I stumbled onto a bike that I hope some of you can help ID. It
> would appear to be very un-original but the frame is what intestests the
> most. The parts are a mish mash of vintage campagnolo NR, Cinelli old logo
> bars and stem, Laprede seatpost, Brooks pro saddle, Supermaxy triple
> crankset, Shimano rear derailleur, modernish (1980's Campy front der), etc.
>
> The frame has a plastic card with two attahing loops at its top to hang it
> from the TT and one attaching loop connecting it to the head tube. On the
> card is printed "1987 Audux Club Parisien, 4215 (big and centered), 11th
> Paris Brest Paris." Card is off white, print is red and blue except the
> (entry?) number 4215 which is a pastel green. The frame at first looks very
> much like an early PX10 with Nervex pro lugs and Nervex BB shell. But it is
> actually quite different with seat stays that are almost full wrap around
> (they don't meet by anout 1/8"), they are also very, very, very thin -
> unlike anything I have ever seen. At the top they are narrow but only a
> little bit compared to "normal" but at the bottom where the DO is mounted
> they are only about 1/4" diameter!

<snip>
>
> What on earth was this? How could such thin rear stays possibly support an
> adult?
> >>

Gilbert Anderson

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