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

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2002)

From: "Eric Elman" <tr4play@home.com>
To: "Aldo Ross" <swampmtn@siscom.net>, <CYCLESTORE@aol.com>
Cc: <Bill_Bryant@prodigy.net>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <48.609de01.29903182@aol.com> <001a01c1adb2$c55bdb80$6cf9fea9@j4g1x1>
Subject: Re: [CR]What Have I found? PBP Jerome Koshar
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 19:41:28 -0500


Aldo and List Friends,

I am as intrigued, if not more, than all of you to find everything possible about this incomplete bike I purchased and the stories associated with it.

I love the hunt for parts/bike/cars and the history associated with them. I also own a 1959 Morgan +4 which I spent years tracking the original owners wife down to get the cars history (the Mog - nicknamed by the spouse as "The Iron Mistress"). I was eventually successful and a wonderful story was passed onto me which will now remain with that Mog forever. This PBP frame may also have an interesting story about it, the owner/rider (Jerome Koshar), his family, friends, who knows? I'll be digging, hunting and scooping. I'll piece it all together as complete as possible and I'll share whatever I find out with you all. Might be great, might be boring. I hope it's wonderful and inspiring, either way, I love the hunt so we'll see where it takes me.

Talking about the hunt, I know many of you also enjoy dump picking, basement searching, flea market scrounging, etc. Well, during the summer I started the "silliest bike moment" thread which was pretty interesting and now suggest a "best hunt story" thread be started. Any takers? I know some of us have some interesting stories related to how we acquired some vintage bike items we treasure - let's hear them. Maybe it'll even encourage someone to hunt and save another item previously destined for the landfill. I'll post mine later today or tomorrow. Come on...... let's here some good stories.

Thanks again to all who have posted info on this PBP "find" and also to those that have written off-line with comments, web sites with related info, and encouragement to find out more.

Eric "everyone's parts are packed and will be shipped tomorrow" Elman Somers, CT


----- Original Message -----
From: Aldo Ross
To: CYCLESTORE@aol.com
Cc: Bill_Bryant@prodigy.net
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 2:33 PM
Subject: Re: [CR]What Have I found? PBP Jerome Koshar



> I hope someone is going to tie all this together into a short story. It's
> just the sort of tale I'm always looking for.
>
> Aldo Ross
> Monroe, Ohio
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <CYCLESTORE@aol.com>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Cc: <Bill_Bryant@prodigy.net>
> Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 1:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [CR]What Have I found? PBP Jerome Koshar
>
>
> > 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
> >
> > The North Road Bicycle Company
> > your bicycle outfitter
> > 519 W. North St.
> > Raleigh, NC 27603
> > USA
> > ph toll free in USA :800/321-5511
> > Local ph: 919/828-8999
> > E-Mail: cyclestore@aol.com