Peter Kohler says: snip<
I think it would be accurate to say that the ONLY country in the world (aside perhaps from Japan of which I am even more ignorant) that produced every single top-end cycle component from Columbus tubing to Binda toestraps to Campagnolo derailleur to Universal brakes to REG waterbottle cage etc. etc. c. 1965 to the end of the CR Period was indeed ITALY.
Britain loses out because of the derailleur issue and France is disqualified because of the frame sets (I think). A PX-10 is 100 per cen t French manufacture (except maybe for the Brooks saddle, many had Ideale) except for the tubing. I don't know of any top-end French racing bike of
this era with French lightweight tubing. > end snip
I have a c.1961 Horace Bates with what may be the closest to 100% British parts:
Williams crank, Benelux derailleurs, Titan bar, stem and post, Brooks saddle,
Airlite hubs, Dunlop rims, etc. Not sure where the spokes were made, and "disposables"
such as tires, tubes and handlebar tape are not original, since it's a rider.
Anyone else?
Cheers,
Mark Ritz
Arcata, CA