[CR]Re: Decal reproduction - typo correction

(Example: Racing:Jean Robic)

Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2005 20:11:24 -0800 (PST)
From: "Fred Rafael Rednor" <fred_rednor@yahoo.com>
To: Fred Rafael Rednor <fred_rednor@yahoo.com>, L Travers <lat7575@swbell.net>, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
In-Reply-To: <20051105034104.76247.qmail@web30607.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Subject: [CR]Re: Decal reproduction - typo correction

-- I, Fred Rafael Rednor <fred_rednor@yahoo.com> wrote: > > ...On my track bike, the LeJeune insignia is a > decal but on my tanden the LeJeune insignia is > a self adhesive "sticker"...

I'm refering to the insignia on the head tube here. On every LeJeune I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot but certainly not all of them) the insignias on the frame tubes were self-adhesive stickers. In some cases these were chrome foil panels, in some cases these were vinyl panels and in some cases each letter was an individual vinyl sticker.

Some of the head tubes, though, used what appear to be water-slide or varnish-fix decals. I've seen a couple whose head tube insognias appeared to be hand painted, although those were most likely very precisely cropped decals.

There seems to be a (vague) relationship between insignia material and bicycle age. My suspicion is that often, the type of insignia used on a particular frame was mostly based on what Monsieur LeJeune (or perhaps the importer, e.g. someone like Mel Pinto) had in his top-most desk drawer at the time.

Here's why: The frames were built by contractors, although Monsieur LeJeune apparently used his reputation and influence to get some of the best work from them. Anyway, the frames were painted at the works in Maison-Alfort. (This accounts for the consistency of the famous "LeJeune red" color throughout the years.) As far as I can tell, on complete bicycles the insignias were installed at the works. But if you purchased a stripped frame, you were likely to receive an unadorned frame and the insignias in a separate envelope. That's the way it was in those days, Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia (USA)

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