I am not sure this picture is from the 37 Tour - this was the first year since 1919 that the pro riders had been allowed gears - perhaps these bikes were the equivalent of neutral service. I believe that 1932 was the first year the Tour organisation supplied bikes on mass. And that this practice only lasted for a couple of years or so...
Hilary Stone, Bristol, England
> From: Chuck Schmidt <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
> Reply-To: chuckschmidt@earthlink.net
> Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2005 13:06:53 -0800
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR]Now: Yellow TdF bikes Was: Bespoke French Builders of RACING
> Bikes
>
> Jan Heine wrote:
>>
> (cut)
>> Ducheron also seems to have built bikes for various makers, including
>> the famous "yellow" bikes of the Tour de France for those who didn't
>> bring their own.
>
>
>> From an old posting:
>
> "Yes and no... the riders supplied their own bar and stem and saddle and
> the Tour de France organizers supplied the bikes, every last one painted
> the same yellow. No sponsoring bicycle manufacturer; that was the
> point. Desgrange felt the bike companies were getting too big for their
> britches so no Peugeots, Automotos, Alcyons, etc.!
>
> http://www.velo-retro.com/
>
> I don't remember the years when this "rule" was in effect. Anyone know?
> Anyone want to do the research?"
>
> Chuck Schmidt
> South Pasadena, Southern California
>
> .