[CR]Victor Sport frames

(Example: Production Builders:Tonard)

From: "Norris Lockley" <norris@norrislockley.wanadoo.co.uk>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Mon, 29 May 2006 00:41:27 +0100
Subject: [CR]Victor Sport frames

Victor Sport was the importer to the uSA of Starnord bikes made by Bernard Dangre's company DANGRE-STARNORD, of Valenciennes, northern France. This company..it might still be on the go still, I think,..also made bikes under the France-Sport and NORD-STAR brands. It also had the rights to the Eddy Merckx name for France. Via some family link, it was connected with Cycles Delcroix at nearby St Amand les Eaux, a company that had closing working relationship with tha great lion of the north, Jean Stablinski. Both were relatively small family-owned affairs but they managed to produce a full range of bikes from kid's' tourers and racers right through to serious amateur racing machines. Both companies sponsored local semi-pro teams from time to time.

An interesting fact about Dangre-Starnord is that the company never kept any stock; it did not have a warehouse. Every frame and cycle built was ordered by someone, and each customer, regardless of the model, price etc of their bike. could choose their own spray finish from a range of about 20 colours.

Both Dangre and Delcroix were on the route of the Paris - Roubaix classic, with Dangre's being just around the corner from the first "ravitaillement" zone on the route. A visit to the factory could be timed to perfection. , "killing two birds with one stone " as folk say.

Norris Lockley..wallowing in nostalgia again..Settle UK