This is not the work of Jo Routens. This is the work of his son Jean-Paul Routens who took over the Routens company 1970. Both saddle and clips has: "JPR" initials inscribed.
I will add a few more pictures of the frame later on this evening, as requested.
Mike Anderson Gothenburg Sweden
>Gentlemen,
>
>I have seen this technique/style beautifully executed on many
>pre-ww2 frames, most notably the early Wastyn and Schwinn/Wastyn
>track cycles. The frame you show is a road frame, and I would argue
>that the technique exposes the inside of the stays to moisture,
>humidity, dirt, grime and bubble gum. Also, the work shown is very
>poorly executed. The ends are not cleanll chamfered and appear
>almost ragged. This is quite out of character for Jo Routens, who
>was a very articulate craftsman. Are you sure it is his work?
>
>Perhaps it was done for economical reasons?
>
>Regards,
>Ken Denny
>Boston
>
>
>
>
>Archive-URL:
><http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous.10606.1333.eml>http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous.10606.1333.eml
>Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 13:05:57 -0500
>From: Curt Goodrich <goodrichbikes(AT)netzero.net>
>Subject:
><http://search.bikelist.org/query.asp?SearchString=%221970s+Routens+brazing+technique%22&SearchPrefix=%40msgsubject&SortBy=MsgDate%5Ba%5D>Re:
>[CR]1970s Routens brazing technique
>
>At 04:45 PM 6/26/2006, micke anderson wrote:
>>1
>>Questions:
>>1. how come the builder have not filled out the stays? is it a: "French
>>thing", I have seen these gaps many times. For instance in: VBQ vol. 1 no.
>>1, page 11, photo no. 2 1962 Alex Singer randonneur.
>>2. quality wise, does it matter, will it make the frame less "good" in any
>>aspect?
>>3. if I remember it correct, rear dropouts are mostly bronze brazed
>>(theses days), but can I assume these are silver brazed?
>>4. about gap in brake bridge; is it poorly built, is there a chance that
>>bridge will "cave in" so to speak? Can it be risky to ride the bike, If
>>feels solid though?
>
>
>1. Undoubtedly the builder meant to leave them open. One could argue it's
>lighter that way. But one could also argue it's ugly. Beauty is in the
>eye of the beholder and all that stuff though.
>
>2. Does it matter? If it doesn't break then it doesn't matter from a
>functional standpoint but aesthetics matter. See #1.
>
>3. I'd bet Pergolizzi's weight in jelly beans the drops are brass
>brazed. That would be very much in keeping with what most builders use.
>
>4. The brake bridge is made of seamed tubing. Poorly built? I don't know
>about that but it does seem a little short sighted to orient the seam where
>they did. It's maybe a non-issue if they reinforced the bridge at the
>brake hole otherwise the bridge will collapse if one over-tightens the
>brake bolt.
>
>Curt Goodrich
>Minneapolis, MN
>
>
>
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