[CR]Fw: 1970s Lejeune on French Ebay

(Example: Racing:Wayne Stetina)

From: "Norris Lockley" <norris@norrislockley.wanadoo.co.uk>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 10:09:13 +0100
Subject: [CR]Fw: 1970s Lejeune on French Ebay


----- Original Message -----
From: "Norris Lockley"
To: classicrendez@bikelist.org
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2006 2:02 AM
Subject: 1970s Lejeune on French Ebay


Just got back from seven weeks in baking heat in France..now trying to catch up with CR List but suffering badly under the granite grey skies and persistent rainfall of N. England.

Having just unloaded my car, Lejeune frames are uppermost in my mind as I managed, when over in France, to buy a "B.Carre" team frame from the late 1960's. Like the Lejeune that I bought a easter that Carre had built for Henry Anglade, the latest Lejeune has the riders initials stamped into the top-plates of the seat stays. The seller claimed that this frame was ridden to 3rd place in the French Champs. in 1969...but I am still trying to establish tha fact for certain.

Anyway..gloating over..The Ebay bike looks like the "Champion du Monde" model, which ranked about third after the Tour de France and the World Champion model..if I recall correctly. I sold one of the latter ones on to a friend not long ago...it was full Reynolds D/B and a full Campag Record spec with L/F hubs,..and was "team red" A later top model used the 753 metric tube set, with the Campag Record...and I found, in a copy of "Le Cycle" for the late 70s..and article talking about Lejeune introducing a frame in Reynolds 731 tubing!

Lejeune wasn't a large company by any means..and they always seemed to be struggling for market share, which resulted in the company always introducing new models and changing the specs of existing ones. At one time around about 1980 they introduce a range of five tandems all at one shot. Many of their press ads. appeared to have been drawn by hand.

The aspect of this particular Lejeune that puzzles me is the head transfer. I have only ever seen that on cheaper 24"-wheeled folding "city" bikes - the "Popular" model..never on a quality road machine.

I have a lot of reading to catch up on about Lejeune bikes so might actually dig up something accurate.

Norris Lockley...waiting for the end of September and ..France again...Settle, UK