[CR]For Sale: Maxi-Car tandem wheels, Mavic / Super Champion, 1950s 650B

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing)

From: <"tom.ward@juno.com">
Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 18:29:38 GMT
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]For Sale: Maxi-Car tandem wheels, Mavic / Super Champion, 1950s 650B

Good afternoon (morning, or even night, for some), I listed this wheelset on eBay a few weeks back, but made no mention of it at the time here on the list. I should probably have done so. It's a wheelset for tandem, size 650B, said to be (and plausibly) from a 1950s (or even '40s?) Rene Herse. The rear rim is a quite old looking Mavic Cr iterium with the diamond decal (transfer, not sticker), the front is (on ly slightly newer-looking) Super Champion. Hubs are Maxi-Car. O.L.D. is about 116 / 118mm, anyway a tad more than 115mm, could be spaced wider w ith ease--total axle width is about 170mm. It has solid axles as you'd e xpect, likewise, metric threading ("french") for the freewheel--probably intended for four-speed, originally. Photos are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8527212@N02/sets/72157600274611527/ or search completed listings on eBay. The wheelset failed to meet reserv e a few weeks back. I've brought the price down to $475 plus actual ship ping (to anywhere you like). I like to use UPS because they have some "a fter-work" hours, and are fairly near to my apartment. The text on the rear (drum brake) hub reads: FREIN TANDEM MAXI 115m/m SUPER GRAND TOURISME Entre tenir les roulements a la graisse minerale epaisse mais ne jamais employer l'huile fluide In other words, lubricate with grease, not with oil! I would like to use PayPal on this one. I hope this wheelset finds a goo d home. I know of at least two Herse tandems owned by listmembers--one r ecently acquired and likely in need of wheels! Here they are. The wheels would also certainly be appropriate on many other French tandems, circa 1940s - '60s, especially constructeur-types. It would be nice to make t wo matched pair out of the rims some day--I've been watching for 650B si ngles, but haven't been able to make it happen "on my watch". Both model s of rim are quite valuable in themselves--but more so as matched pairs!

I'm going out for a few hours (riding); e-mails / offers will be dealt w ith in the order they arrive, except preference given for '50s tandem ow ners! Would enjoy seeing pictures of your bikes. Of course I have seen p hotos of Jan Heine's Herse tandem--on which he did P-B-P--and isn't that one built for 700C? Jan, I still must subscribe to your very fine magaz ine--and I missed the last issue. Discount for a subscription if you hap pen to need these wheels!

Somebody please mention these as well to the fellow in California who wa s mentioned as having picked up that '60s-renovated '50s Herse that was briefly on eBay last month. That one was essentially a frameset with der ailleurs.... Best Regards, Tom Ward New York, NY 10012 USA --Where my tandem is 650B, but is a Gitane "Europa" from the 70s. Maxi-C ars would be nice on it, but they'd need to be of a later generation....