Re: [CR]Intro to another Kiwi, and 1950s Frejus age and model ID

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Chater-Lea)

Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 16:09:15 +0000 (GMT)
From: <joebz@optonline.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Intro to another Kiwi, and 1950s Frejus age and model ID
In-reply-to: <000f01c7a1d9$d52fc000$0301010a@int.irl.cri.nz>
To: mark.battley@xtra.co.nz
References: <MONKEYFOODrGvnCjnZS00000b1c@monkeyfood.nt.phred.org>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

I would put this at 1957 or 1958 and it is the top model, not the Tour de France. I had a 1958 track bike with serial number 86007 and this is 85741. The track bike is very likely a 1958 because it had all the original equipment including the square cranks with the dust caps, the shorter pedal spindles etc that I suppose were only made in 1958.

By the way, the track bike, #86007 was stolen long ago in Washington Heights, Manhattan. The damn thing was all chrome with the blue panels and they ripped out my front door (great neighborhood at the time) to steal it.

Joe Bender-Zanoni
Great Notch, NJ


----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Battley"
Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 06:11:00 -0000
Subject: [CR]Intro to another Kiwi, and 1950s Frejus age and model ID
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


> Hi all,

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Have been lurking here for a week, thought I should finally say

\r?\n> hello. I'm Mark

\r?\n> Battley, from Auckland, New Zealand. I have been here before for

\r?\n> a while around

\r?\n> 2001-2003, and then went into hiding. Last week I purchased a

\r?\n> "project" 1950s

\r?\n> Frejus from David Benson who also lurks here, so thought I would

\r?\n> join up again.

\r?\n> I'm also into Italian cars, so figured I should get a rusty

\r?\n> Italian bike to

\r?\n> match!

\r?\n>

\r?\n> The Frejus can be seen at

\r?\n> http://picasaweb.google.com/MarkABattley/Frejus

\r?\n> As you can see, it needs plenty of TLC, starting with a very good

\r?\n> strip/clean/grease. Paint is chipped but otherwise not too bad.

\r?\n> Chrome is sad.

\r?\n> It does move, at least as far as the end of the driveway and

\r?\n> back again!

\r?\n>

\r?\n> S/N is 85741. According to

\r?\n> http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Italy/Frejus/Frejus_serial_numbers.htm that

\r?\n> would put it after 1955, which it has to be anyhow since the

\r?\n> head-tube badge

\r?\n> reads: Campione Del Mondo 1930,32,48,51,53,54,55.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Any suggestions as to how to pin the age down better?

\r?\n>

\r?\n> I was told that it is a Tour de France, however the bottom

\r?\n> bracket is stamped

\r?\n> MC56. According to

\r?\n> http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/frejus.html the letters

\r?\n> are the model and the number the frame size (i.e. MC 56, MS 60,

\r?\n> TDF58).

\r?\n>

\r?\n> The above reference is not completely explicit though; does MC

\r?\n> mean M Super

\r?\n> Corsa, or something else?

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Basic details:

\r?\n> Frame size: nominal 56cm, Seat tube: 56cm c/t, 55c/c, Top tube: 56cm

\r?\n> Headset: Frejus - broken grease nipple on back of headtube

\r?\n> BB: Frejus Nichrom, with grease nipple

\r?\n> Cranks: Durax-Special Courses with Magistroni chainrings (47/50).

\r?\n> RD: Campagnolo Gran Sport (pre 1961)

\r?\n> FD: None at present (apparently at one stage had lever type),

\r?\n> have Campagnolo

\r?\n> Gran Sport to fit.

\r?\n> Shift Lever: Single Benelux, to be replaced by Campagnolo double

\r?\n> - I have bought

\r?\n> some 1960s levers, would like to find some Gran Sport "open C"

\r?\n> ones if anybody

\r?\n> happens to have any lying around.

\r?\n> Pedals: Phillips, English

\r?\n> Stem: GB Reynolds 531 10cm

\r?\n> Brakes: Mafac Dural Forge, Mafac levers

\r?\n> Hubs: English Solite (at least the front is), 32/40 spokes,

\r?\n> 14/15/16/17/19Everest cluster

\r?\n> Rims: Dunlop Special Lightweight 27 x 1-1/4.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> I'm told that apparently the mix of Italian and English

\r?\n> components is probably

\r?\n> because due to import/tax reasons back then bikes were usually

\r?\n> imported to NZ as

\r?\n> frames and built up here.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> The only other vaguely classic (or at least old) complete bike I

\r?\n> have is a late

\r?\n> 70s (was told 1979 from S/N) Peugeot Course, Vitus 172 Serie

\r?\n> Legere Special

\r?\n> double butted tubing.

\r?\n> http://picasaweb.google.com/MarkABattley/1979PeugeotCourseWhen I

\r?\n> bought it in 2001 it had Simplex DT shifters and FD, RD had been

\r?\n> replacedwith an old Superbe pro. Rear hub was 6spd Atom, RIGIDA

\r?\n> 700C rim, front wheel

\r?\n> had been replaced by a really cruddy 27" steel rim thing.

\r?\n> Weimann sidepulls, Mafac levers, ATAX handlebars. Crankset

\r?\n> labelled Peugeot.

\r?\n> Since then it has had a variety of components and wheels passed

\r?\n> down from other

\r?\n> bikes, and is currently running 9spd Ultegra, with mudguards and

\r?\n> a rack for

\r?\n> commuting. Nothing flash, but rides nicely.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Also have more modern stuff to (try and) go fast, was using a

\r?\n> Cannondale CAD3

\r?\n> but recently bought a Kestrel Evoke. So a bit of an eclectic

\r?\n> mix! Have a few

\r?\n> other frames hanging around as well.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Anyhow, any comments on the age and model of the Frejus appreciated!

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Thanks,

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Mark

\r?\n> Auckland, NZ