I just wanted to add a little bit to Norris's fine message.
Re CHALAYE: they made a decent stem for the rear position of a tandem. It was longer than the more common Pivo piece, and more nicely made. Alas, it did not have any markings indicating that Chalaye was actually the manufacturer.
Re CTA: Their better alloy bars included an engraved insignia and the script "Ça Technique Avion." Or was it "Ce Technoligie Avion?" (Very loosely translated as "Aircraft Technology.") Anyway, it was something like that - and rather cortorted, grammatically, no matter what it was. I often wondered if those were really the founder's initials?
And now a question about ATAX/PHILIPPE: I seem to recall that
their nicer bars were called "Franco-Belge." Did they have any
real connection to Belgium? Or was that merely a way of
appealing to the Belgian market? Or was it a way of
associating themselves with the many great Belgian racers? Or
was there a type of handlebar bend, generically refered to as
"Franco-Belge?"
Amitiés,
Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia (USA)
> Any collector of French bikes from the 50s and 60s could well
> become confused by the similarity of certain models and
> brands of handlebar stems, such as ATAX, PHILIPPE and PIVO,
> much in the same way as it is possible to think that hubs
> bearing the names NORMANDY, MAILLARD, EXCELTO, ALPIN,
> PELISSIER and certain othersare all made in the same
> factory. Neither of these examples is all that it seems.
>
> ATAX is/was a company based at Oullins in the industrial
> suburbs of Lyon in southern France. It produced stems and
> bars under the names ATAX and PHILIPPE, the letter being the
> more up-market brand. Some PHILIPPE models of stems and bars
> were also produced for the SPIDEL marque..the collaboration
> of Maillard, Simplex, Stronglight and ATAX originating in the
> 70s.
>
> PIVO, was the brand name of the manufacturer Ets Alles that
> was based at Montreuil in the eastern suburbs of Paris. Some
> PIVO and ATAX appeared to be identical..as did a certain
> MILREMO stem. Who made the MILREMO stem..I think it was ATAX
> ?
>
> There were other French manufacturers of bars and stems
> such as:
>
> - AVA, based in an industrial town just north of Paris
> - BELLERI who made stems and bars with the name but also
> with just "BF". Usually the "Belleri brand bars were more
> up-market than the "BF". Belleri also made a bold attempt in
> the early 90s to introduce a "SSC" type set of bars and stem
> called "Bar-Line". These had beautiful lines and finish, a
> match for anything comming out of Italy or Japan, but by this
> time they had no chance of dethroning Cinelli, TTT, SR and
> the rest. Belleri are still in business, based in modern
> facories at Sorbiers just outside St Etienne; I have
> "Bar-Line" on my best machine.
> -CHALAYE, this too was a St.Etienne-based company but it
> never really made any impact on the lightweight top-end
> market..perhaps best known for its curved steel cranks;
> -CTA..this company produced a very wide range of alloy and
> steel bars, some of which were not unattractive, but the
> company semed to be content with supplying large quantities
> of bottom to mid-range products to the large French bike
> builders. Based in La Bonneville.
>
> Then of course we have also MAVIC bars and stems..some very
> interesting and serious designs, and also JPR..an off-shoot
> of Routens. Who made their products..? Well I think I know,
> but need just that little more proof..
>
> Returning to the ATAX brand, I wonder why Jacques Anquetil
> always rode the PIVO version of the classic 1950 designed
> stem..and not an ATAX one?
>
> Norris Lockley..Settle UK
> -
>
>
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