A friend of mine has found, from an antiques shop here in Auburn, CA, a 50-60 year-old E. Christophe road bike in original condition. Very original. I'm looking for any photos or information on this marque, not offers. Archives seem to have nothing as I can find.
I'll take some photos when I can get out to his storage, but here's what I saw.
Mid-sized complete bike with flatted tubulars, rims showing extremely unworn sidewalls. Paint in dirty, but un-scuffed condition with very nice badge, box-lining, and lugs. Chrome mildly challenged, as with the cottered (and much more rusty) Stronglight crankset.
Lam brakes, pista-style bars, French-style stem, Simplex gearing with 4-sp and Suicide shift front. Rear derailer is pre-parallelogram type with conical spring. Normandy single-piece hubs w/ round holes and Frankenstein-bolts QR, Fiamme rims, leather saddle still in good shape, can't remember the partial lettering on it. I was especially impressed by the lugwork, and tubing is Vitus. Textured vinyl bar tape reached up to the stem clamp, and stays were semi-wraparound with tri-colored end caps. Frame color is red-brown-purplish (IIR).
If I was to be able to buy this, it would probably be the first non-rider in my collection, but then I might take it for a spin (just dreaming). I imagine these are rare to find in any condition.
Again, photos in a couple of weeks, and thanks in advance for any clues. I'm glad to have learned so many things here about old bikes and collecting/restoring BEFORE having come across this bike.
David Snyder
Auburn, CA usa