Group -- In regard to Jan Klimes' questions regarding the bike and brakes -- I know nothing of the bike, except that it looks typical of the exeri ments that were happening in France at that time with the aluminum frames. ... that question might be better answered by Jan Heine..?
I have a very nice LaPerle ladies bike -- 650B, of course -- just a typic al, well built cycle made out of steel tubing. Photos available upon req uest.
The brakes are called PYL, made by a French company called A.P.M., and were presented at the 1946 Salon du Cycle in Paris. (info. compliments of Jan Heine) I have a NOS set of them -- there is a round roller inside wit h a "wedge" that runs flat around the outside of the roller... when you pu ll the lever, the roller turns and the wedge forces the arms outward. Th e only other ones I have seen were on ebay in 2004 from Alexander March -- rhclassics --
Ciao Nelson Miller // Seattle, WA // USA