Hi, David---
Please do talk your sister out of having the bike powder coated!
Rochet did a lot of fancy things with paint, fenders, lights, etc. to make an integrated-looking machine. Very ornate. I've always admired them. The late Sheldon Brown owned a '58 Rochet---
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
Don't know who imported Rochet into the States. Maybe someone can help with that info.
I believe that somebody on the list last year or so outed a Rochet that was on Detroit's Craigslist and going for, if I recall correctly, somewhere in the $3000 range.
I'm sure your sister paid a lot less than that for hers. So that bike's a keeper----AS IS!
Cheers,
Peter Jourdain
Whitewater, Wisconsin USA
My sister in Michigan just bought an old Rochet. I put her photos on Wool
Jersey: http://www.wooljersey.com/
The paint looks much better to me than she described and I'll have to try to talk her out of the powder coat job she mentioned when I spoke with her.
Is anyone familiar with these?
David Bean
Arlington, MA USA
beandk at are-see-enn dot com