Wow! Thanks for bringing that beautiful bike to our attention. My all-time favorite bike having grown up when my hero Anquetil was notching up TdF victories on one (I now want an early 60s Gitane too because he switched). Fortunately it is too small for me, so I am under no temptation. In my opinion this bike must be to the latter end of the date range given by the seller, if not beyond, for the following reasons: - The lugs are an updated design - much more flowing at the front of the head tube. Earlier ones had a more curlys bits. - The headbadge is stick-on. Mine, which I thought was 1957-59 has a riveted badge with apertures through which the head tube paint shows. - The rear dropouts seem to have the gear hanger in the same plane as the dropout, not cranked outwards like the earlier ones were to suit Simplex plunger type derailleurs. Does anybody know when these dropouts came in? I had assumed they came in with the JUY61 parallelogram gear (in 1961?), though I think the JUY543 will work with either type. - A frame made pre-JUY61 would have a double cable stop on the chainstay for the twin JUY543 cables - I cannot see whether this one does or not.
I think Anquetil always rode a Pivo handlebar stem when he was with Helyett and perhaps also when he rode a Gitane.
Earlier Speciales like mine were all 531, whereas this is main tubes only, if the decal is to be believed. Does anybody know why and when this change was made? I think I read somewhere, maybe on CR, that Continentals thought the Reynolds stays and forks a bit too flexible for good handling, but a lot of high end European bikes were nevertheless all 531 for a long time. Perhaps it was a myth to support cost-cutting, but one of my best handling bikes is a Coppi with 531 main tubes only.
The paint on mine is very sad in comparison, almost to the point where I would like a repaint, but I think it highly unlikely that decals are available - please tell me if you know otherwise. Mine too had been "updated" but not as sympathetically as this one. Getting the right bits - LJ23 and JUY543 gears, high flange FB Simplex hubs with white QR rubbers, was an absolute nightmare - they come up on ebay from time to time but often get snapped up with outrageous bids. I am still running Stronglight 49D cranks with TA adaptor chainrings, but then I have seen pictures of Anquetil with the same setup. If it was good enough for him .............. . Getting the "correct" parts that match the condition of this frame will be a challenge for anyone who wants to do it. Hugh Thornton Cheshire, England
From: Norris Lockley <nlockley73@googlemail.com> Subject: [CR] Helyett Speciale on French Ebay To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Tuesday, 20 October, 2009, 2:26
For those of you who felt disappointed at not winning last week's world-price-beating auction for the light blue Helyett Speciale....here's another and possibly better amchine...or at least it has that potential.
The bike is currently on French eBay with something a little over two days to run.
*ITEM No 280410458517*
The seller who is the grandson of the original owner, a cycle shop in Orleans (not very far from my place in Sancerre...and the bike IS my size!!!), says that the bike has NEVER been ridden, but simply put in a store when his grandad sold up the business in the late 50s.
The bike is very traditional Helyett flam green ..immaculate in every respect..possibly late 50s. Now for the bad news..his grandfather updated the machine from time to time...!!!
The Mafac brakes, Stronglight 49D, Belleri bars and stem, Ideale saddle are all brand-spanking new...but the original Simplex gears (possibly even JUY 543) have been replaced with a Huret Jubilee set. The wheels are now Maillard 700 L/F on Super Champion rims (all new).
The frame has the usual specially cut Nervex lugs and that delightful twin-plate (?) fork crown. The paintwork, transfers and chrome-work are all immaculate
The current bid stands at $1525 dollars..but has not reached the reserve. The seller will ship worldwide and quotes 300 dollars by UPS to the States.
The non-original parts on this bike must be worth quite a lot of money...the original unused Ideal saddle must be worth a bit too.
It is unlikely that there is another Helyett in the world as fine as this one...just as though it's fresh out of the box.
Happy bidding
Norris Lockley, Settle UK..where I have four of these models..all too big for me..but all fully original..but not one with that fork crown!