Re: [CR] bertin versus andre bertin (and mixed tubes)?

(Example: Component Manufacturers)

Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 03:12:56 -0800
From: "verktyg" <verktyg@aol.com>
To: peter stock <pjstock@gmail.com>, <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, <verktyg@aol.com>
References: <c017404d1002270825s2a732585j614d3b013cc17bc8@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:
Subject: Re: [CR] bertin versus andre bertin (and mixed tubes)?


Cycles Andre Bertin also called Cycles Bertin was a small bike manufacturer located in Northwest France near the Belgian border.

They produced better than average quality French bikes from post WWII until the early 90s.

Bertin also shared the Milremo trademark with Ron Kitching in the UK (Milremo was a contraction of Milan-San Remo the Italian stage race).

Bertin became the Shimano distributor for France in 1970. Around 1993 Bertin was acquired by the Cibo Group and 2 names popped up, Bertin-Cycles Sarl the bicycle manufacturing part of the company??? and Ets. A Bertin which apparently handled component and accessory distribution.

In October, 2000 Shimano bought Ets. A Bertin from Cibo and changed the name to Shimano-France.

Somewhere along the line Bertin stopped producing bikes in France (1990s). There was a subsidiary company in Morocco, Bertin-Cycles Sarl that apparently still makes Bertin labeled bikes.

Cycles Bertin used decals with A BERTIN (in script), BERTIN, A. BERTIN and ANDRE BERTIN. They were all from the same company (essentially).

To muddy the water, Andre Bertin had a cousin across the border in Belgium who made some bikes in the early 70s. The company name was Cycles Bertin Belgium.

The Belgian Bertins had slightly different decals and features. There weren't many of these imported into the US. Several of them came through our shop for service in the 70s. I remember one of them had an Italian BB!

Bertin had a fire that destroyed their entire plant and offices 1n 1973. While the plant was being rebuilt Andre Bertin had some bikes built for him at the Belgian facility. The new French plant opened in 1974.

One other muddying factor, during the height of the US Bike Boom, Bertin like most of the other French bike manufacturers had entry level bikes built outside by some of the mass producers that specialized in that business. These were pretty poor quality bikes like most of the others of their ilk.

Tubing - better quality French bikes with Reynolds 531 main tubes and Durifort forks were quite common from the 1950s through the mid 1970s. Spanish Zeus bikes used that combination too.

The use of Reynold 531 main tubes was more of a marketing ploy than one based on performance.

The wall thickness of the French Durifort butted tubing was just about the same as the heavier gage Reynolds tubes used in most French production bikes of that era. It was the same thickness as Columbus SP tubing.

There was an on going myth that Reynolds tubing was lighter. Durifort, Vitus 172, Columbus SP and 7/10 Reynolds 531 all had the same wall thickness main tubes: 1.0mm in the butted ends and 0.7mm in the center section. They all weighed the same!

During most of the 70s Ateliers de la Rive produced 3 tubes sets with butted main tubes: Durifort, Vitus 172 and premium Super Vitus 971. Durifort and Vitus 172 were low alloy steels while Super Vitus was in a league with Reynolds 531 and Columbus.

They also made some sets of 3 main tubes called Rubis 888. They were straight gage tubes made from the same steel as Durifort with a wall thickness of 0.8mm. This was later called Durifort 888.

Between the late 70s and their demise in the 90s, Ateliers de la Rive changed names and alloys in the tube sets quite frequently in an attempt to stay up with Columbus and Reynolds. Vitus 788 was one example.

Our first shipment of Bertins in 1975 were mostly "off the rack" entry level bikes with frames made of "light gage" gas pipe tubing plus 25-30 better models. In 1976 we didn't bring in many entry level models, but more of the next model up with alloy wheels. We had Bertin use Durifort forks and stays. It was less than $5 extra per bike. In 1977 we had them make us all Durifort frames with forged Campy style dropouts. Again it was less than $5 extra per frame and the dropouts were around $3.00.

Touring bikes had become the big thing and I had Bertin build us some of their C35 CycloTouriste model bikes made with Super Vitus main tubes with Vitus 172 forks and stays.

The standard C35 model had 7/10 Reynolds 531 main tubes and Durifort fork and stays. Super Vitus had 6/9 main tubes plus the fork blades supplied with Vitus 172 tube sets were the lighter Super Vitus 971 tubes.

The idea was that the heavier gage Vitus 172 rear triangle would be more rigid for carrying bags on the back while the lighter gage Super Vitus main tubes and forks would provide a smooth ride up front. They were great riding bikes especially when equipped with all of the best French touring components that we specified.

Chas. Colerich - 6 Bertins and still looking... Oakland, CA USA

peter stock wrote:
> I am quite familiar with Bertin bikes, and their graphics. But I came across
> a bike branded "Andre Bertin" with very different graphics.
>
> http://picasaweb.google.ca/pjstock/AndreBertin
>
> I presume these were from the some maker but at different eras when their
> look was different.
> Can anyone confirm?
>
>
> I was then directed the the CR site where another query popped into my head.
>
> This Bertin has a 531 frame and Vitus 788 forks.
>
> http://www.classicrendezvous.com/France/bicycles/Bertin/bertin_moos.htm
>
> I've never seen a bike with mixed tube manufacturers before.
> How unusual is this? a maker combining Vitus and Reynolds, or other makers?