Stella SX-76

Another recent pickup, early 70's Columbus tubed, Campy equipped Stella.

This will be a fun and relatively quick project, one I think is worthwhile on such a cool and mostly original top end bike from the early 70s.

More pics and information will be posted as I proceed.

Nice find .

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A few additional pictures and information.

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/France ... cycles.htm

From what I gather (from many hours of searching the web) Stella made a broad range of bikes from the mundane to the nicely equipped SX-76. Production was mid-sized, 25,000 bikes a year in 1974 (according to Bicycling Magazine review from 1974). On the upper end there was a full French equipped SX-73 tourer which accounted for a quarter of their production in 74. The SX-75 was somewhat quicker handling, SX-76 seems to be the top of the line Stella from that period and was listed as being custom specs. I haven't been able to find production numbers for the 75 or 76.

Back to my bike which i'm assuming is a SX-76 based on the build. Frame seems to be fully chromed and has Campy dropouts from and back. Front and rear derailleurs are Nuevo Record and dated 1971. Brakes are Universal super 68's. Wheels are a strange mix, Sunshine hubs laced to Mavic tub rims. Cranks are SR Royals. I'm guessing the cranks and wheels might have been changed out in the 70's.

Overall the bike has a cool vibe to it and just needs a good cleaning/regrease, and a few new bits; tires, hoods, brake pads.

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That's going to be stunning with a bit of elbow grease. Great find.

That's a nice looking frame, very similar to my Viking Severn Valley, albeit with different lugs.

Great bike, not a very common brand. Wasn't it Stella bikes that Louison Bobet rode in his early 50's TdF wins before he had his own brand (made by Mercier I believe?).

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Found some interesting information on Louison Bobet and his 1953 T'df Stella.

http://www.flying-scot.com/other_marque ... bet53.html

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That looks great, can't wait to see it spruced up. I imagine it will be hard to find the brake hoods though

Mike

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Mike Muz 67":3pn0y6r8 said:

That looks great, can't wait to see it spruced up. I imagine it will be hard to find the brake hoods though

Mike

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I got some (allegedly) NOS ones on e-bay from Italy a year or two back - but I'm sure they're actually repro ones. They look OK though and fit well. It's the little black adjuster rubbers that can be the problem. I was lucky and found some at a jumble.

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Nice, looks good. be interested to compare notes as I have an SX-73.