Oscar Egg build now underway

[3wheeler7]

Hi, since I've committed myself to making a bike out of this frame I may as well start right at the beginning.
This frameset came to me in a clearance joblot a few months ago, didn't know what it was but I liked the lugs/ the size (21.5") and the cast crown forks, so a couple of weeks ago I set about it.


The forks were bent and so was the rear triangle, but with a bit of brute force and trial and error it straightened out OK so I stripped off the paint and dropped some wheels in - as already shown in the Vintage French.............. thread.
At this point I started to research what it was - and the only similar lugs/fork combo was on this Oscar Egg, so that sounds good to me - I like unusual bikes!
Having a garage full of bits means it's going to be a sympathetic rebuild using mainly what I've already got but keeping the vintage look.
The frame is now in etch primer and the fork is in filler primer.

I think this is the "easy" bit but deciding on a colour will be hard and finding a 25mm French headset top race won't be easy although I have yet to sort through the box of headset parts that came in the same joblot - so if I'm lucky the original might be in there.
More to follow soon.

 

[Woz]

Continuing a little where left off on @Guinessisgoodforyou thread I'm a bit dumbfounded about this to be honest.

Oscar Egg were indeed French, and that explains the M25 fork column dimension. Is the stem insertion 22mm diameter BTW?

It confuses me why the BB is BSC threaded and for the life of me I can't see any logic or want and need by a French manufacturer to do that - especially in this time period. I've come across weirdness in a 1910 bike which had a large shell diameter closer to an old Charter Lea, but it was still a metric thread and still both right hand threaded cups.

I've found some evidence that Oscar Egg was supplying their lugs to the UK, and would assume they would specific to the UK market:
https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/classic_components/oscar-egg-lugs/

I'm thinking too, if it was an Oscar Egg I'd be convinced it was built for 700c unless they did a small batch for export to the UK.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Oscar Egg did indeed sell lug sets.

 

[3wheeler7]

I'm as confused as anyone.
In my quest to identify the frame I trawled the internet for similar lugs, the only similar ones are Oscar Egg - but the only ones that are exactly the same are on the bike in the photos 4 & 5 above and the forks are exactly the same too. So, if that's an original Oscar Egg then mine is too.
In other pictures of the bike at tps://velo67.ch/products/oscar-egg-gentleman the method of flattening the chain stay at the rear drop out joint and similar on the front drop outs is exactly the same as mine.
Googling Oscar Egg lugs predominately brings up the Super Champion design as used by several British builders, but searching Oscar Egg bicycles shows bikes with quite a few different lug shapes - it appears that those on my frame are not common at all.
The steerer tube diameter is 25.4mm. the thread is M25 x 1mm, the inside diameter is 22.25mm - could have been reamed out I suppose.
BB threads are definately English - could have been tapped out I suppose.
I suspect the cable guides on the BB are a later addition.
A previous owner chose to paint it (badly) with Oscar Egg style bands on the seat post - the most obvious reason for doing that would be that it is indeed an Oscar Egg frame.
I think it was built for 700c wheels, the fork crown clearance is tight with the 27"s - no chance of fitting mudguards and 700s will give a greater choice of period brake calipers.

Anyway, I found a couple of top races and nuts today so I've made a little progress and got a working headset.

 

[Woz]

It's quirky and rather unique. Dimensionally, it's a British fork threaded for a French headset.

Found this part of a 1931 Oscar Egg catalogue interesting:

https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopic.php?t=17071&start=40



700c wood rims, Reynolds tubing, and a model using a B.S.A chainset and hubs.

 

[3wheeler7]

Wow, some good reading there - I'll have a scan through and translate the interesting looking bits - thanks!

Meanwhile, tried out a few bits today, another pair of 27" wheels with 5 speed SA hub on Weinmann rim rear and Normandy QR hub on Weinmann rim front - Weinmann 500 brakes will fit and might get away with a 730 on the back, Stronglight 49D with 44t TA ring, Brooks early B15 on Reynolds Hidi domed seat pin. AVA stem and GB bars.
Fitted the headset but put an extra lock nut in as I don't want to trim down the steerer tube yet because a nicer headset might come my way and I might need the extra length, works fine though but had to use crowded balls as I dont have any caged sets that will fit the races.
I should get it rideable next week and try the 5 speed SA (I know vcballbat will approve!).
Nothing's set in stone yet and it's all got to come to bits again for paint and decals and if I like the hub gears I'll more than likely swap the rims for Weinmann 700s.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Wow, some good reading there - I'll have a scan through and translate the interesting looking bits - thanks!

Meanwhile, tried out a few bits today, another pair of 27" wheels with 5 speed SA hub on Weinmann rim rear and Normandy QR hub on Weinmann rim front - Weinmann 500 brakes will fit and might get away with a 730 on the back, Stronglight 49D with 44t TA ring, Brooks early B15 on Reynolds Hidi domed seat pin. AVA stem and GB bars.
Fitted the headset but put an extra lock nut in as I don't want to trim down the steerer tube yet because a nicer headset might come my way and I might need the extra length, works fine though but had to use crowded balls as I dont have any caged sets that will fit the races.
I should get it rideable next week and try the 5 speed SA (I know vcballbat will approve!).
Nothing's set in stone yet and it's all got to come to bits again for paint and decals and if I like the hub gears I'll more than likely swap the rims for Weinmann 700s. View attachment 768613
View attachment 768618
View attachment 768625
View attachment 768626
View attachment 768627
View attachment 768628

Looking good

 

[3wheeler7]

Forgot to add, as it stands in the pictures it weighs in at 21½ lbs, so with a chain, cables, levers and grips fitted it should come in at about 23 lbs - so it's no clunker (but not really a lightweight)!
Mind you it's got to have another 3 coats of paint as well.
Ooo - and the SA 5 speed shifters - they weigh about ½ lb on their own! Make that 24 lbs.

 

[jordic1968]

I restored an Oscar Egg recently and shared it in a thread here. That is a piece of history !

 

[3wheeler7]

Hi, have you a link to your restoration?
Mine was a frame and forks only but I took a liking to it and wanted to save it.
It'll not be an authentic looking restoration but I intend to make a rideable bike out of it using old parts - French where possible. Components will be swapped and changed as I come across them.