It has been on some interesting rides, including a quarter of the Tour de France (2,700 km, no less), but it is not suited for this use.
It is equipped like a lightweight touring bike, but its geometry is that of a racing bike: the seat tube is very upright. Another drawback: to accommodate my large feet, I installed XL toe clips, and they get caught in the front mudguard on tight turns and get stuck on the rail. Scary stuff!
So it's an Oscar Egg, but it's a Liberia frame (can anyone explain this to me?), with three Reynolds 531 tubes.
Looking at the picture I think it's for the hub which uses hydraulic shifting. There are two hoses which are not going to fit in a seat stay easily hence the external hoses and ties. I am of course assuming.
You're right of course, but my point is that since those lines have to be routed through the top tube anyway, a couple of nicely filed brazed-on guides would not pose an additional problem, but would look much nicer than those zip tie "cradles", especially on a frame where so much attention was apparently given to other details.
"You're right of course, but my point is that since those lines have to be routed through the top tube anyway, a couple of nicely filed brazed-on guides would not pose an additional problem, but would look much nicer than those zip tie "cradles", especially on a frame where so much attention was apparently given to other details.
There must be something I'm not seeing."
Again I'm assuming, the guide would have to be larger than the hose to clear the unions, fittings. So I think the hose would fit in the guide like a prick in a shirt sleeve and rattle like a ba#tard.
Before giving it to me the previous owner had bought new rims and changed the front hub, a classic Maxicar without a drum. The drum was operated with the left lever, the right lever operated the Mafac centre pulls.
I fine-tuned it mechanically and made a few purely practical modifications.
The rear wheel axle (with wing nuts) was bent, so I replaced it with a brand new one with a quick release.
I replaced the rear luggage rack with a lighter model, perfectly suited to this trip: it's just the right size for the tent, mattress and sleeping bag.
I fitted two identical bottle cages. Given the weather and the route, I decided there was no point in using the XXL size.
I fitted a saddle that was already moulded to my anatomy. I will eventually replace it with a Brooks or an Idéale, as I didn't want to set off with an untested saddle.
The Schwalbe tyres, which are quite heavy but sturdy, were recommended to me by a friend who has already done Eurovelo 6. This was wise advice, given the quality of certain sections.
The Mafac levers didn't suit me because the sheaths made it difficult to access the pannier. I fitted Shimano 600 levers, which are more practical and, in my opinion, more comfortable.
The luggage is a temporary, inexpensive solution: Lidl panniers and a very practical but rather ugly front bag cobbled together from a camera bag found at Emmaüs.
I plan to find things that are more in keeping with this machine, but I ran out of time. In short, the goal was to ride, not to show off. To be continued.
The headset fittings are superb, either homemade or reinforced at Follis. A remarkably delicate cable stop!
It's in its original condition, the paint on the top tube is cracked.
This means it's a touring bike that has already lived a full life, even if it still has a bright future ahead of it.
This isn't an impulse buy, it's an investment, the kind of machine you keep for decades.
I'm thinking of taking a few days' trip to the Vosges next week and maybe another one in September, either to the Morvan or the Black Forest.
I changed the saddle and pannier to harmonise the colours a little:
the saddle rivets, the ribbon and the pannier stitching are brown, the saddle leather, the finishing adhesive and the pannier are black.
The pannier is much nicer but less practical than the one I had before. It opens at the front and it's a little too wide. Which isn't a problem when braking, but the side pockets are harder to access.
I found it at Emmaüs (again!), for 30 times less than a Berthoud. All that's left is to remove the handle neatly and make a card holder.
To my knowledge, this is the only alternative to expensive bicycle panniers.
They are often found at charity shops and garage sales. Their appearance, size, side pockets and padding make them ideal for this purpose. All you need to do is tinker a little with the fastenings. That's fine by me, as I prefer to tinker rather than buy ready-made products.
To change up my camera bags, I added... a camera lens bag. Hehe!
A thing I found in a drawer, four rivets, two straps, and that's it. I can fit an inner tube, a patch kit with tyre levers, a multi-tool, and still have a little room left over.
I redid the lights, putting in a shell I found on a Swiss bicycle and a dynamo that isn't the most glamorous, but works perfectly. The cable passages are very discreet.
. Translation below.
