What's all this, then?

[mullinino]

Sold to me decalled up years ago as a Gazelle Champion Mondial...I know it's not, but further research hasn't helped, so just wondered if any of ye lot have a clue? Seems well-brazed and lightish - possibly 531 weightwise if I had to guess, I've just removed most of the paint as picced and it's in great nick, no dents or damage but no stamps or markings anywhere at all, rear dropouts are Gipiemme, BSA standard bb, 26.4 seatpost, one set of bottle cage bolts and the fork isn't stamped anywhere. Also, I'm not entirely sure why I'm speaking in italics now, but I'm not entirely sure I care either.

Any help muchly appreciated, P.

 

[non-fixie]

Light weight and 26.4 seatpost make me think it's French. What's the outside diameter of the seat tube?

Motobecane comes to mind, as they used Gipiemme dropouts on some of their models around 1980, as well as changed to BSC BB threading.

 

[mullinino]

Thanks for that! 28.6mm OD seat tube

 

[non-fixie]

Thanks for that! 28.6mm OD seat tube

Thank you for your reply. Probably not French then. With these numbers (26.4 ID + 28.6 OD) it could be either straight gauge quality tubing, like Reynolds 531, or hi-ten steel. That's assuming the seat post fits correctly.

This, and the fact that there are no serial numbers or other identifying marks, makes me shift my suspicion towards Belgium. Judging by the cable tunnels on the TT and the under the BB cable routing this frame was built in the early to mid-eighties, which coincides with a considerable production of "no-name" frames by a number of Belgian shops. They were delivered to customers fully painted, but without decals or other marks.
Customers were often local bicycle shops in Belgium and Holland, which would then add their own decals, build them up and sell them as their house brand bikes.

Just my sort-of-educated guess.

BTW, I don't believe Gazelle was such a customer. The Gazelle branding was probably the work of a previous owner.

 

[mullinino]

That's all a great help - you know your stuff! Much appreciated again, ta - P.