CLB 1950s catalog

 A very interesting crank shorting adapter. From the illustrations, it allows a young lady to ride I bicycle that is too big for her.

 I didn't realize CLB offered so many different chainguards.

Catalogs again

All Original.  Amazed on the cool catalogs we have here.

I wish I had time to scan these, especially the Singer, Herse, and VAR with Rebour drawings.

Alex Singer (french)

Dilecta (french, 1950s)

Rene Herse (french, early 1960s)

CLB (french, 1950s)

Colnago(Italian, mid 1970s)

VAR (french, 1966)

Cinelli (Italian, 1970s)

a few sets of cool brakes from the second floor

a few cool sets of French brakes. Nice looking boxes as well

Mafac Criterium cantilever brakes.

Mafac Top 63 brakes

Bebolux braze on brake calipers

CLB Racer cantilever brakes

Louison Bobet 650b bicycle

Louison Bobet was a very famous French racer, best known for his 3 consecutive Tour du France victories. He raced for the French bicycle manufacturer, Stella for many years. He was forced into retirement after a car accident.

This bike is mid-level 1960s touring bike. Fr0m a distance, it looks like a typical French touring bike complete with racks, fenders, lights and even Guidonnet brake levers. But upon closer inspection, one notices heavy steel rims, cottered steel cranks, and 2nd tier components. That is not to mention the lax attention detail on on the frame and lug treatment.

The bike was outfitted with Huret Allvit derailleurs, with a 600 front derailleur. The brakes are CLB cantilevers and CLB guidonnet brake levers for top of handlebar braking position. The bicycle also has a set of racks with a cool protector around the headlight.

I guess this bike would be an entry lever touring bike. This bike is what collectors would call "barn fresh," it is in the same state it has been in for a really long time, taking the date from the tag hanging on it, since 1983, over 25 years untouched. There is much to be upgraded on it to make it a more reliable and lightweight bike but might make a good rider. More information on Louison Bobet bike here on Classic Rendezvous.

Frexel inverse Brake levers

I love city bikes. I don't understand people that ride bikes in the city without fenders and chainguards, and dare I say. . . upright riding position!!

The search for brake levers for the upright riding position leaves the rider looking either at current stock(modern plastic/aluminum Mtn. bike levers) or older brake levers. Most brake levers found on upright bikes were plain Weinmann or Dia Compe alloy brake levers that haven't changed much since the 1960s. They are nice and look at home on any classic bike, but I wanted something a little different. So I started looking at weird French brake levers.

I first had a set of these cool slim-lined aluminum brake levers. They looked great and also had a great feel. But I wanted something even cooler, weirder looking. My friend Fred had purchased a french Porteur bike from us a couple years ago, and it had Mafac inverse brake levers. I loved the look, but inverse brake levers were very hard to find. So went to the only place that would have them, Ebay. I bought various sets of them-CLB, no name, and finally set my eyes on a beautiful set of Frexel ones. They are sculpted, and highly polished, and a nice final touch- they are super lightweight. I have yet to install them on a bike, because I have no bicycle worthy of them yet. I am hoping that the same fortunate circumstances happen with the brake levers as what happened when I bought a Jack Taylor stem, I was given a Jack Taylor Super Tourist, missing a stem. So I am waiting on my Rene Herse Porteur bike, missing brake levers ;)

On my current city bike, a 1960s french Rochet road frame set up with Honjo fenders and Velo-Orange Porteur rack, I installed Tektro inverse brake levers. They are very nice and have a spring return. As nice as they feel, they have nothing on Frexel.