Caminade Caminargent city bike

I love the look and idea of the Carinargent(Introduced around 1934-35 in France). It has octagonal tubing that are held together by lugs that clamp with bolts. So the frame can be completely disassembled. It is aluminum and with some time and delicate love, it can be polished to a beautiful shine. I have never seen the octagonal tube rack before. If it was my size I would have not posted a link to the auction until it was over. . . and my bike!

This particular bike is on ebay and here is the seller's(RhClassics) description-
(ebay item-360548761084)

"54 cm middle of BB to center of seat tube.
 650B wheels. 3449/ 4-50, so April of 1950. 
Very nice example of a fully original cyclotouring Caminade, with all its original parts, never restored or polished up. 
There has been a tendency over the past to turn all Caminade into race bikes, or to build up a bike from a frame in a non-authentic fashion. 
This bike is the real thing, as it left the Caminade factory. It has all the nice cyclotouring options and parts : fantastic octagonal tubing rear carrier, original internal cables and wires, original red paint detailing of the lugs, original Caminade frame bolts, Lefol Le Paon mudguards and correct matching Luxor lights, rare alloy Roto-Phare dynamo, Stronglight cranks with red paint matching the frame, Lefol chain guard, fine alloy rims and hubs, Caminargent stem, alloy bars, Lam brakes and levers, fine long Frank Nelson saddle, octagonal pump peg. The back derailleur is missing, it would have been a standard Super-Champion to match the lever that is still there on the top tube. Not a problem to source this one missing part. Condition of the frame is good, it will polish up beautifully"

Caminade Caminargent Ladies Bicycle

This Caminade showed up on Ebay about 5 years ago. Finding high-end ladies bicycles are rather difficult, and one in this condition even harder. It is in beautiful condition, and I love the heart cutout on the headlug connecting the toptube. Simon Firth also built a bicycle for his lovely wife with a heart cutout as well, at Bilenky Bicycles here in Philadelphia. I wish I had a photo of that.

Joel Metz has a load of Caminargent information and scanned printed material online here.

UPDATE-
there is a Caminargent ladies bicycle here in philly!
My friend Simon just happened to mention this as I was writing this.
here is a preview picture, a full post will come in the future.

One contributer of awesome bikes comes forward

Edward Albert is a fine connoisseur of rare bikes and is a very valuable source of information and experience in cycling history. In fact, he is Vice President of the U.S. Bicycle Hall Of Fame.
He makes it a point to bring a super cool bike to a swap meet with a full write up attached to the bicycle, not only to state why the bike is rare or unique, but to help educate people. He owns the Caminade, the Vampire, the cool six day racer, the Durkopp, and many more super cool bikes. He is an outspoken proponent of collecting with provenance, a history attached to a certain bicycle. He is also currently writing a biography of Dick Power, a New York City frame builder.

I am the first to give credit where credit is due, but also try to balance out anonymity(so the owners are not hassled) and letting readers know the collectors I admire.

ed.- Eddie Albert added about Dick Power- " Mostly (built) bikes for local NY riders. Lots of kids who used them to win National Intermediate Championships and at least one senior Woman's championship (several times). That was Nancy Burghart who, BTW, was inducted into the hall of fame in 2007."

1908 Caminade Track Bicycle

very cool track racer.
chater lea headset, Caminade chainring. New Departure rear hub,
Persons saddle, John Bull Toe Clips, and what looks like Torrington pedals.
the very interesting feature is the square tubing for the chainstays.
the crimped seatstays at the dropouts to make it more rigid.
the unique seat cluster, it uses the 2 clamps, one is the traditional seat binder bolt-
the other is the early seatclamp that tightens with a conical sleeve, and a threaded unit and a nut. Tightening the nut compresses the sleeve to then hold the seatpost.
I'm not sure why it used both.
the headlugs look like early BSA lugs, no keyholes.
The bike has been restored, not sure what is original and what has been replaced over the past 100 years, but still a very interesting bike.
This bike was on display at the International Cycling History Conference,\
and was on loan from US cycling Hall of Fame Museum.

Click on pictures for larger images

Caminade Caminargent Track bike

Here is the most beautiful example of a Caminargent Track bike I have ever seen.
The track model is a bit tougher to locate.
First introduced around 1936, Aluminum octagonal tubing, that is pinchbolted into the various lugs. the frame can be completely disassembled.
The bike was outfitted with aluminum Stronglight Cotterless cranks, aluminum handlebars, stem, aluminum rail saddle(similar to the Ideale), aluminum hubs and rims.
this track model has something I have never seen, a unique way to tie and solder the spokes, it has a connecting strand that is continuous.

Some more info on Caminargents here-Joel Metz's website

(click on pictures for larger images)

thinking about starting again

my life has been rather hectic this year, it started off well, but then went a bit south of heaven.,
It has not stopped me from traveling around, taking cool pictures of cool bikes.
so the next few posts will be of interesting bikes or parts or both,.

(click on pictures for larger view)

Art Stump drillium bike.

Ottusi Drillium bike

Galmozzi cock headbadge.Caminade Caminargent track frame. Super beautiful. more pics to come in later posts.

1908 Caminade seat cluster.