Custom 650B French-style Touring Bike 49 cm c-c

For sale by Sheldon Brown

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This bike was custom built for an old friend of mine sometime in the 1970s, by a builder in New England. Unfortunately, my friend is pretty old, and can no longer remember the name of the builder.

Although the frame is American, the bike is very much in the French style, with mostly French parts.

It generally represents the state-of-the-art in serious touring bikes of that vintage.

I have not made any attempt to clean it up beyond a light dusting here and there. I have not actually ridden it (it is much too small for me!)

The Frame

The frame is mostly fillet brazed, except for the bottom bracket, which is lugged. It is almost certainly made from Reynolds 531, though there are no transfers.

It has Campagnolo vertical dropouts.

Dimensions:

Seat Tube: 49 cm center to center
Top Tube: 55.5 cm center to center
Chainstays: 43.5 cm center to center

Components

Wheels

650b (584 mm) French rims, probably Mavic or Wolber 58.
Maxicar sealed bearing hubs.
36 spokes front and rear. The wheels are true and undamaged.
Vintage Wolber 650B tires are in good condition, tubes hold air.
5-speed freewheel 14-30 teeth.

Drive Train

TA crankset 52-44-30 teeth
Phil Wood bottom bracket.
SunTour VGT rear derailleur
Simplex Super LJ front derailleur SunTour Barcon handlebar end shifters

Other Parts

Pivo stem (8 cm)
Drop handlebars, probably Pivo
Mafac cantilever brakes
Idéale #42 saddle*
Lyotard Marcel Berthet #23 Pedals*

*The bike came to me without a saddle or pedals, I installed a saddle and pedals that I had on hand, items which seemed appropriate to me. The pedals are fairly heavily used.

Accessories

Aluminum fenders/mudguards, brand unknown, probably French.
Front and rear luggage racks, brand unknown, probably French.
Sanyo Dynapower bottom bracket generator/dynamo with internal wiring

Flaws

The front fender is slightly bent.
The lights do not work, but I have made no attempt to service them.
The tail light is loose on the rear fender.