by velocollective | May 20, 2017 | Vintage French Bike Parts
Alpin Hubs and Super Champion Competition Rims I really liked these Alpin hubs: hi flange, beautifully made, a French tubular wheelset of high quality that was very light. I polished them up as they were a little dull after decades of service, and they ended up...
by velocollective | May 17, 2017 | Repair Tips, Vintage French Bike Parts
Adjusting Mafac Centrepull Brakes Buy a vintage French bike and it will likely have Mafac centrepull brakes. These brakes are very adaptable with their long reach arms, and earned a reputation over the years for providing reliable and effective brakes....
by velocollective | May 8, 2017 | Bike Histories
The Final Throw of the Dice Things looked bad for the French bike parts industry. The year was 1984, and the market was rapidly changing; the reign of French components, once so dominant in the bike boom, was now being eroded by competition from...
by velocollective | May 5, 2017 | Vintage French Bike Parts
22.0mm Sizing French stem sizing is a quirk of the vintage bicycle era. Bikes made before 1983 will likely have a different steerer sizing than other bikes. Instead of 22.2mm, which is the standard steerer size for most bikes, vintage French steerers take a...
by velocollective | Apr 30, 2017 | Vintage French Bikes
The Mystery Bike It was in a shoddy state. Unridden for a long time, I’d guess for more than twenty years. The tyres were flat, the rear derailleur was locked up with thick dirt; the chain was off; the Stronglight headset was rusty and so loose...
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