Dear Group, I've been collecting for about fifteen years now, and nothing exactly like this has happened before. I walked into a bike shop in Iowa with my brother and friend Charlie, and there above the new GT and Fuji hybrid bikes were two vintage bikes on display. Both are called "Ficelle." Identical frame sizes (23" CT), one in yellow gold, and one in blue. I was told that the blue bike had never been ridden. It had languished in a box for its first fifteen years or so, and then the owner built it up and put it on display. The bikes have nervex lugs, TA cranks, Mavic tubular rims, Dunlop tires, "Phillipe" stems with painted highlights in the recessed portions, Mafac Racer brakes, Campagnolo steel front hub, low-end Huret derailleurs. The "Ficelle" on the seatmast may feature the "comic book" lettering I've heard discussed on this site. The saddle is a "Pryma." Vitus main tubes, with a "Made in France" sticker. Judging from the workmanship, which is a bit sloppy in places (including some flux under the paint here and there), I'd guess these bikes were part of the great bike boom, built and ushered into this country in haste. The owner remembered getting them in the early seventies through Island Cycle, and said they retailed then for over five hundred dollars. Does anyone on our list know anything more about these bikes? I bought them both, the near-mint yellow gold (now belonging to Charlie), and the NOS blue one, which I'm keeping for myself. It was quite a thrill to find this matched pair of nearly perfect bicycles from 1973. If "Ficelle" strikes a chord, please let me know. Thanks.
Daniel Ficelle Dahlquist