My understanding is that the chainstay tubing on old Frejus' that had a dragonfly in a triangle trademark is called LaBelle. I have a Frejus Track Frame sporting such chainstays as well as Falk main Tubes and fork. What I don't know is whether it is top tier or second tier frame. Build Quality is great but it is a bit heavy ( as would be expected in a sprinters frame). Does anyone know if Frejus created a second tier track bike frame? I'm speculating that market forces created an impetus to switch materials from Falk and LaBelle to Reynolds and Columbus.
How come no discussion about Mansmann tubing? Any German or Swiss artisan bikes built up with this material?
On another topic do any listmembers have Gitane Catalogs from 1973 to 1975. I have Gitane bike that is equipped like a Tour de France Model (stronglight 93, Simplex Criterium Deraillers, simplex post, Normandy Hubs)but the frame is very un-Tour de France like. It is a solid orange color (without chrome) has a newer decal graphic than the foil graphics of the classic tour de france frame and has atypical seat stay caps. They are wrap arounds but the cap appears to be a separate top plate with a visible edge over the stay tube (a la a 1964 Anquetil Gitane as illustrated by Rebour). The classic tour de france seat stay "cap" looks like it was the carefully notched, then crimped, then brazed together tube itself. The frame lugs are italian style long point (not sure if nervex or prugnat). The crown is a nervex pro. the dropout are simplex forged. The bike has no tubing decals and I've never seen another one like it. Hoping a catalog from the requested year might help me verify its age. The brake bridge also sport those reinforcement plates.
Todd Teachout
Hercules, CA