Tim, if you noticed my Bertin on the CR site, it has DB 531 main tubes with Vitus forks. I think it was pretty common for Bertin to use 531/Vitus mixes or all Vitus on not-quite-top models. Also, the other Bertin (not mine) on the CR site has what appears to be a Columbus sticker, so Bertin seems not to have been wedded to any particular tubing, meaning the one you have could be about anything. However, given the equipment, Simplex Criterium, TA Cyclotourist, Normandy Competition (they say Milremo because Bertin was a partner with Ron Kitching in UK in the Milremo venture), I'd guess this is a high quality, if maybe not quite top-of-line model. That would mean it is probably 531, Vitus or Columbus or some mix of those, good stuff in any case. There is one other clue you might consider. The "French formula" in that era was half-chromed forks and stays on full 531 models, half-chromed forks (painted stays) on models with 531 DB main tubes but different forks and stays. There were exceptions, but it's amazing how often the formula was followed. My Bertin on the web site conforms to the formula. On the other hand, the other Bertin on the web site has Columbus, a full chromed fork, and a full chromed right-side chainstay. This was the Italian formula for much of the late 70's/ early 80's. Bertin was a bit different in part because it wasn't a pure French, but a French/Belgian firm. Andre Bertin himself was Belgian, I believe, and at least a few models were made in Belgium, while most were made in France.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
> Hey folks..
>
> I've got a line on an old Bertin, and I'm looking for info on it. Right
> now, it's buried in the basement of the non-profit shop where I work, so I
> can't get to it easily, but here's what I know so far...
>
> Can't read any tubing stickers at all, but there looks to be the remains
of
> some sticker on the fork, and a spot on the seat tube where a sticker used
> to be. Big help, huh? It's an ugly tan color, well, in it's day, it
might
> have been something like "champagne", but now it looks dull tan. With an
> orange seat tube panel with the Bertin name on it. Crankset is a TA
> Cyclotouriste, double. Derailleurs are Simplex, nicer than Prestige, but
> still plastic (Criterium?). Front derailleur is a paralleogram style, not
> pushrod. Hubs look like Normandy, but say Milremo on them. I think they
are
> Normandy Competitions, if I know my old hubs. Rims are SuperChampion 58
or
> 59, I'm not sure. Are the 59s the same as 58s, but eyeletted? Brakes
are,
> you guessed it, MAFAC Racers. Bars, if I recall correctly, are Phillippe?
>
> Any clues or hints? Any identifying features I should check for? It
feels
> pretty light, and on the short ride I took, it rides pretty well, given
that
> it desperately needs an overhaul. So, what am I looking at?
>
> Tim
>
> Tim Fricker
> tymn61@earthlink.net