Eric:
Well done, indeed. Please begin an irregular series on MAFAC brakesets. I'm sure a number of us would be delighted to read all about it (without drifting offfffffffffff).
Charlie
Charles T. Young
Honeybrook. PA
<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2002 7:47 PM Subject: Re: [CR]Detailed Info/Guidonnet levers again
> Here's details on these from both experience and the Mafac catalog.
>
> The levers pictured on the link below are NOT Mafac Guidonnet but in fact
> child sized Mafac Ville VE levers.
>
> http://cgi.ebay.ca/
>
> Specifics:
>
> Ville are straight.
> Guidonnet are the ones that curve to follow the shape of a handle bar.
> These came in plastic "GDA" for the Guidonnet or "VDA" for the Ville.
> These also came in metal ("dural forge" as in the Mafac catalog) "GF" for
> the Guidonnet or "VF" for the Ville.
> In addition, these same levers were available in child sizes("course
> enfant")!
> These are called "Guidonnet enfant GE" and "Ville enfant VE." They also
> made a traditional lever for drop bars called "CE" for poignee course
enfant
> and the same with an adjuster "CET" poignee course enfant avec tendeur. I
> have these on my childs size Peugeot racer. The catalog does not specify,
> but only shows/lists one material which in my experience has been
aluminium
> except for the body of the racing lever which is plastic.
>
> Now, each VF, GF, VDA, GDA came in two variations: VF B, VF S, GF B, GF
S.
> The suffix of B refers to the lever with a "patented stainless steel clip"
> and the S refers to the "simplified stainless clip." The simplified clip
is
> identified by a solid band while the patented clip has a slot cut out of
the
> center of the band (this is what I've only ever seen on Mafac bands). The
> child sized levers VE and GE had the simplified band while the racing
lever
> CE/CET had the patented band as standard.
>
> Phew....
>
> Confused yet? But wait, there's more. The child size levers guidonnet
and
> ville have relatively flat ends to their levers while the adult sized
items
> have distinct balls at the ends/tips. The exception to this is the childs
> size racer levers which also have a ball at the tip. Also, the child
sized
> guidonnet and ville have a very faint cast "Mafac" in them while the adult
> sized levers have Mafac cast within a rectantangle. I have seen/possessed
> all the childs varients and again, all were aluminium (except the plastic
> racing lever body). I have seen the guidonnet adult in aluminium and have
> seen a Ville in plastic. These are out there and show up on ebay
> sporadically but are not impossible to find.
>
> Hope that helps.
>
> If you have trouble falling asleep tonight, read this post and it should
> work as an effective non-pharmaceutical sleeping antidote.
>
> Eric "Mafac" Elman
> Somers, CT
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Huemax@aol.com>
> To: <cbeyer2@volvocars.com>; <dbilenkey@sympatico.ca>;
> <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2002 6:17 PM
> Subject: Re: [CR]Guidonnet levers again
>
>
> >
> > In a message dated 8/27/02 3:58:37 PM, cbeyer2@volvocars.com writes:
> >
> > << The CLBs curve forward, so you can operate them from a
> >
> > wider variety of hand positions.
> >
> >
> > Chris >>
> >
> > I have a pair of alloy MAFAC guidonnet that I purchased around 1967,
they
> have
> > "MAFAC" engraved and turns 90' forward so that you can get hold of them
at
> > next stem as well as upper forward position.
> >
> > I remember that Mafac had white(ivory) plastic pair also at that time,
and
> > they were less cost than alloy ones. Ones I see in ebay are not
guidonnet
> > rather regular straignt brake levers to me.
> >
> > KEN TODA, wet High Point, NC