Eric,
Awesome detail thanks so much. So a couple of follow up questions if that's OK, I want to make sure the info on the auction is as correct as it can be:
1. There are absolutely no markings anywhere on the levers, and no evidence that they've been removed somehow, are we sure these are MAFACs?
2. Do you have any info about the actual length of the VE and VF levers? These, from the cable stop to the end of the lever are 5.5" long. The fit my average male hand very well. They were pulled off an adult sized bike if I recall, so I'm a little surprised that they'd be children's levers. I realize that you're going on the shape and the lack of 'ball' tips to designate them as VE correct?
3. You mention the mounting bands and that the VE levers came with the simplified solid band and not the slotted patented band. These have the slotted bands so that conflicts a bit with the VE designation if they are MAFACs.
4. Age? Any thoughts about when these are from?
Thanks so much for all the detail, that's what I love about this list!
David Bilenkey Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eric Elman [mailto:tr4play@cox.net]
> Sent: August 27, 2002 7:47 PM
> To: Huemax@aol.com; cbeyer2@volvocars.com; dbilenkey@sympatico.ca;
> classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> 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