>Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 13:03:48 +0000
>From: "John Clay" <jmedclay@hotmail.com>
>
>I've got an Ochsner roadracing frameset that dates from ~ 1982. It has a
>few, small paint chips but otherwise appears as new. The previous/original
>owner said he put 2,000 miles on it and the condition of the groupset is
>consistant with that claim. It then hung on a wall for ~20 years.
>
>Can anyone tell me about it? Builder reputation, is the frame special in any
>way, history of the make, collectable, value, anything else?
>
>Thanks
>John Clay
Ochsner & Ochsner were importers and wholesalers in Chicagoland. They specialized in high end stuff, mostly racing equipment. I got to tour their warehouse one time on a road trip to a CADBA show. Pretty cool seeing that much in one place. We used to buy quite a bit of racing gear from them for the pro bike shop I worked at. They didn't make frames. Put their names on frames and some other items from unknown sources. Probably italian builders since so much of their inventory was from Italy. We sold a few of the frames. It took a bit of prep work to build them up. I was never impressed with the fit & finish. But I never rode them so I can't comment on the ride.
Rick Paulos
Davenport, Iowa.