Mark Ritz wrote:
>
> I remember watching Daniel Morelon and Pierre Trentin at the Grand Prix of the
> US at the Encino Velodrome. Both rode bikes that were decalled as LeJeune
> (Morelon's in blue and Trentin's in all chrome) but both were actually built
> by a company called Gemini. Up close, it was obvious that these bikes had no
> relation to the LeJeunes being sold at the time in the LA area. Anyone
> familiar with Gemini?
In 1973 & 1974 the French team to the Grand Prix of the United States was "hosted" by my club's founder Raymond Fouquet. As a result we had a very unusual Sunday club ride during those events. The Velo Club La Grange ride was and still is an approx. 28 mi. hilly circuit from West LA through Hollywood, up Nichols Canyon, along Mulholland and down back through Westwood. Those "trackies" were not afraid of hills, even with events scheduled later the same day! Never saw club members warming up for a club ride prior to this. The ride was actually slower than usual, the coach Toto Geridine (sp) rode with the team and kept the pace very subdued until the hills. We had a motorcop in the club during that period, one year there were no "red" lights for us. Pretty darn cool for a 14 year old at the time.
The "leJeunes" were indeed Gemini's or C.N.C.'s, the Gemini's were most identifiable by the unique "sharks-tooth" finish of the stays and blades at the tips. I wanted one. A lot. I know of three that were brought in during this period. Perhaps one day the opportunity will arise.
John Jorgensen Palos Verdes Ca
Remembering that the Soviet team when asked what the scars on Jerry Ash's thighs were from were told from "deer tendon implants for a better jump". We think they believed it.