Tom,
Gene Portuesi is a Michigan legend!!!! He was a co-founder of the Wolverine Cycling Club out of Detroit, as well as a co-owner of a high-end bike shop in Detroit w/Mike Walden (the Continental Bike Shop, I believe). After a falling out w/Mike, Gene went on the open Cyclopedia, which was first located in Detroit and then in Cadillac, Michigan. Cyclopedia was known as one of the early high-end shops in the U.S, having a mail order catalog that was very well known. Gene was also the first to import Urago bike frames into the U.S. Unfortunately, Gene passed away a few years ago.
Dave Patrick Chelsea, Michigan
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org]On Behalf Of Tom Sanders Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2004 1:56 PM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]Eisentraut dating...a little help?
I just bought a basement full of cool bike stuff. In with all this was a
killer Paramount track bike and a small Eisentraut without any decals (I
have been told that Miji Reoch raced a similar one without decals) that was
custom built for a racer named Barb Hinson (SP?). It has wheels supposedly
built by one Gene Portuesi (again SP?) who was possibly an Olympic cycling
coach and owner of a business called Cyclopedia. None of this rings any
bells at all for me. Perhaps it might for some of the old timers on the
list? I have no reason to doubt the old gentleman I bought the stuff from.
The bike has a serial # of 040679. I am guessing this places it in '79?
Might there be a time line someone knows about of Eisentraut serial numbers?
Any help sure would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Tom Sanders
Lansing, Mi