Very interesting debate going on on the List about shipping a bike to France, presumably this Routens. I ave been bidding on this bike since it first arrived for auction, knowing it was a full 9cms TOO BIG for me, but thinking that someone in the List might be interested in buying it. Why did I bother.. do I hear you ask? Well... the seller lives near Paris and his advert. says that he will only ship in France. I shall be in Paris in about 14 days time and, had I won the auction I would have picked it up and brought it back.
Now then, as we are used to saying in the north of England.. I note that a certain bidder "griffenswith", and American, to boot, has won the auction for a meagre 600 euros... very cheap. Is this bidder a member of the CR LIst? Does he intend to go over and fetch the bike back.. that would make a very expensive purchase.
What I am suggesting is that if "griffenswitch" is a List member, and if he so wishes, I could pick the bike up, bring it back to the UK..sometime in late October, I think, and then arrange to ship it to the States.. if all that sems to be a more economical way of doing things.
i have exchanged some emails with the seller of the Routens about the frame. it is bronze-welded, as are all original Jo Routens "randonneuse" frames. Some recent frames built by Jo's son Jean-Paul, are lugged. The company is still in business in a very big way near Grenoble, should transfers be required for a respray.
Norris Lockley.. trying to keep the "entente cordiale" alive with "mes amis les Frogs" while fostering that renowned "special relationship " (..think Margaret Thatcher and Ronnie Regan) with the Americans.. almost said "Yanks"..Sorry
Settle UK