Don,
I do not have much info for you but have seen quite a few Favorit bicycles. They are indeed from the Czech Republic aka Czechoslovakia. The company I work for has a plant outside of Prague and I travel there a few times each year. On my hunt for bike stuff I stumbled on a fellow that deals bike stuff, mostly junk, from his home and garage. All sorts of Favorit branded stuff, much of it copies of popular French and Italian parts. He has one gem though, a Favorit Professional which appears to be a quality high end bike. He has it hanging on a wall in his home and he will not sell it - and I've tried very hard to buy it. Very much Campagnolo NR copy components and satisfactory looking lugwork (not poor, not stellar either). I own some brakes and misc. other stuff that I've purchased just for the fun of it. By the way, this guy speaks no English and I speak no Czech so it makes for an interesting and creative way to try and communicate with one another!
Does anyone know more - I'd be interested to find out. My colleague who speaks English and is the General Manager at the facility has no interest in getting me any info; so for now, like you, I'm hoping someone on the list can provide more info.
Eric Elman
Somers, CT, my Favorit town
>A thrift store has a old ten speed Favorit with drops
> and a full Favorit grupo (really, I'm not kidding). It
> says made in Czechoslovakia. Anyone ever hear of a
> Favorit?
>
> It might also be known by the name Rapido Favorit.
> The head badge says Rapido (Skoda-Jawa Co., Montreal).
> The rest of the bike is, however, emphatically
> stickered with Favorit. No sign of 531 tubing, but the
> lugs are kind of fancy in a Peugeot Uo-8 kind of way.
>
> The entire bike looks licensed from some French
> company. The Favorit center pulls look like Mafacs
> Racers. The Favorit brake levers look like Mafac
> levers. The Favorit front derailleur looks like a
> Simplex. The Favorit rear derailleur looks like a
> metal Simplex. The Favorit chainwheel with cottered
> cranks looks like a million other French bike boom
> bikes.
>
> Alas, the pedals are gone, so I can't date it by
> reflectors. And the purple metal flake paint looks a
> little too new for early seventies. Maybe the commies
> were behind the curve in Czechoslovakia and still
> producing 60-70s bikes in the late 70s.
>
> Again, anyone know anything about these critters. I
> want to say no to this bicycle in the worst way,
> but...my greatgrandpa was from Prague and I've always
> felt I ought to have a Czech bike. Someone tell me
> this is another piece of crap bike boom bike of no
> significance whatsoever and that I should skip it.
>
> Don Wilson
> Los Olivos, CA
>
> D.C. Wilson 805.688.8696 dcwilson3@yahoo.com
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> Note: This message may contain confidential and/or privileged
> information. If you are not the addressee or authorized to
> receive this for the addressee, you must not use, copy, disclose or take
> any action based on this message or any information herein. If you have
> received this message in error, please advise the sender immediately by
> reply e-mail and delete this message. Thank you for your cooperation.
> -------------------------------------------------------------
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com