Re: [CR]1950s Red French Randonneur

> It's a bit of a guessing game trying to work out the origin of Joel
> Flood's 1950s randonneur.
>
> There are so many features such as the hellenic wrap-over that would
> point the maker out as possibly Jo Routens of Grenoble, after he had
> split up from the Hugonnier-Routens business. Routens did and still does
> use that wrap-over but his version is slightly longer, and more slender,
> but it might not have been in the 50s.
> Also he usually used a reinforcemnt col, and lar brazed to the top of
> the seat-tube whereas Joel's doesn't have one.The seat stay and chain
> stay ends on Joel's frame are domed and slotted whereas Routens
> preferred to "chisel" them. Other featues such as the drop-outs, the
> type of bracket for the Cyclo derailleur, the seat-stay bridge etc are
> all similar to those used by Routens, but I can't recall him using a
> metal headbadge...When in partnership with Hugonnier their badge had
> horizontal hole-spacing. The model is the "Dauphine"..and Routens and
> Grenoble are in the Dauphine region of Haute Savoie.
>
> However the hellenic style of seat cluster was not unique to
> Routens...but it may have originated in the Hugonnier-Routens workshops
> and just been copied by others. Another factor that convinces me that
> this is not Routens is the fork crown. Routens preferred the two-plate
> variety..and was still using them in the early 90s..although
> Hugonnier-Routens were known to use "normal" crowns.
>
> There were quite a few small factories in the St Etienne area..not too
> far from Grenoble, in the 50s who produced high-end randonneur frames,
> such as RAVAT, and there was Bourdel in Clermont-Ferrand. Alphonse
> Thomann in the suburbs also produce some quality frames of this
> type..and both he and RAVAT used headbadges.
>
> The unusual construction detail on this frame is the use of lugs, that
> appear to be a Nervex Serie-Legere, or very similar, on the head tube
> and bronze-welding elsewhere. I have seen this technique on only one
> other French quality frame..and.. the name escapes me completely..but it
> was very high end..and from a Parisien builder. I WILL!!! find out.
>
> If Joel could post the centre-to-centre measurements of the head-badge
> drill holes, that might be a great help.
>
> Norris Lockley..trying to stir "la matiere grise"..Settle UK