[CR]Rays DILECTA

(Example: Framebuilders:Cecil Behringer)

From: "Norris Lockley" <norris.lockley@talktalk.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 13:51:36 +0100
Subject: [CR]Rays DILECTA

How much are you asking for it?

You really have a superb find there. Dilecta was a very important cycle company based in the town of Le Blanc in the Indre et Loire/Indre et Cher region of central France.

They were very active in sponsorship in the 40s through to the 70s when they sponsored either the tallest or the shortest rider in the Tour ...was he called Kumani, or something like that. Like many other companies, Dilecta a company that had absorbed a number of leading manufacturers itself, finally had to stop manufacturing

The company was relatively small and regionally based, not unlike Helyett, whose factory was also in the Cher region about 100kms away. They built some very high quality machines both as randonneurs, Pro-quality racers, and some superb roadsters/town bikes. Le Blanc is about 80kms from my base in the Cher and, all being well this next three weeks, I intend to drove over there to look for Dilecta bikes.

Dilectas are rare..I have two..and it took several decades to find the first one, a late 1940s pro-racer type, with elegant lugs and a huge headbadge. The other model is an unusual "course amateur£ from possibly the late 30s, with interesting lugs, a two-plate fork crown and a superb flam purple finish.

Your bike in light blue is finished in Dilect's "team/house" colour. Does it have the elegant D/T transfer? I need a few good jpegs!

I have the 1947/48 catalogue and will look up your randonneur..for comparison's sake

Somewhere I have the text of a contribution to the List..to fill up that slot that says " Info needed"

Possibly more anon

Norris Lockley, Settle Uk