I had a really good deal going with Barum tubs in the late 70s right up
until they went off the market, sometime late 80s(?) . Customers would
complain that the great road-racing tubs..were they Nos 7,8, and 9 were
difficult to come by.
Then by accident I linked up for a supply of framnes bearing the name
"GELIANO" - French, not Italian..and found that the wholesaler,who was
theoretically the frame-builder, was also the BARUM importer for a large
part of Europe.One summer holiday I spent with him I helped count his
stock of BARUMS prior to him ordering the new season's stock.
When I told him that there were some 13,750 thereabouts stashed away in
his cool store he huffed and puffed, beriding himself for letting stocks
run so low.
>From memory what my racing customers liked about BARUM were the mixed
tread patterns, together with harder and softer rubber, the former for
racing hard, placed on the crown of the tread and the latter, for
cornering, placed on the shoulders of the tub.
I remember Jean-Marie complaining bitterly that Barum lacked an early season training tub, of the quality of the Wolber Neo-Pro, in its range, and he often visited the factory to try to make some progress with the company on its range of tread patterns, and its more utlitarian offerings.
Towards the end of the 80s I recall him telling me that big changes were afoot at the BARUM factory, as apparently a combination of a lack of capital and old machinery were conspiring to kill off the company. He considered introducing his own money into producing a limited range of budget tubs, but I understand that a big "player" in the tyre market had similar ideas. In that respect I think that the investor who bought into Barum..and led to the change of the company's name, was someone such as Continental, bringing with it money, know-how and marketing skills.
I hope to meet up with Jean-Marie in October and could get the complete
info if anyone would like it. He continues to import massive quantities
of TUFO into France. If you have difficulties in obtaining supplies you
can contact him..ask fof Franck, his son..on ..duret.geliano@wanadoo.fr.
I think their web-site is something like http://www.duret.geliano.fr.
>From the same country he also imported the asymetrical BAYER racing
rims..no need for dishing the rear wheel, as well as quite a lot of
other Eastern European goodies. Did this rim ever reach the States?
Norris Lockley...Settle UK