RE: [CR]Constructeur----French snobbery, British Constructeurs & "demi-constructeurs"

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing:Columbus)

Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 09:03:37 -0800 (PST)
From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: RE: [CR]Constructeur----French snobbery, British Constructeurs & "demi-constructeurs"
To: "Silver, Mordecai" <MSilver@iso.com>, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
In-Reply-To: <DB138660B6B01D458B16F9205C0C26340415BB6E@ISOEMAILP3.iso.com>


I was about to suggest the same thing, although I suspect few would call them a constructeur. Lambert's aren't particularly valuable, probably because some of the unique parts didn't turn out very well. The aluminum forks were known to break, the sleeve at the center of the bars sometimes worked loose, the Lambert copy of the Huret Svelto RD didn't shift as well as the original, and the non-tapered BB axle often allowed the cranks to aome loose. Still worth owning one, IMHO, just as an example of a bold is not very successful venture. Kind of like owning a well preserved Edsel, I guess

Regards,

Jerry Moos Big Spring, Tx

"Silver, Mordecai" <MSilver@iso.com> wrote: Would a Lambert be considered a constructeur bicycle? It had proprietary pedals, handlebar, stem, brakes, cranks, derailleurs, hubs, and bottom bracket, so it does fit Jan Heine's definition that "a constructeur actually builds the entire bike, including proprietary components and others that are modified for the purpose."

Are Lambert components worth anything today on eBay? Any Lambert collectors out there?

Mordecai Silver
NYC