[CR]Arms and Bicycles--St. Etienne, France

(Example: Framebuilders:Bernard Carré)

To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:08:01 -0500
From: <loudeeter@aol.com>
Subject: [CR]Arms and Bicycles--St. Etienne, France

We've discussed several times the connections between major gun producing centers in Europe and what later became centers of bicycle builders.? Examples are:? Eibar, Spain and the connection with Zeus; Graz, Austria and the connection with Austro-Daimler and Puch.

Today, a co-worker brought in an 1879 French bayonet.? Engraved on it was that it was manufactured in St. Etienne, France.? I did a google to see what type of arms industry existed there and voila, St. Etienne was?a center of the French arms producing industry for several centuries before it became a center for bicycle production.? Norris Lockley has mentioned many French builders from this area, but until today, I didn't associate it with the "other" steel industry.?

Lou Deeter, Orlando FL USA