Norris, I find it interesting that by the 50s and 60s, the French cycling cr
owd had largely forgotten the names of Singer and Herse, rarely mentioned in
conversation as you related. In the 30s, these same French builders w
ere competing at the top in the French technical trials, showing not only Fr
ance, but the world, how lightweight bikes could withstand the rigor of hars
h roads and riding conditions. I suppose one could say in the interven
ing 15-20 years from the trials to the time you were traveling around France
that people could have forgotten the trials and the builders who participat
ed in them. Some may say, "well, there was WWII", but then, the French
weren't exactly fighting in that war, were they? (Oh yes, they h
ad the partisans and a few Johnny-come-latelys who jumped in line behind the
Allied forces as they marched into Paris, but you know what I mean.)Â
It may be that the French just don't have the same sense of history that som
e of the rest of the world have, which is quite surprising. I'm not su
rprised that local riders would have supported their local framebuilder.Â
But, I am surprised that the people weren't more knowledgeable about the
ir own cycling history.   Lou Deeter, Orlando FL