[CR]Bikes of the Pros..and Provenance

(Example: Framebuilding:Restoration)

Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:36:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Norris Lockley" <norris.lockley@yahoo.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Bikes of the Pros..and Provenance


As we know to our cost track bikes are fetching premium prices on Ebay, due in the main to the life-style statement one makes on the street by riding a fixie...or should I say fixed gear bike. I vowed to myself that I would n ever use that familiar diminutive form of a noble term.

However..there is currently on French Ebay an auction that just about sums up much of what we have been knocking about on the List regarding Pro bikes ...provenance, price etc

The bike is Item 150294998699.

The bike itself is a very attractive track model, and so far it has attract ed quite a lot of interest, but whether this is because of the bike per se, or because it is an attractive TRACK bike, or because of its alleged prove nance..or because of the builder who it is claimed built the frame... Conje cture is rife.

The seller claims that the frame was built by none other than Bernard Carre , builder of frames to Jacques Anquetil, Raphael Geminiani, Henri Anglade e tc etc. He further claims that it was built for a former Champion who rode for Mercier..the frame carries the name MERCIER, but not  on any transfer that you would associate with the renowned company. There is no trace of C arre's name on the frame ie stamped on the top-eyes...nor are the top-eyes of Carre's style..nor are the rider's initials stamped in the top-eyes in t he manner that Carre used to do when building frames for top riders.

I have written to the seller to enquire about the provenance and he has rep lied with a very woolly explanation. Not that I think he is being in any wa y deceitful or devious..I just think that the person who sold him the bike spun him one very big yarn.. He admits that he does not know much about bik es, and therefore relies on the word of others.

There is little doubt that the bike is attractive, but with just over two d ays to go it has attracted sixteen bidders , and the price stands at 501 eu ros..and it is probably going to go higher.

I wonder just what the buyers are bidding for..the bike per se,  or the p rovenance?

Norris Lockley , Settle UK