[CR]Builder's Name

(Example: Framebuilders:Dario Pegoretti)

Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:11:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Michael Thompson" <meauxtown@yahoo.com>
To: CR Main Address <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]Builder's Name


I have a buddy that lives in France and back in the early 80's he wanted a custom bike built. While living out near the coast, some where around Rouen ,he was directed to a local bicycle builder and he made the trek out to his shop. Paul is American and is just learning the French language at the tim e. When he enters the shop he asked to see the owner/builder a Mr. C. Pea n. (you French speakers see it coming) Mr. Pean comes from the back and Pau l introduces himself and asked if he is Mr. Pean. Well, Paul pronounces P ean just as he would here in the states, Pean, like you would say a ball pean hammer. Mr. Pean replies very vigorusly, Pea uh!, Pea uh!  So Paul p icks up on the pronunciation, and places his order for the custom frame wit h Mr. Pea uh.  When he gets home, Paul tells his French wife Bernadette, about the order and how Mr. Pean replyed to his miss pronunciation of his n ame. Bernadette got quite a laugh. It seems in French, Pean pronouncied as we would say it, is a vulgar reference to a man's unit.

Paul still rides the Claude Pean, and when I'm over there we still laugh ab out how all that happened. I've never seen another, and have googled Claude Pean and really didn't find much. There was a Claude Pean that was a Jr. c oach., I really don't even know if it's the same guy. Has anyone else seen a C.Pean f/f? Be careful how you say it.

Michael Thompson
Monroe, Louisiana