The RAID brakes were something which Peugeot began to use for their 650B bikes by the mid 1970s. Substituting those slightly wider and considerably longer brakes, they could use the same basic frames alternately for either 700c or 650B wheels. This decreased their stockpile of frames considerably. After 1973 certain France-only Peugeot models had also shed their traditional cantilever brake mounts in favor of the RAID center-pulls. Again, simplifying and reducing the number of distinctly individual framesets required, while still allowing their full range of bikes.
The eBay bike looks nothing like any Helyett I've seen. The "Criterium" [not "Randonneur" drilled as claimed] TA pattern chainrings would surely be wrong for a Randonneuse. To me, the chainstays look spaced too narrow in the photos too and also rather short - or tight to the seat post.
The Prugnat Competition (or are those Bocama?) lugs look wrong for a Helyett of the 60s and better as a 70s bike. I am certainly no Helyett expert, but I did own a 1960s Speciale and the lettering on this bike looks very wrong to me. The lugs on my bike were a Nervex "Serie Legere" cut with quite different windows cut in the lugs. The "Headbadge" looks unlike any I have ever seen on any Helyett and surely more like a misplaced seat tube decal.
Not that it is a bad bike, but I never would have bid on it as either a Helyett... or even a proper Randonneur. But, maybe I'm just limited in my exposure to the bikes.
I would certainly defer and respect any opinion of Norris on this one.
BOB HANSON, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, USA
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