All the talk about fine French bikes prompted me to get out for a ride this afternoon on the Louis Pitard that I was lucky to find earlier this year - and to think about tracking down a couple of things that I need for it.
It's current mildly tidied-up state this afternoon:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Album of photos of its original state:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Could anybody sell me - or could you point me towards a source for - a suitable 26.4mm alloy domed seatpost?
And... what's the best thing to do about replacing the leather strap 'chainstay protector'?
And finally, the thorny question of restoration. I was able to remove most of the nasty rust on the top and down tubes - but that's left some sizeable patches of bare metal - especially un-sightly on the top tube.
I have neither the skill nor the patience to do a really good job of touching up those patches. Can anybody recommend someone in the UK who is capable of doing an excellent, sympathetic 'touch up' restoration - as opposed to the 're-creation' restorations done by Argos et al? I'd really rather not go ahead and do a full restoration - but feel that it's a bit beneath the dignity of the bike to leave it in its current, scarred state.
Cheers,
Wyndham Pulman-Jones
Girton, Cambs., UK.