Hi Larry, Avanti was not a common bike in the US, I don't think, but they are not unheard of. A local friend has a track model, apparently from the 1950s, and it is beautiful. Here pics of Dennis' Avanti, shot in my basement when it was there for service a few years back: <http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/fujifish1/FriendsBikes/DennisV/Avanti_T rack_Schweden/> What cannot be seen in the pics, are the wheels with large flange, blue anodized BH Airlite hubs ... and they are beautiful!
I too found one locally a few years ago, that was from the early 1960s like yours, but it did not have Campy dropouts, so was a step-down model. When I inquired, the only person to respond was Harvey Sachs, who will likely chime in again, and tell us about buying his road model (in 1962?) from a LBS owner named Pearl. Since then one or two other people have inquired about Avanti bikes, and you will certainly find reference to them if you do an archives search for the marque name.
I still have plenty of adequate photos posted (three pages) of the one I had, and they are viewable here: <http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/fujifish1/MarksVintage/MarksSoldBikes/A vanti_1963_Reynolds_Simplex/> As always, click on any thumb to see a medium sized pic, and then click on that pic to see the full sized view. The last item on the last page is an album of frame only pics, used to sell it on Ebay, and there are better frame detail shots to be seen there.
It's interesting to note that the country of origin decals on the down tube of the two 1960s bikes, are spelled Sweden, when on Dennis' bike, it was spelled "Schweden". This may be an indication of their age differences.
Nice looking bike ... hope you enjoy it!
Ciao, Mark Agree, Southfield MI USA ~ ~ ~
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:23:37 -0800 From: Larry Myers <curmudgeon1957@yahoo.com> Subject: [CR] Swedish 'Avanti' pics... To: _classicrendezvous@bikelist.org_ (mailto:classicrendezvous@bikelist.org)
Hey, y'all
Here is the link to my Flickr page with the Avanti photos; any info
appreciated! http://www.flickr.com/
Cheers, Larry Myers? Portland, OR, USA
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:24:19 -0800 From: Larry Myers <curmudgeon1957@yahoo.com> Subject: [CR] (no subject) To: _classicrendezvous@bikelist.org_ ( mailto:classicrendezvous@bikelist.org)
Happy Solstice, all...
Just acquired a beautiful early-60's Swedish-built 'Avanti' road frameset, and can find almost no information relating to this marque....all French-threaded, 22.0mm steerer tube, Nervex pro lugs, all '531',w/ a gorgeous double-plate crown and 22mm round fork blades. Here's the odd part- the frame tubes are not Metric diameter (27.0 seatpost, frame decal is in English, tube diameters are all non-Metric) despite the otherwise all-French design dynamic; originally Campy GS/Record equipped, w/ cottered cranks & Weinmann '999' c-pulls, domed steel seat post, etc.?
If anybody in list-land can provide any data about these bikes, I would be very appreciative.
?Starting Dec. 27th, I will start a series of listings of various odds & ends...memorabilia, obscure small parts, wierd tools, stuff that you MUST own!!! All items will be posted on my Flickr site; prices shown will include CONUS shipping price (unless otherwise indicated). Some of the small stuff will be offered in lots only- c'mon, how can you resist treaures like NOS Universal brake hardware, rim washers, Nervar chainring hardware, NOS shop stickers from Zeus, Clement, Huret...the list goes on! This is for list members (and hangers-on) only, and will run for 30 days. Please...wait for the listing; all will be revealed then!
Thanks,
Larry Myers? Portland, OR, USA
freezing fog today....