A couple of years ago at veloswap in sf there was a guy who had about twenty five junky french bikes arranged in a semicircle under a few tables with old french parts and accessories up top on the tables. Like a mega barnfind in the midwest, but only french. Very curious. Me and my girlfriend stood transfixed staring at the old french bikes. balloon tired with weird sizes, yellow headlamps, aluminum hammertone fenders. All of them junky, but in a good way. All of them had crazy price tags on strings hanging from the handlebars, 400 or 500 dollars, later for that. There was a few photos of his tables on flickr, but I can no longer find them.
Before christmas I was at a friends shop and he had one of these bikes, still with the string from the pricetag hanging from the bars. He was liquidating some of his collection and this one was going, sweet.
It's a Hero. It's French, not the indian brand of bike. Single speed with Simplex dropouts, 28 x 1-1/2" wheels, wingnuts, bottle generator, a le pratique chainguard, and subtle yellow pinstriping on all of the tubes.
Now I need to find 40-635 tires.
Before christmas I was at a friends shop and he had one of these bikes, still with the string from the pricetag hanging from the bars. He was liquidating some of his collection and this one was going, sweet.
It's a Hero. It's French, not the indian brand of bike. Single speed with Simplex dropouts, 28 x 1-1/2" wheels, wingnuts, bottle generator, a le pratique chainguard, and subtle yellow pinstriping on all of the tubes.
Now I need to find 40-635 tires.
But enough French bashing, I love those people... I'll share some pics of my own recent French score soon.
