This lovely bicycle is a 58cm Routens “cyclosportif” with a Simplex Super LJ group set. It’s one of the finest machines I’ve had the privilege of restoring, although it needed very little actual work to restore. A “cyclosportif” is sort of like the French equivalent to “sport touring” where a bike may have fenders and a handlebar bag, but is not meant to carry panniers. Read on for more info on this classic steed and its famous namesake.
It’s been several months since I’ve done a write up on one of my restoration projects, but now I’m back and I have a whole stable full to show off. First in line is this 1980 Mercier Salève “velo de course”. A mid-range road racer as seen in this catalog from the early 1980’s, it features Vitus tubing and drop-outs. I like the paint and logo schemes of the early 80’s Mercier bikes more than any of the other eras. It’s restrained but the blue paint glows with a subtle sparkle. Read on for more…
I recently finished restoring this classic French randonneur bicycle, a Mercier from the early 1950's. It's equipped with 650B wheels and a number of rare components only seen on French bicycles of the 1940's – 50's.
I acquired the bike from a French seller on eBay, and comprehensively restored it to the original drivetrain, while also making period-correct tweaks to the wheels, handlebars, and saddle to make it more comfortable to ride. Read on to learn all about it!