# FOLLIS



## HARPO

Here's a bike (_minus the wheels_) I picked up a year or so ago. Made in France, it's the first one I've ever seen...and now own.
Frame and fork are Reynolds 53, and the bike is complete with Campagnolo derailleurs and shifters...Mafac brakes and brake levers...Stronglight crankset...FOLLIS alloy labeled handlebars and neck...and I forgot who made the headset and pedals.

Anyway, any research I've found has led me to a model number of 472. If this is correct or not, please let me know. Frameset is to short for  me, so at some point it might wind up in the For Sale section. Not sure as of now, but who knows. I just don't know if I'd ever find another one!


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## bulldog1935

nice bike and photo set - a French International
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/France/bicycles/Follis.htm
1974



after a second look, I love the compact drops on the Follis proprietary bars - I've never understood why so many bike-boom road bikes used deep-drop, long-reach pista bars.
Here's my Cinelli 64 Dream Bars


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## HARPO

I just saw my TYPO....should be Reynolds "531"...


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## HARPO

Here was the top of the line 672...which I thought I had...


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## HARPO

It looked like this when I bought it...


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## HARPO




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## HARPO

Here's my 1975 Motobecane Le Champion...and I still have the original saddle...


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## juvela

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Hello HARPO,

Thanks for sharing this excellent find!

Good job with the pictures and with the redd-up.  

The bicycle's headset is Stronglight Competition model V4.

The pedal set is Lyotard model 45CA.  Just a bit later in the 1970's there was a change in the cage and the round hole which can be seen in the front and back was eliminated.

Frame -

Lugset is NERVEX Professional Series Legere Nr. 49/162.

Crown is NERVEX Professional Series Legere feature cut Nr. 5.

Ends set is MILREMO (Andre Bertin), attributed to MAVIC.

Bottom bracket shell Raccords Gargatte Freres.

Manufacturer -

Detailed company history here with many photos, diagrams, recing information (French text 
https://anciensveloslyonnais.weebly.com/follis---joseph-follis---marcel-follis.html

Shorter history with English text here:
http://classiclightweights.net/france/follis/

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http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=7DCC66DC-4EC5-4AF3-ACB1-639DFBD8CE4E&Enum=111&AbsPos=178



 


 


 



 




Thank you again for sharing this cycle!
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## HARPO

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> 
> Hello HARPO,
> 
> Thanks for sharing this excellent find!
> 
> Good job with the pictures and with the redd-up.
> 
> The bicycle's headset is Stronglight Competition model V4.
> 
> The pedal set is Lyotard model 45CA.  Just a bit later in the 1970's there was a change in the cage and the round hole which can be seen in the front and back was eliminated.
> 
> Frame -
> 
> Lugset is NERVEX Professional Series Legere Nr. 49/162.
> 
> Crown is NERVEX Professional Series Legere feature cut Nr. 5.
> 
> Ends set is MILREMO (Andre Bertin), attributed to MAVIC.
> 
> Bottom bracket shell Raccords Gargatte Freres.
> 
> Manufacturer -
> 
> Detailed company history here with many photos, diagrams, recing information (French text
> https://anciensveloslyonnais.weebly.com/follis---joseph-follis---marcel-follis.html
> 
> Shorter history with English text here:
> http://classiclightweights.net/france/follis/
> 
> ---
> 
> View attachment 767569
> 
> http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?i.d.=7DCC66DC-4EC5-4AF3-ACB1-639DFBD8CE4E&Enum=111&AbsPos=178
> 
> View attachment 767562
> View attachment 767568
> View attachment 767563
> 
> View attachment 767564
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you again for sharing this cycle!
> -----




Wow! THANK YOU for all the info!!! Incredible!!!


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## juvela

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Hubs appear to be Pelissier (Etablissements Perrin).

Wonder if wheels original to cycle.  It may have come with tubulars and a previous owner changed to these wired-ons.

Noticed that fork ends display eyelets while dropouts do not.   Do they have any marking, perhaps Huret or Simplex?

(The small threaded hole on the dropouts is not an attachment point for rack or mudguards but rather a chainholder.)

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## HARPO

_*juvela*_...no markings on the dropouts. And thanks again for the plethora of info on the bike. And I believe that the wheels are not original. Those should have had rims that had sew-ups on them.
You've pretty much have me wanting to keep it just because it is what it is, to small a frame or not for me!

fred


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## HARPO

Here are the handlebars...


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## juvela

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The machine's Stronglight model 99 chainset had _just_ launched when cycle was constructed.  We did not get them in North America until 1974.  It was revised in 1977.  Parts interchange fully between the "G1" and "G2" editions of this chainset.

Possible reason for absence of markings on fork ends could be that they were put in shallowly and polished out when fork was prepared for chrome plating.

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## HARPO

_*
juvela*_...I also noticed that the 572 model has the engraved handlebars and not the 472. Mine has them...??


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## juvela

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Are these catalogue pages for the 1973 model year?

Interesting to note that the model 472 shown is wearing Universal Super 68 sidepull brakes rather than the MAFAC Competition centrepulls of your machine.  It also displays a _front centrepull hanger_ despite having sidepull brakes.

The text says it comes with a Campag Record saddle pillar yet your example has a plain steel pillar.

It is specified with Campag large flange Nuovo Tipo hubs and MAVIC Monthlery tubular rims.

The person typing/composing the text must have been of limited cycle knowledge as the model's headset is described as "STRONGLIGHT 99"

Thanks for the information.  

Regarding component variations - keep in mind that the 1973 date puts it right at the peak of "the boom" when bicycle manufacturers were finding it difficult to get enough fittings to complete their products.  Component substitutions were common.  Catalogues and brochures typically have a fine print disclaimer stating something to the effect of "Specifications subject to change without notice."

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## HARPO

I'm not sure what year the pages are from. I pulled them from the website you sent me. Lol...the entire site was in French, but the pages from all the models were in English.

The attached photo shows where the owner had drilled into the brake levers in a sad attempt to reduce weight! (_BTW, I bought the bike from someone at a garage sale who had found it many years ago abandoned in an apartment building where he used to live_).


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## juvela

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thanks for the response fred  

perchance someone thought the braking action not spongy enough  

interesting to see that they have a sclaverand valve adaptor fitted to the clamp bolt of the front mech...perhaps they wanted to be able to use the air at petrol stations...

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## bulldog1935

can only imagine one walking away from a bike of that quality would be if they had stolen it


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## HARPO

bulldog1935 said:


> can only imagine one walking away from a bike of that quality would be if they had stolen it




I bought the bike from the daughter of the guy that had it for a long time. He had passed away and she was cleaning out his garage. Another reason when biking I stop at every garage sale.


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## juvela

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thanks for this information!  

once lived in an apartment building which had a locked storage room for tenants where they could store their cycles.

if a tenant who had a machine in the storage room had died the person who came to clear out their belongings might not of known it was there.  in such case it could have sat indefinitely.

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## HARPO

Front brakes were also drilled out...:eek:


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## juvela

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Happily the drill wielder did not choose to go after the frame!  :eek:

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## HARPO

Another before shot...


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## HARPO

Would you guys like to know what I paid for it......?


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## juvela

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XVIII Euro?

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## HARPO

$35 USA.... I'll never see this deal again!


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## marius.suiram

You should say: "I will get a deal like this at least one time in month!!"


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## juvela

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Hello Fred,

A minor item you may wish to check -

When viewed from the side vertical axis of rear brake caliper should be parallel to seatstay.  It is not in this case.

Symptom has three main possible causes:

a) seating washers on mounting bolt are out of position

b) axis of hole in bridge for mounting bolt is not perpendicular to seat stay

c) mounting bolt is bent (rare)

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## JEM

HARPO said:


> I just saw my TYPO....should be Reynolds "531"...




Hello;

Just came across this chain (4/2020) about the Follis 672. When I 1st saw the article mentioned about the Follis 672, this was back in 1973, I went nuts! Had to have one. Well, I contacted the distributor in the LA area and low and behold, I bought the same 672 in the picture. It was the only one he had, and it was the one in the write up.

I raced that bike for 40 years or so. I had it repainted 4-5 times, had water bottle holders brazed on, (had to do it) same with a pump holder and so on. Had the normal amount of crashes, and so on.

Raced in the LA area, Chicago, McAllen Tx, around various spots in Mexico as well as the Austin, TX area. People would often approach me inquiring about this bike. I did see some 472's and 572's over the years but eventually carbons started showing up and my 18 lb. bike soon became overweight. I was getting dropped but was still hanging on if not at the back of the pack. .

I held on until 2007 or so but when I took in the 672 for a spring tune up, the tech pointed out a break in the rear chain stay, the ones that had been drilled out for space reduction like the front ones as well.

So, I had to finally give up the handicap of weight and bought a new Isaac (15 lbs.) and retired my once beautiful Follis 672. It served me well over the years. It was the Reynolds 672 frame, not the 572, came with time trialing rims (gold) beautiful DeRosa frame joints, also drilled out, and full Campy equipped.

Thanks for reviving some great memories. I am not 78 yrs. old and I almost fainted when I saw the exact article from Bicycling magazine back in the day.

Regards
John
Ruidoso, NM.


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## HARPO

JEM said:


> Hello;
> 
> Just came across this chain (4/2020) about the Follis 672. When I 1st saw the article mentioned about the Follis 672, this was back in 1973, I went nuts! Had to have one. Well, I contacted the distributor in the LA area and low and behold, I bought the same 672 in the picture. It was the only one he had, and it was the one in the write up.
> 
> I raced that bike for 40 years or so. I had it repainted 4-5 times, had water bottle holders brazed on, (had to do it) same with a pump holder and so on. Had the normal amount of crashes, and so on.
> 
> Raced in the LA area, Chicago, McAllen Tx, around various spots in Mexico as well as the Austin, TX area. People would often approach me inquiring about this bike. I did see some 472's and 572's over the years but eventually carbons started showing up and my 18 lb. bike soon became overweight. I was getting dropped but was still hanging on if not at the back of the pack. .
> 
> I held on until 2007 or so but when I took in the 672 for a spring tune up, the tech pointed out a break in the rear chain stay, the ones that had been drilled out for space reduction like the front ones as well.
> 
> So, I had to finally give up the handicap of weight and bought a new Isaac (15 lbs.) and retired my once beautiful Follis 672. It served me well over the years. It was the Reynolds 672 frame, not the 572, came with time trialing rims (gold) beautiful DeRosa frame joints, also drilled out, and full Campy equipped.
> 
> Thanks for reviving some great memories. I am not 78 yrs. old and I almost fainted when I saw the exact article from Bicycling magazine back in the day.
> 
> Regards
> John
> Ruidoso, NM.




Hi John

Glad it brought a smile to your face and brought back happy memories!! BTW...I still have the bike, lol. 

fred


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## JEM

HARPO said:


> Hi John
> 
> Glad it brought a smile to your face and brought back happy memories!! BTW...I still have the bike, lol.
> 
> fred



I meant 1 am 78, not I am not 78! You probably figured that out because of my age. Should have done a better preview.
Thanks!


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