# Louison Bobet



## 2old2race7

Just bought this yesterday.  Needs new sew up tires, that I just ordered, and has a mixture of Huret and Campagnolo Gran Sport derailleurs.  Has a Export sticker to Detroit over the seat tube decal that would show France and Bobet's face.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

What brand of tubular tires have you chosen?
Campionato del Mondo sew-ups were the best tire of the day, when I first bought my 1971 International Raleigh bicycle. I need to find some similar kind.


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## bikecrazy

What a beautiful bicycle!!! I see Stronglight Cranks and headset as well. Also what looks like Simplex chainrings and fork ends as well. Is that a Reynolds 531 frame?


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## vincev

Beautiful road bike.


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## 2old2race7

Going with the Servizio Corsa tubular tires from Yellow jersey, I have bought several of them in the past for some of my other bikes.  From what I have read, the tubing is Reynolds 531


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

I would be much more confident in using Kevlar tubular sew-ups.
You get what you pay for....


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## bulldog1935

thanks for showing - great photos


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## detroitbike

Fantastic shape .... 
 This is a bike from Gene Portuesi's shop here in Detroit. He was one of the largest Importers of Racing bikes in the
 US & had one of the first Mail order catalogs for high end racing bikes , parts & accessories. It's getting harder and harder
to find nice clean examples like this anymore.


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## T-Mar

I get both excited and depressed seeing a bicycle like this. The excitement comes from seeing a bicycle of this age in such fine condition. Then I find it a bit sad, because I realize that regardless of how meticulous the owner was in its upkeep, this sort of condition is extremely rare for a bicycle of this age, unless it saw little use. 

I have seen a a few of these before. The tubing was Reynolds 'A' quality, which was typically thicker than 531. It was available in both butted and plain gauge but based of the decal, this appears to be plain grade. The serial number is embossed into the head badge. based on the others I've seen, the age approximates the first digit in the serial number. Whether this is the actual case or coincidence, I don't know, as I haven't enough from this vintage to have a high level of confidence.

It is a fine example of what is almost certainly a C-34 (a.k.a. Amateur), even if it doesn't appear to be completely OEM. Only the French would name this colour cognac, so perhaps you should celebrate your new acquisition by toasting it with its namesake. Enjoy. Attached scan is from 1966 catalogue.


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## 2old2race7

Thanks for all the information.  My conclusion was also that it is a C-34.  The first number on the head badge is a 6, so maybe it is a 1966.  The shift levers and front derailleur are Huret and the rear is Campagnolo Gran Sport.  It was probably all Huret and the rear derailleur was upgraded either when purchased or shortly after.  The owner said it was his dad's and had been in the basement, unused for 25 years.


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## T-Mar

2old2race7 said:


> ...The first number on the head badge is a 6, so maybe it is a 1966.  The shift levers and front derailleur are Huret and the rear is Campagnolo Gran Sport.  It was probably all Huret and the rear derailleur was upgraded either when purchased or shortly after.  The owner said it was his dad's and had been in the basement, unused for 25 years.




Well, it also has the model 700 front derailleur which was introduced in late 1966, so assuming it is OEM, it would be no earlier than that. In which case, it's a good match with the 6xxxx serial number, assuming that 6 represents 1966. I've seen another C-34 with an 8xxxx serial number that was very similar but with a 2nd generation Huret Allvit rear derailleur.  The last year for that generation was 1968, so again the serial number could represent 1968. 

Even if the serial number is purely sequential, with no year indicator, yours should be earlier than the 8xxxx bicycle, which would appear to be no newer than 1968. Combine that with the date of introduction of the model 700 front derailleur on your bicycle and we still have a pretty narrow date range. Of course, there is always the possibility that the front derailleur is a replacement too, or that the rear derailleur on the other bicycle was a replacement, but the other components and tubeset are consistent for the era. Pending further evidence, circa 1966-1967 appears to be the best candidate.


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## bricycle

beautiful lugging


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## GiovanniLiCalsi

French Nervex lugs were used on many high quality frames.


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## 2old2race7

This will probably go to Ann Arbor too, complete with new sew ups added.


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## bulldog1935

the saddle alone is worth a fortune.  

If you want change-your-life tubies, with super-fine casings and kevlar belts, Ribble is a great place to shop - another very good UK vendor is Wiggle.  Most tire carts are enough to get free across-the-pond shipping.  
I've ridden miles and years on Challenge and Vittoria, and have my daughter on Veloflex tires currently.  (Veloflex are the old crew from Vittoria still making the same tires in Italy, and at about 20% lower price than Taiwan-made Vittoriia.)  Fine-casing tires are faster (because they conform better to the road surface) and ride quality is amazing (because they distribute road shocks wider through the casing carcass).


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## 2old2race7

Thanks for the information.


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## bulldog1935

you're welcome

ps - another piece of info, the Challenge tread lasts longer, but they're a booger to stretch.
I get 600 mi from a rear Vittoria (almost twice that from a front), and they're very easy to stretch and mount.




pss- also be careful when you're shopping for tubular tires, if it says "open tubular" they are hand-glued clinchers, made like sew-ups except for the sew-up part, and with with a bead for mounting to clincher rims  
If you have clincher rims, these are the next-best thing to tubies.


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## Bonzo1953

I bought my C-34 new in 1970 from Gene Portuesi after he moved up to Cadillac.  Unlike the one shown above mine has been well used (20,000 + miles) and unrestored.  The frame rust is getting to the point that I'm concerned about riding it any more.  This was probably my last ride on it:  https://www.strava.com/activities/3157274086
I've put all the original parts back on including the seat (plastic Freccia D’Oro seat).  I did find the original bar end plugs after these shots were taken.
The serial number on this one is 67033.  If I recall, the original tubulars on my C-34 were Clement's.
Note: I cut the rear brake "braze-ons" off the top tube and installed the "Campy" clamps back when I was young and dumb.
This was one of the last Louison Bobet's, Gene stopped importing from Stella in France and switched to Italy's Donicelli's in place of the C-34 and Gino Liotto's in place of the C-35's.


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## juvela

-----

Thanks very much for posting.

The head transfer is the same pattern as the Mercier produced Bobet bicycles like the red one at the top of the thread.

The lug pattern here is Prugnat 62/s.  The combination of Prugnat lugs with Vagner model DP crown is more consistent with Stella than Mercier.  Bobet was sponsored by both Mercier and Stella at different points in his career.

There were also some Bobet badged machines produced by Etablissements Beteger of Olorons-Ste-Marie.  IIRC these were done following the end of his professional career.

Your bike is the only non-Sauvage-Lejeune machine I have seen to exhibit the braze-on derailleur cable guide at the junction of the right seat stay and dropout.

The cycle's Lightrace brand headset was produced by Etablissements Gourgaud et Cie of Staint Etienne.  The seat binder is ALGI.

Thanks again for sharing this machine.    

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## 1motime

A great amount of information provided and shared!  The CABE is an asset!


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## cyclingday

Fabulous bikes, guys!
Thanks for giving us a look see.


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## BroCraig

I’m new to the extra tube mounted below the seat. Is that an air pump? I’ve seen that on other bikes.


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## 1motime

BroCraig said:


> I’m new to the extra tube mounted below the seat. Is that an air pump? I’ve seen that on other bikes.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



On the second bike, Yes


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## BroCraig

ah. ok. Thank you. Both are beautiful!


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## juvela

BroCraig said:


> I’m new to the extra tube mounted below the seat. Is that an air pump? I’ve seen that on other bikes.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk




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it be a spare _tyre..._a spare _tubular  _tyre


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## Jeff N

That is in lovely condition


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## Detroit Gary

Nice bike and it brings back great memories of long rides and a trip across Eastern Canada. I bought my Louison Bobet in 1964 from Gene when he was still located on Michigan Av. west of Livernois. *When I bought the bike he asked me what serial number I wanted. I told him my street address and he stamped it on the underside of the crank*. I used to ride down Livernois to visit Gene but things began to change in '66. Gene began to walk around with a 45 caliber cannon tucked into his belt. I decided maybe not to ride my bike to visit. I still have the bike but don't ride it because at 72 years old I need a comfortable ride.


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## sykerocker

T-Mar said:


> It is a fine example of what is almost certainly a C-34 (a.k.a. Amateur), even if it doesn't appear to be completely OEM. Only the French would name this colour cognac, so perhaps you should celebrate your new acquisition by toasting it with its namesake. Enjoy. Attached scan is from 1966 catalogue.




Looking at that catalog page brought back some memories.  When looking for my first derailleur road bike, I'd gotten one of their catalogs (circa 1970 or 71), and was seriously looking at some of the lower end models.  In the end, dad agreed to fund the bike, which meant we just headed over to the local Schwinn dealer, where I got my first Super Sport.  Considering how little I knew about lightweights at the time, it was probably a smart move.


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