# Belgian 1930s Telephone Repairman's Bicycle



## johan willaert (Jan 2, 2014)

Just wanted to share this all Original 1930s Belgian Telephone Repairman's Bicycle.

This bike was given to me in the mid 1970s by a friend of my father who had just retired from the Belgian Telephone Company. He had started work there as a repairman in the 1930s and was issued this bicyle to ride from one customer to another.
The bicycle is rather sturdy and the Luggage rack would have held the leather tool case for repairs and connections.

It is still exactly like the day I got it, complete with electrical lighting (which may have been added in the 50s or so) and three speed Sturmey gears actuated by the lever mounted on the top tube of the frame.
The tires on the bike were the original 26x2x1.75 BERGOUGNAN made and marked RTT (Belgian Telephone Company) and I have replaced them recently with Vredestein tires of the same size. The originals are now safely stored away. The Taks (license) Plate is an Original RTT enameled model too.
Paint is Original and there is some rust and grime on it, but that just adds character...

I rode this bike all through my schooldays and still get it out occasionally to tour my region!








Hope you like it!

Cheers,

Johan


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## filmonger (Jan 2, 2014)

Cool story, history & very interesting bike!


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## bricycle (Jan 2, 2014)

Quite nice!!!!!


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## fat tire trader (Jan 3, 2014)

Thanks for showing us your bike!!!


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## tailhole (Jan 3, 2014)

*super cool*

Great bike, great history.


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## Dan the bike man (Jan 3, 2014)

Cool! I love the break set up. Very different.


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## invesions (Jan 3, 2014)

Very cool, thanks for sharing! Always neat getting history with the bike as well.


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## 66TigerCat (Jan 4, 2014)

*Thanks !*

Nice story about the bikes history.


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## johan willaert (Jan 17, 2014)

Thanks, it's a great bike to ride...


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## Crazybikelady (Jan 17, 2014)

Indeed! Very cool!


> Marie 

Similar to the crazy cat lady;  I'm obsessed, & couldn't care less that I've got too many.


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## HIGGINSFOREVER (Jan 17, 2014)

Very cool great history


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## hoofhearted (Jan 17, 2014)

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## Boris (Jan 17, 2014)

Neat bike! Looks sturdy as Hell.


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## vincev (Jan 17, 2014)

Heavy duty like a Swiss Army bike.


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## johan willaert (Jan 18, 2014)

Thanks! Great picture Hoofhearted...

He would have done work like that...


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## hoofhearted (Jan 18, 2014)

*Thank You, Johan !!!* i believe wanting to "connect-the-dots" is a very-human condition.

We seek closure.  But we expect that closure to be logical.  When we hear a 'knock' at the door .. 
we assume the noise was generated from outside .. by a yet-to-be-identified person.  We would 
never assume the noise was created by an unseen force, inside the room, with us.

Within thirty minits of peepin' that lineman's bicycle .. i was off to e-bay in bicycles .. lookin' for 
something-else i cannot live without.  Am one to always punch _See Seller's Other Items ..._ when
the foto of the lineman materializes .. i quickly-grabs it to my pic-folder .. shuts-off the e-bay ... 
next thing .. am eye-to-eye with the foto of the lineman.

The vision was initially-peripheral.

At first .. perhaps _*this man*_ was the sailor who spotted the White Whale ... no, it's just not right ......
*then .. *perhaps .. Frederick Fleet ... one of six, rotating, 'round-the-clock, "crow's-nest" watchmen 
aboard the Titanic, the night of April 14, 1912.  

It was Mr. Fleet who messaged, *"Iceberg, right ahead !!"* to the bridge !!

No .. it's not Frederick Fleet.  

Say, gentle reader .. does the portrayed look a bit like *Vloote Dubois ...* nicknamed - Tall Pine Whisperer ... 
married, father of four children .. and Belgian-Champion Bocce Player from 1927 'til 1942 when his life was 
ended abruptly by enemy gunfire as he fought along-side the Belgian Restistance ??!!






......  patric


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