Tech Specs: 1940s Twin Top Tube Randonneuse

  Custom Handmade Frame Upright randonneuse arrangement and geometryFine build by accomplished constructeurOriginal twin top tube design is nicely uniqueWonderful lugwork throughout, like early NervexArtistic caps on seat stay tangsChain stays reinforced with tangsCenter mount bridge for rear sidepull brake2x fender/mudguard attachment pointsPump pegs on rear top/bottom of seat tubeHand painted dart decography on all…

Hugonnier-Routens Catalog Photos & Illustrations

Roger Hugonnier and Jo Routens together made some of the finest (and winningest) touring, randonneuring and sportif bicycles of the mid-twentieth century. The era was one full of transitions – some moving away from World War II and others moving toward the baby boom – and change was palpable everywhere from Grenoble, France to points…

Tech Specs: 1967 Jo Routens Randonneur

Jo Routens Frame Reynolds 531 Tubing Lovely Fillet Brazing Reinforcing Gussets Wraparound Seat Stays Front Derailleur Mount Rear Derailleur Mount Inward Cantilever Posts Fender/Rack Mounts Left Chain Stay Light Mount Dynamo Mount Internal Wiring Shift Lever Mounts Cable Guides Pump Pegs Jo Routens Fork Reynolds 531 Tubing Elegant Rake Twin Plate Box Crown Chrome Crown Top Rear Lower…

Jo Routens: Randonneur de l’Excellence

Joseph “Jo” Routens was one of the greatest makers of randonneur, cyclotouring and cyclosportif bicycles in all of cycling history. The only other name regularly considered alongside his more aged contemporaries, Rene Herse and Alex Singer, Routens was distinct from these seminal influences in his unwavering commitment to the everyday cyclist. Initially through his partnership with…

Duralumin History & Use in Bicycle Building

Durable but lightweight materials have appealed to bicycle builders since the beginning of bicycle time. From steel alloys to aluminum alloys to carbon composites, the nexus of these two build qualities is something of a holy grail among materials engineers. That’s because durable and lightweight translate to fast and expensive in most every language worldwide….

J. Lefol: Inventeur – Constructeur

As with other French component makers from cycling’s golden era that remain popular today – Ideale, JOS, Maxi-Car and Stronglight, to name a few – surprisingly little is known about the Lefol marque given the timeless familiarity of the company’s fenders. Maybe aluminum just rusts slower than steel, with oxidation resistance preserving Lefol’s legacy more…

Idéale Saddles: Behind the Leather Curtain

Idéale saddles are among the least understood classic bicycle components given their standout prominence and frequent exorbitant value. The dizzying array of models produced under the Idéale marque continues vexing even the most ardent collectors, who seem to enjoy the punishment received when combining obscurity of fact with broad product offerings and potential stratospheric price…