Bought a Libertas on accident
 

This was on EBay from a local seller, price was $20 up until a few minutes it climbed to $30. I was only going to $40.99, but I waited to long and quickly put my bid in and accidentally put $409.99. Luckily it only cost me $51.00, I about had a heart attack.




http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/...psuyv4cnsz.jpg

For $51 I'd say you got your money's worth. Nervar cranks, Huret (? can't quite see) derailleurs, a 531 sticker.

Could be worse and certainly not a bad price. If it would have gone as high as you accidentally typed there is a clause in eBay that really unrealistic accidental bids can be withdrawn.

How much is shipping though?

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Thanks for sharing this new arrival.

Looks to be quite a fine one.

Something is wonky at the brake bridge -

either mounting hole not perpendicular to stay or mounting seating pad washers mis-set.

we need to read the observations of @non-fixie & @Munny regarding this machine... ;)


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It’s a pickup, about 60mile round trip. Not sure about the brake bridge, won’t know details until tomorrow.




http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/...pscqkohpq2.jpg

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Frame looks like it may be eleven tube Reynolds constructed with BOCAMA Professional lug set and Huret forged ends.
Libertas has house brand transfers which somewhat resemble Reynolds. There is not eno' res in image to tell for sure which the transfers are...

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a3a23f5c09.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4a183ee498.jpg


Kitting mostly frankish -

NERVAR Star chainset

Huret Svelto & Luxe 700 gear ensemble

Atom 440 pedals

Stronglight P3 headset

Normandy Sport hubs with M.M. Atom skewers

3TTT Record first generation stem

Universal 61 arrestors

Nitor saddle

AFA pump holder

REG brake cable clips

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Looks to be in very good nick.

Thinking 1971-73 time.

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Ow! Nice! I'd have bought that. I don't see anything that I don't like, except maybe the jaunty angle of the rear brake caliper.

Judging by the second picture, this seems to be at least partially the result of a missing concave washer at the rear. I hope it's just that, and placing one will restore order.

Looking forward to more pics! :)

Thanks for the info, looking forward to getting it on the road. I'm thinking Pasela tires, new cables and cloth bar wrap.

I looked at a close up pic and it looks like a flat washer on the brake side.

This is the Libertas I picked up earlier this year. I still haven't gotten around to getting it on the road. Mine has 531 stickers; does yours have 531 or "libertas" stickers? This is how it came to me in the "wild."

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e6ed33ef93.jpg

Libertas decals only. Seattube decal has Made by Libertas Belgium.

It's hard to find much information about these online. The best source of info is our posters from the low countries. Your bike looks to be pretty much original (or at least period correct) running gear which is cool. Mine had an assortment of parts (campy and suntour derailleurs, suntour hubs, zeus crank, universal brakes, stronglight headset).

One cool thing about this bike is that it has british threading.

I haven't decided on the build yet but it will be mainly French like yours I think. That seems more or less "right" for this bike.

That's what I'm seeing as well. I hope the brake bridge hole didn't get mangled too much ...

When you get the bike, turn it over. Birth year should be on the BB shell, along with a serial number.

@sloar Looks like a nice score for $50, is that a leather saddle?

One aspect of the low countries is that they aren't nearly as chauvinistic as, for example, the French and the Italians. (Not an opinion, merely an observation.) Also, and maybe as a result, they didn't have much of a local bike parts industry, even though they are true cycling countries.

Many Belgian and Dutch bikes from that era came with an eclectic and international mix of parts. Swiss, French and Japanese parts would be happily mounted together on the same bike in the factory, with function, availability and price point being the main considerations. The Belgians (Flandria) were also the first Europeans to pick up on Shimano's potential, closely followed by the Dutch (Koga-Miyata).

Gazelle spec'ed one of their Champion Mondial versions in the seventies with parts from Reynolds (frame tubes), MKS (pedals), Gian Robert (hubs), Arius (saddle), SunTour (derailleurs), Weinmann (brakes), Sakae (seatpost), T.T.T (bars), Sugino (crankset) and Super Champion (rims).

I wouldn't worry too much about what's "right". :)

I'm with you on this and this is often how I build my bikes. Just pointing that the parts that came on my bike couldn't possibly be original as they came from different eras and mixed campy and suntour derailleurs. I'm not sure that the Belgians or the Dutch were quite that eclectic!

If you're not paying shipping (other than a few gallons of gas), $51 looks like a nice trial to see what you got.

ebay errors....
Once placed a $100. bid that was accepted as $1000. - cancelled that one right off, too bad as once you do, no mas bidding on that item.

Other time, $4200. bid, and was willing to go that high, I prevailed at $2,400. Baylis spilled the beans only after thank goodness. Otherwise? who knows.

For $51. you made out well, probably much to the seller's remorse.

I follow a local seller on EBay that sells donated bikes for
charity. He has 5-10 bikes a week, starting bid 19.99 with $100 shipping. Sells bikes as is with no description, some nice and some are just ok. But decent prices.

Nice score! Looking forward to an update, with brake levers not pointed to the sky.

Looks like one in the win column for you @sloar, nice going. Entering the bid incorrectly and a few zeros too high, to the left of the decimal point, is one of my nightmares. Glad this one worked out for you.:thumb:

Bill

Just got it home, pumped up the tires and took it for a spin.



http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/...pstegvgg6p.jpg




http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/...psa52dkloe.jpg



http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7cfauxc8.jpg

http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/...psikxjsb6h.jpg




http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3lhqc9je.jpg

All Huret with 3T stem and bars, I’m guessing all original.

That bike is a real score. That is a lot of nice stuff on that bike. And the bike itself is beautiful. Congrats.