PedalTraveler

I recently bought this Beistegui Hermanos folder from an old neighbor I had growing up, it was actually one of the first bikes I worked on years ago and I remember how exotic a Spanish folding bike seemed compared to the rest of the Schwinns and Huffys I had worked on before. She recalls buying it around 1971 in Spain and rolling right on the plane, back when that sort of thing wasn't a big deal.


If anyone else has any bikes or information from this lesser known manufacturer please share them here!


Here it is, as found flat tires and all.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QccZYAwDfSVPKAm22

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tlLdP3htWCabMfCf2

Wildwood 

www.BHbikesUSA.com


www.BHbikes.com

107 years in business according to the USA site.
I don't know much about their history of importing to the USA.
A rarity in USA for vintage.

juvela

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Hello Phillip,

Although they have made a full range of wheel goods for such a long time the only two products we see here on the Pacific coast are the folder and the stationary exercise bicycles.

We seemed to have an importer/distributor for these during "the boom" but we never saw any conventional adult models.

The memory is faint but I think I recall that Zeus Cyclery Corporation in NYC was an agent for some of their products at one time.

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thumpism 

When the Peugeot family sold off the bicycle business it was BH that bought it.

MarcoBianchi

Dios mio! My first bicycle was exactly like that, but mine in red . It was a christmas present on1972/73 when I was 7/8 YO. Stolen on 1978, I have no information but I'm going to do so some research. There are a lot of them here in Spain, you can see them almost every day on the streets.

MarcoBianchi

First thing I remenber... It's a BH Gacela ( gazelle) model.

MarcoBianchi

https://www.labiciclasica.com/catalogo-bh-plegables/

gugie 

Good information. With a name like Beistegui, do these come from the Basque region?

MarcoBianchi

Sorry. You are looking for a BH Gacela Plegable ( folding) don't confuse with only "Gacela" that is an earlier model with 700 and 650 wheels.

MarcoBianchi

You are right. Direct Energie Team race with BH bikes. thumb:

MarcoBianchi

Capture+_2018-01-16-15-58-56.png

Capture+_2018-01-16-15-59-22.png
Gacela plegable and only Gacela.

PedalTraveler

Thank you so much for all the great information! I'm sorry to hear about yours having been stolen, they seem to have been very popular around then. They are very nice bicycles, there are many quality little details in the frame and accessories. I am looking forward to fixing this one up and bit and getting it back on the road.

MarcoBianchi

You're welcome! I'm not prone to nostalgia but it brings back great memories.
I can see you keep the pump and the hex box wrench for folding/unfolding. First parts you lose when you are a kid jumping curbs. I remenber this bike indestructible.

vascoboy

I've not seen this model folding bike before (very classic looking), but I've heard of BH as they are popular in the Basque region (I see more Orbeas in those parts however...)
I just spoke to someone last week, who purchased a carbon road bike from them...

MarcoBianchi

Been " vascoboy " I think you know what you're talking about

vascoboy

thanks! I'd really love to have a Razesa or Marotias...

MarcoBianchi

Marotias are not easy to find. But you can see lots of razesas been used like commuters.

MarcoBianchi

Marotias are not easy to find even in Spain. Razesa there are lots used as commuters.
I can see you got a Mendiz. Are you still searching some info? My first road bike was an alu Mendiz.

vascoboy

curiously, i did see a handfull of Razesas in the Basque region...I'd love info on my Mendiz! I don't even know what kind of tubing it has, although I'm guessing Columbus Gara...It looks like a frame from the mid to lates 80s: it has
Campy dropouts, 68mm BB shell, seatpost tube is an odd size (25.4?), and it has holes on each side of the top tube for cable routing, no brazing for FD, & shifter mounts...
I had it painted (black) and found matching decals, and it's going to get Campy Super Record throughout.
I did find some sites w/ litterature/articles about the Mendiz, mostly in Spanish, but not a lot of info out there.
Thanks,
Christian Iribarren

MarcoBianchi

Very true. Not a lot of info about Mendiz. IMHO they are a small fish in a big ocean, unlike that Orbea and BH moving their production to Portugal and China, Mendiz stays in Spain and they are focused on road CF and MTB. They have not connection with their C&V fans.Also that Mendiz is a young builder , it was founded in 1984, in front of Orbea and Bh. Anyway if you read spanish I could tell you some links, if you dont , I'll try to do my best to help you.
Marco

vascoboy

thanks Marco,
small fish is right. I can read & understand Spanish well enough (fluent in French studied Spanish)...send me some links if you have them...

MarcoBianchi

le vélo calme
Mendiz short history.

MarcoBianchi

le vélo calme: Mendiz
Sorry. THIS is the link.

MarcoBianchi

Type in your browser " mendiz segunda mano" you'll find lots of used Mendiz , most of them Columbus, maybe one matches yours. Good luck!