Austro Daimler / Puch bikes
#26
Strong Walker
i thought the Puch/Daimler/Peugeot G is still produced in the old Puch factory (now Magna)?
There are some nice Puchs around for sure, i saw a lot of them when i went to the "in Velo Veritas" and they had a factory booth too. I got the impression Puchs are a matter of national pride in Austria, a bit like Opels or Bauers or Dürkopps in Germany. Funnily enough, one of the Puch guys told stories about how troubled production was in the 70ies and eighties, when there were big fights bewtween management and staff ("UK strike culture" style) and workers would deliberately do sloppy jobs on building the bikes to punish the company...
I believe there also was a racing department (bit like Bianchis or Atalas "reparto corse") where the best frame builders worked and they put out some very fine bikes.
There are some nice Puchs around for sure, i saw a lot of them when i went to the "in Velo Veritas" and they had a factory booth too. I got the impression Puchs are a matter of national pride in Austria, a bit like Opels or Bauers or Dürkopps in Germany. Funnily enough, one of the Puch guys told stories about how troubled production was in the 70ies and eighties, when there were big fights bewtween management and staff ("UK strike culture" style) and workers would deliberately do sloppy jobs on building the bikes to punish the company...
I believe there also was a racing department (bit like Bianchis or Atalas "reparto corse") where the best frame builders worked and they put out some very fine bikes.
Last edited by martl; 09-20-19 at 01:37 AM.
#27
ambulatory senior
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My puch
#29
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This is a good thread to ask for AD advice.
building a smoke chrome Vent Noir
which crank do you prefer visually: the black drilled Tuens or the silver Stronglight currently on a black Harding.
In any event, the Olympian will suffice until the VN is built.
building a smoke chrome Vent Noir
which crank do you prefer visually: the black drilled Tuens or the silver Stronglight currently on a black Harding.
In any event, the Olympian will suffice until the VN is built.
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Last edited by Wildwood; 09-20-19 at 10:55 PM.
#31
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Mistral
Here's my Puch/Bianchi Mistral Leader, picked it up the other day
#32
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The first bike I fell in love with back in 1980 was a Puch Royal Force. It was literally my first visit to a bike shop that carried something other than Schwinn and they talked me into a test ride. I just did a couple laps around the parking lot and my mind was blown! I couldn't afford it and so never got it but I love it to this day. I now ride an Austro Daimler unnamed 531 frame with mostly Campy Super Record components circa 1984 so i don't feel short changed...!
#33
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I came so very very very close to buying a Puch Royal Force as my first 531-tubed bike - but in the end I got a better deal on a Royal X. Now I understand why - we bought it in '78 and it was a '76 that had been hanging around for a while -
- I need to take a more recent pic, though - the Shimano 600 rear derailleur has since been replaced with a correct SunTour Cyclone with an incorrect but very functional VXs cage that allows use of a 28T rear cog, Brooks B17 instead of a Gillux 3000 saddle, Nitto Technomic stem instead of the 8 cm SR, Mavic Module 3 rims instead of basic Weinmanns - buttery smooth ride, though.
- I need to take a more recent pic, though - the Shimano 600 rear derailleur has since been replaced with a correct SunTour Cyclone with an incorrect but very functional VXs cage that allows use of a 28T rear cog, Brooks B17 instead of a Gillux 3000 saddle, Nitto Technomic stem instead of the 8 cm SR, Mavic Module 3 rims instead of basic Weinmanns - buttery smooth ride, though.
#34
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That is one sweet looking bike! I'm trying to recreate the AD Ultima. My frame is right- Bordeaux Red with hand painted gold paint around the lugs (1977ish?)- and the Super Record components it has are correct circa 1984 but it has other components that are incorrect and I haven't so far found what was really used. The vintage catalogs seem a bit vague and somewhat contradictory when attempting to Google the actual items!
#35
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#36
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Hey thanks - some great information in that thread. The serial number on my ride doesn't conform to other Puch numbering schemes I've found online. Perhaps it's because it was a frame-only run? Anyway, I love the bike but imagine parting with it eventually to fund other purchases!
#37
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Austro-Daimler Info
I just recently overhauled an AD-SL, which I purchased in 1975 at the Austro-Daimler flagship store in Greenwich, CT. This was a lower mid range bike in the lineup, while the Ultima was the most expensive bike in the line. My wife and I bought matching bikes; otherwise I could have gotten one of the more expensive bikes. My SL has been garaged since new, looks great after a thorough cleaning and overhaul, and is a nice riding bike.
Puch initially developed the A-Ds as a stand-alone high end line, but then began to undermine their their US marketing plan by introducing Puch branded bikes alongside Austro-Daimler as a value brand. Then they started to intermingle parts and some of the frames, and ultimately co-branded the bikes in the 80s, cutting corners and lowering quality and switching names of the different bikes, apparently without a clear marketing strategy...
I located some in depth background on the companys history and on how they developed and rolled out the A-D brand and found it fascinating. (Unfortunately, I cant post the links)
I cant post a pic of my bike either due to low post count but will circle back to the thread once I can. The Ultimas show up once in a while on eBay. Make sure you get one of the early ones without the Puch tagalong branding. The good ones are generally priced $1200-1500, but Im sure there are some outliers being sold by someone who doesnt know what they have. Cheers!
Puch initially developed the A-Ds as a stand-alone high end line, but then began to undermine their their US marketing plan by introducing Puch branded bikes alongside Austro-Daimler as a value brand. Then they started to intermingle parts and some of the frames, and ultimately co-branded the bikes in the 80s, cutting corners and lowering quality and switching names of the different bikes, apparently without a clear marketing strategy...
I located some in depth background on the companys history and on how they developed and rolled out the A-D brand and found it fascinating. (Unfortunately, I cant post the links)
I cant post a pic of my bike either due to low post count but will circle back to the thread once I can. The Ultimas show up once in a while on eBay. Make sure you get one of the early ones without the Puch tagalong branding. The good ones are generally priced $1200-1500, but Im sure there are some outliers being sold by someone who doesnt know what they have. Cheers!
#38
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Smoked Chrome Frame Austro-Daimler
in follow up to my earlier post, the Vent Noir was the only smoked chrome bike in the original A-D lineup. It was an extremely unique & impressive looking bicycle. As Puch began meddling with the Austro-Daimler brand, they introduced a Vent Noir II with the same frame treatment, but I believe it had lower quality components, and down tube decals that read: Austro-Daimler-Puch. Later on, Puch mixed and matched the original A-D bike model names in a
confusing manner that didnt make much marketing sense. I suspect that putting the Ultima SL name on a smoked chrome frame was just more of the same, whereas the original AD Ultima was top of the line with all Campy
components and a beautiful translucent blueberry/purple-ish paint over chrome.
confusing manner that didnt make much marketing sense. I suspect that putting the Ultima SL name on a smoked chrome frame was just more of the same, whereas the original AD Ultima was top of the line with all Campy
components and a beautiful translucent blueberry/purple-ish paint over chrome.
Likes For alexihnen:
#40
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Beautiful AD/Puch!!
Exactly spec'd out as I prefer (Campy, instead of the more usual Shimano components).
I had always had a soft place in my heart for AD's, ever since I saw a pic of one in a book with then AD pro rider, Jaques Boyer standing next to one, in the early 80's. Never could find the right AD all these years and so far only thing AD I have is a nice AD jersey, I bought back in the 80's, anticipating that some day I'll get to own one of these nice smoked chromed framed race bikes.
Exactly spec'd out as I prefer (Campy, instead of the more usual Shimano components).
I had always had a soft place in my heart for AD's, ever since I saw a pic of one in a book with then AD pro rider, Jaques Boyer standing next to one, in the early 80's. Never could find the right AD all these years and so far only thing AD I have is a nice AD jersey, I bought back in the 80's, anticipating that some day I'll get to own one of these nice smoked chromed framed race bikes.
#41
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I have the "twin" to this frame (Bianchi-made Mistral, GPM dropouts and ColuMbus SLX tubing, same paint and graphics) except for the fork. Mine now has a Bottechia all chrome fork (Columbus blades). I'll take some pix someday.
#42
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I never did post my updated Bergmeister to this thread. I've since sold it, but I really enjoyed it while I had it. Just ran out of space, and I got a hold of some different interesting projects.
#43
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Looking at the catalogs, it looks to me that the Ultima was also labeled as the Ultima Superleicht, with the Superleicht model below it. The catalog I found referenced different lug sets (not on the original bike compared to my Superleicht). BUT, the Ultima SL seems to be speced with Super Record rather than Record components.
The CR page of a Ultima SL example.
Austro Daimler, Scott Ryder's Ultima SL
0
The CR page of a Ultima SL example.
Austro Daimler, Scott Ryder's Ultima SL
0
in the offices of the new Austro-Daimler in Maine.
Cheers,
Scott
.
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#44
feros ferio
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Jumping into an old Austrian bike thread with an old Austrian bike:
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#45
PM me your cotters
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1981 Olympian, looks extremely original. Far too small so I won't keep it, just couldn't pass up at the price point, if only to ride once and cop a general feel.
Probably posting on the frame-doesn't-fit thread in the near future to see what pans out in trades.
Probably posting on the frame-doesn't-fit thread in the near future to see what pans out in trades.