roshko

Hello all.

Few days ago I bought an interesting vintage racing bicycle Bertin which seems to me a bit weird (or not?). The bike came to me with mixed components - Cinelli handlebars and stem (panthographed), Zeus downtube shifters, hubs, seatpost, crankset and pedals, Zeus criterium rear mech, Campagnolo front mech and brake levers, Mafac racer brakes... The most strange thing for me is the sticker "BEHEYT" on the frame. The frame itself seems to me very lightweight for the period it has been produced (I believe late 60s - early 70s). I'm not so familiar with 60s but googling BEHEYT I found that there was a top Belgian cyclist Benoni Beheyt, who has won the world road race championship in 1964. And thats all... no more info found. The question which bothers me now is what direction to take - to restore this bike with exsisting components (or to do some replacement with Campy/Zeus) or not? Is is possible that this bike (with existing components) has been used as a training bike of Benoni Beheyt at some point in his career?

So I'll be thankful for all opinions, ideas, information and suggestions about this bike.

P.S.
I just noticed that I’m not allowed to upload URLs or photos... so sad...

Velo Mule

I noticed no responses. It sounds like an interesting mystery. I don't know anything about this, however, pictures help tremendously. Post a few more times to get your count up to 10 so you can post a picture.

bikemig 

Bertins are cool bikes. The reason BF does not allow newbies to post pics is to deal with the problem of spamming.

roshko

Thanks for advise. I'll try to reach the minimums of posts here to unlock option to add photos.

T-Mar

Link to OP's photo album: https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/15523997

It's definitely one of the higher grade models. I'd push it into the 1970s. I thought that Ron Kitching was a Zeus importer. Given that he was associated with Bertin, there's possibility that some of the componets are OEM. Some of them look late 1970s. This is a good one for @bertinjim

non-fixie 

Those cut-outs look like Eddy Martens' work:

juvela

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Thanks very much for the photo help T-Mar!

If cycle "'70's" it is very early '70's.

Noticed that the Zeus fittings exhibit the world logo which ended in the early '70's to be replaced by the oval.

In this image was struck by the apparent large difference in the frame's head and seat angles. Wonder if it could be partially due to perspective or photo effect?

What say the experts?



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@non-fixie -

regarding the lugs. recall that Andy's facility was destroyed by fire in 1972 and he was able to keep going in a makeshift manner whilst factory being rebuilt. seem to remember production being shifted over the border into Belgique.

IIRC Jim has written that Andy had frames contract built during this period. might explain what we see here...

Jim is sure to enlighten upon his arrival

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bertinjim 

roshko-


That looks like an early 70s Belgian built Bertin from the decal style but the frame lug details differ from the plain lugs used on most Belgian Bertins of the period. As well, the fork crown is a Nervex Professional rather than the usual Vagner crown and does not have the usual tri-colour paint highlighting. I can't see the stay caps but I think that the frame may be another brand re-decaled as a Bertin. The seat tube tri-colour graphic bands are correct and the Beheyt name is in conformity with Bertin's practice of labels to promote a distributor or a large dealer. In terms of tubing, Bertin Belgium used Reynolds A tubing a great deal which was a butted hi-tensile tubing that was quite light weight. A closer look at the stay caps might help as the equipment is about right for the period but reflects a Frankenbike approach that does not appear to be OEM.