Empire Le Jour
04-21-21, 05:40 AM
#1
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Empire Le Jour
Picked this bike up for free but can’t find anything about it online. It looks like the brand is empire and the model is Le Jour.
Rear derailleur is an eagle II and thunderbird front derailleur. It says it’s made in Japan. I plan on restoring it just as a fun project. Anyone have any info? Here’s some pics.
I’m an automotive painter by trade so I plan to strip, paint and rebuild. My last project was an older Norco wolverine. Bought for $100. Put about $100 into it. I painted the frame and fork and cut the decals for the frame and fork. Rebuilt it as a 1x10 with some other new parts.
Rear derailleur is an eagle II and thunderbird front derailleur. It says it’s made in Japan. I plan on restoring it just as a fun project. Anyone have any info? Here’s some pics.
I’m an automotive painter by trade so I plan to strip, paint and rebuild. My last project was an older Norco wolverine. Bought for $100. Put about $100 into it. I painted the frame and fork and cut the decals for the frame and fork. Rebuilt it as a 1x10 with some other new parts.
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04-21-21, 06:00 AM
#2
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thank you for posting
readers would be able to give more information regarding the cycle if you could post one or more drive side images...
from what can be seen it would appear to be an early 1970's department store type machine
name likely to be a house brand for a chain store or distributor
member T-Mar may be familiar with it
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thank you for posting
readers would be able to give more information regarding the cycle if you could post one or more drive side images...
from what can be seen it would appear to be an early 1970's department store type machine
name likely to be a house brand for a chain store or distributor
member T-Mar may be familiar with it
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Last edited by juvela; 04-21-21 at 06:08 AM. Reason: addition
04-21-21, 06:19 AM
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Empire was the private label brand for Empire Distributing a Canadian company importing and distributing sports equipment. Circa 1978 there was a merger of sorts with CCM, when CCM was sold to Empire's Montreal based parent company. At the time, Empire reportedly had about 7.5% of the domestic market, while CCM had about 15%. By merging the two companies Empire could apparently avoid the import surtax imposed on their Japanese built models. CCM would subsequently be sold to Procycle, another Quebec company.
I have a vague recollection of the brand being sold through the Home Hardware chain or similar chain stores but that may have been the Orions sister brand.
The subject bicycle has a CPSC compliant front derailleur in the style introduced by Shimano in 1977, so I believe it's very late 1970s, possibly very early 1980s. The serial number may allow us to determine the exact year. The tubing is a lightweight hi-tensile steel but other characteristics, such as the stamped dropouts, nutted axles, steel rims and steel, cottered crankset point to an entry level model.
I have a vague recollection of the brand being sold through the Home Hardware chain or similar chain stores but that may have been the Orions sister brand.
The subject bicycle has a CPSC compliant front derailleur in the style introduced by Shimano in 1977, so I believe it's very late 1970s, possibly very early 1980s. The serial number may allow us to determine the exact year. The tubing is a lightweight hi-tensile steel but other characteristics, such as the stamped dropouts, nutted axles, steel rims and steel, cottered crankset point to an entry level model.
Last edited by T-Mar; 04-21-21 at 06:29 AM.
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04-21-21, 07:13 AM
#4
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Thanks for the info. It does feel heavy but I’mnot sure how much of that is in the wheels and drivetrain. I don’t care too much about finding high end tubing since this is more just a fun project for myself. I do plan on making it nice though.
04-21-21, 09:41 AM
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Nice job on the Norco!
Brent
Brent
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04-25-21, 08:41 PM
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I bought my Empire Professional in Spring 1976 from the Happy Outdoorsman sporting goods store on Pembina Highway in Winnipeg. Pretty decent specs for the price... double butted High Tensile tubes 
, alloy everything, Shimano Titlist derailleurs, and Shimano 600 brake levers and sidepull calipers.
I let it go 2 years later when I outgrew the seatpost. More recently I acquired an exact duplicate, except 1 framesize larger, and restored it (since the paint was pretty far gone in many areas). Now the replacement is in the same use as the original, i.e. regular workout rides around the district.
, alloy everything, Shimano Titlist derailleurs, and Shimano 600 brake levers and sidepull calipers.I let it go 2 years later when I outgrew the seatpost. More recently I acquired an exact duplicate, except 1 framesize larger, and restored it (since the paint was pretty far gone in many areas). Now the replacement is in the same use as the original, i.e. regular workout rides around the district.
