Addamsmith

My Raphael Geminiani 1958 Replic Build has Began.
i have a 1958 Olympic that is in great shape but way to big so its going into my man cavmans a display.
i got the colour spot on after 4 attempts and very happy.
Trying to use all the same components that Raphael Geminiani used on his 58 bike.
I will be posting as I go so it will take a few weeks as i have most of the parts.

Classtime 

What are you starting with? Your creation?

Addamsmith

headset Stronglight V4 with Pivo Stem and Phillippe Professional bars.

bikemig 

I've thought for a while that it would be cool to replicate a 50s era TdF bike. Is that what you are doing?

non-fixie 

Looking forward to this project! If "Gem" had gotten along better with the French national team he'd probably have won the Tour de France that year.

Addamsmith

yes mate

Feldman

Who painted it and what is that color called?

bikemig 

I'm curious, where did you find the specs for the build? Is there a web resource where you can find how this bike (or others) were kitted out for the TdF in '58, '59, etc.?

Addamsmith

i have a Car Race and Restoration Business did it theriti just colour matched it from a guy on the gold coast who has a original Geminiani I colour matched off it.
I can try to get a colour mix code for you.

Addamsmith

i googles 1958 Raphael Geminiani and found one on a web sit that was built and replicated from the original bike.
I will find the post and add it to here.

Addamsmith

Vélo Raphaël GEMINIANI 1958. - Le blog de velosvintage.over-blog.com

Maru

For those that have not taken the time to open the link...I highly recommend you take a look. Lots a photos from many angles. Gorgeous bike.

what a cool project.

Markeologist

Stronglight 57s and Mafac Tigers....great stuff, enjoy the hunt if you don’t have already. I have a Stronglight 63 for my CdM build and have been hunting for Mafac Top63s.

repechage

Those brakes at first glance look like Top 63’s but are marked Dural Forgé.
note the pivot frame is solid and fixed, so one better measure well when building the frame and fork!
I have never seen these before.
the Dural Forgé brakes I am familiar with are the same basic design as the later Racer.
interesting
worthwhile project.

John E

Wow! That is a fabulous idea, and I really like the machine you are copying.

I guess I could use one of my Capo Sieger frames as the basis for a replica of the bike Adolf Christian rode to 3rd place in the 1958 TdF. I think his had Capo brand derailleurs, for which the old 1950s Simplex bandspring rear and rod-shift front would be reasonable stand-ins, and I would need low flange hubs with wingnuts, as well as sidepull brakes. I did find this picture of a 1952 Sieger, and his does not look a lot different, based on the two photos I have found. The components are embarrassingly primitive compared to the Campagnolo / Mafac mix on your project. I also would not want to modify my frame for internal derailleur and brake cable routing, something Otto Cap evidently abandoned sometime during the 1950s.

Addamsmith

That is such a beautiful machine
do you have a link to the bike you could share with us please

Markeologist

The model of Mafacs on the Geminiani in link are Mafac Tigers which predate Top 63s by three years if I recall. The Tigers have a much flatter face on arm and a much broader and flatter arc to the arms than Top 63s. The flatter, broader arc to arms wasn't seen on subsequent Mafac models (perhaps a poor design and why they were replaced by Top 63s so quickly). The Top 63s were replaced pretty quickly too (from what I understand they are pretty complicated to set up) by the original Racers which were not embossed with "Racer" just "Mafac" and "Dural Forge" (the aluminum alloy they were made of). Racers seem to my eye to be a bland of Tigers and Top 63s and were the choice of many professional riders in the latter half of the 60s. The later Racers actually embossed with name "Racer" are 70s versions and used plastic bushings instead of the bronze bushings found earlier.

Addamsmith

I was sure the top63 did not come out till late 62
I have a set on my gitane 63 model.
Did they come out earlier

Markeologist

From what I understand, Top 63s were introduced by Mafac in late 1962 as a 1963 model (thus the "63" in the name). The Top 63s replaced the Tigers which became generally available in 1960 (+/-). Stronglight coincidently had a new design for 1963 as well, thus their Model 63 which replaced their previous Model 57.

Addamsmith

So started to put frame together Used P3 Stronglight Headset from 50s.
Stronglight Period correct bottom bracket with Stronglight 57 competition model cranks .
Now i bOught some chrome wrap to do seat down tube decal and cut same as my other Géminiani bike.
Added chrome and Géminiani face decal.
Campagnolo clamp on shifters and clamp on bottle cage.

Addamsmith

More work done

KansasJack

Sorry to bump an old thread but I was happy to see this project. I have an old Raphael Geminiani that I plan to paint in the same scheme. I found it in rough shape but it’s complete. It has an Ideale saddle and Mafac Tiger brakes.

merziac

Umm, pics or it didn't happen.

You can add them to the gallery on your homepage and they may get moved here, then maybe only 4 more posts for you to post here.

Respond to any and all posts here to get there.

Welcome aboard, belatedly, glad you found us, you're in the right place.

KansasJack

Thanks very much. I haven’t been here since 2015. I’ve been spending most of my time on the vintage MGB forums lately. This old bike is bringing me back though. I’ll post pictures as soon as I’m able. Just a few more posts to go.

big chainring 

Raphael Team Car. Love it!