zukahn1 

The dropouts are late 70's early 80s Vitus professional which seem to indicate a better quality likely Super Vitus tubed frame. In which case some of the components are likely none original and a bit lower than came on the bike originally. Based on the it could be a nicer model Mercier or Gitane can you tell if there is chrome under the paint on the rear dropouts and stays which would help confirm a nicer bike.

Silvestru

I'll try searching the models for Mercier and Gitane to see if I can find a match. From what I understood so far, Gitane had a poor database when it comes to serial numbers. Any website about Mercier serial#?
Found some pics with Mercier bicycles and on some models, the bottom bracket lugs are the same as mine but other details are different...

When it comes to the equipment, as soon as the identification is a success, I'll try and match the original build.

Silvestru

Coming back with more pics regarding the rear dropouts and the rear stay.
Do they look like they were previously chromed? Guess that the nut and washer from the rear stay are a sign that the paint is not original?
I know that the bike had some decals but they were erased. In my first photos, you can still see the uncleaned glue residuals. Maybe it wasn’t repainted afterall.

zukahn1 

Yes that would be so-so chrome under the paint considering the lower quality thin chrome and lack of details lean towards Mecier as the maker.

Silvestru

The seat post diameter is 26.4mm. There is a chance that the rear socks were chromed and repainted... Also, somebody a Vitus 888 tubing.

bikemig 

26.4 is consistent with a high end French bike. The other thread you started on this bike has a lot of pics of the rear drop out. One neat thing about it is that it has a stop for a derailleur. I'll bet if you pull off the rear derailleur it is threaded. That means you can run a simplex rear derailleur (which is what you have now) or pretty much anything else you want as well. The earlier french dropouts--mainly simplex--were not threaded and lacked a stop. This drop out, plus the under the BB cable routing, suggests that the bike is from the 80s.

I really like the parts mix on this bike. Mafac brakes are cool and the levers are later ones that I like a lot as well. They came stock on my 1982 Peugeot PXN 10 (it has simplex drop outs but like yours it has a stop for a RD and it is threaded). The stronglight 99 crank with drillium rings is a nice touch. That is an 86 bcd crank and chain rings are readily available for it if you want to change the gearing. The normandy hi flange hubs are very serviceable and the mavic ma 2 rims are excellent.

The parts will clean up nicely. The frame will need some work though.

gbi

Silvestru, you might try searching for images of St Etienne and/or Mercier, from Tonton Velo.

Silvestru

Thank you for the assessment!

Somebody suggested that the equipment was changed over time and some parts did not came up with the frame. What's your opinion?
Also, from your perspective, what manufacturer do you think my bicycle is part of? So far people are suggesting Motobecane, Mercier, St Etienne cycles, Gitane, Meral.... That's cool and all but since there are lots and lots of models it is very hard for me to pinpoint a brand. I'm at the beginning regarding vintage road bicycles.

To sum up....but not sure about all aspects:

• could be French - Gitane, Mercier, Motobecane, maybe Meral or unknown/custom;
• late 70s - early 80s;
• could be Vitus 888 tubing, Super Vitus? - the seat post diameter measures 26.4;
• rear dropouts read Vitus - some people suggested that it had chromed rear socks and it was repainted - not sure;
• lugs look like Bocama?
• under-bracket cable guide alloy
• Belleri handle bar, Mafac Racer, Simplex derailleur and shifters, Millard M M Atom quick release, Normandy hubs, etc.

Thank you kindly,

Silvestru

I'll have a look at the forum and see what stones I can turn. Thank you for the advice!

bikemig 

I'm skeptical that it's Vitus 888 as that is a straight gauge tubing set and I'm thinking that this is a little nicer frame than that. Other than that, I can't tell you much. I'd fix up and ride it. Here is some info on Vitus tubing sets.

Vitus history by Norris Lockley

Silvestru

For sure I'll restore it and never going to sell it. It's my first bike and I want to ride it all my life.
The thing with the manufacturer ID is that I want to restore it as it was in the beginning and to find appropriate decals.

unworthy1

One of our bunch who bumps into a lot of out-of-the-ordinary French bikes is @MiloFrance, because he lives there and shops the country sales, flea markets, etc.
Maybe he'll chime in on ID-ing this one...the only thing I can say is the handle bars have "St. Etienne" stamped on them, maybe a clue but maybe not.

MauriceMoss

@Silvestru - there is a good chance that your frame was made by Liberia (of Grenoble).


Most of the features of your bike (as well as the serial number format and location) were, at one point or another, used by Liberia, whether on frames sold under their own brand or those of the shops that bought from them (like Michenon, Payan and others).


AFAIK Liberia didn’t have a set numbering system as you will find frames with numbers on the NDS dropouts, bottom bracket shells, or frames that have no numbers. They did a fair number of contract builds (or blank frames that were to be decaled by the shops that sold them), so maybe that explains the serial number situation. Also, I’m not sure how their numbers are decoded.


Here are some examples of Liberia frames with the serial number format/location similar to yours:









Here are some examples of full frames. Some are Liberia branded and one is labeled Michenon (who seemed to have sold mostly Liberia and Motobecane frames):


This one has different head lugs:



This one has the head lugs but different dropouts:







The brazeon inside the left seat stay is kind of interesting. Anyone know what these were used for? I've seen a few different styles but this particular style so far only on Liberia (please share any pics if this was more common on French frames).




Finally, most of the frames that I’ve seen that match yours had the “Liberia 102” tubing sticker on them. It is likely that’s what yours is made of as well. Unfortunately, I’m completely in the dark regarding the specs of that tubing. Most higher end Liberias were made with Reynolds 531 tubing.

bertinjim 

The braze-on on the left stay is probably for a wheel driven generator.

Silvestru

!!!!

Very informative post @MauriceMoss!! Thanks to you I discovered Liberia bicycles and I have to say... some really match my own.
Thank you!

Googling Liberia, I came across this website - https://janheine.wordpress.com/2017/...our-de-france/ , where one road bike (bluish colour) seems quite familiar to mine, including the nut and washer from the rear seat stay. Still the distance between the head tube lugs is smaller than mine.
Will continue researching.

Silvestru

Coming back with some details... maybe it means something, maybe not.

The inside of the seat reads:
Made in France
Perache
Brevete

The covering of the seat is made of suede.

Is there any connection with a Carbolite 103 frame?
Came across this thread which is interesting and full of knowledge - Carbolite 103, what is wrong with this type of frame?

The tires were glued (don't know the proper term) to the rims but I guess back then, all tires were like that?
Also, the handlebar caps read Peugeot... most probably the original caps were replaced with these ones? since everybody tells me this bike does not have any Peugeot characteristics

Silvestru

OK...

Coming back with some details... maybe it means something, maybe not.

The inside of the seat reads:
Made in France
Perache
Brevete

The covering of the seat is made of suede.

Is there any connection with a Carbolite 103 frame?
Came across this thread which is interesting and full of knowledge - Carbolite 103, what is wrong with this type of frame?

The tires were glued (don't know the proper term) to the rims but I guess back then, all tires were like that?
Also, the handlebar caps read Peugeot... most probably the original caps were replaced with these ones? since everybody tells me this bike does not have any Peugeot characteristics

Silvestru

Unfortunately, in the beginning, I made the mistake of opening another thread in the Classic & Vintage section and now all the information is divided in two threads, which makes the whole picture a little harder for the community to grasp. - https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-ing-bike.html

Still, @MauriceMoss commented on the thread and gave me a good advice: to search for Liberia Grenoble and Liberia 102. This producer has some models which come close to mine.. including that nut and washer from the rear seat stay but either way... I did not get a match so far.

Anyone, any thoughts on a possible Liberia?

unworthy1

That Maurice Moss does it AGAIN! I think Liberia falls into the "oddball French" category but not odd in a bad way just "seldom seen". I personally have heard of the brand before but those are the most pix I ever saw in one place and looks like OP's is right in that "family". No idea either about what kind of tubing "Liberia 102" could be but with a 26.4 seat post you're in the same wall thickness for seat tube as Reynolds 531 DB Metric so can't be too bad! Yes the Peugeot bar plugs are "red herrings", I think Liberia (or "made by" Liberia) is the correct ID.

juvela

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The cycle's VITUS ends set bare:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/529759...n/photostream/

With Maurice on the case you could not be in finer shape.


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MiloFrance

A bit late to this one but thank you for the mention @unworthy1. Puzzle solved!
Post 8 and 16 on this thread is the only positive Liberia I've come across in person, and it's gorgeous. However the only similarity with yours are the rear dropouts. Never seen that finishing on the seat stay caps either. I'd say mid-late 70s, I'd be surprised if it was more that a few months in to the 80s.
Ride it like you stole it!

cb400bill

Duplicate threads merged.

gbi

I would like to see a new MASTERPIECE Mystery Series: MauriceMoss C&V Bicycle Detective.

juvela

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+1

He puts them all to shame.


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gbi

I think a MauriceMoss series would be a great addition to the already excellent MASTERPIECE Mystery programming.