1950's Urago track bike
05-24-21, 03:58 PM
#1
JHD
Thread Starter
1950's Urago track bike
FB Marketplace find.
Rough old track bike with some nice components including a steel badged Cinelli track stem.
Top bar has several dents. Going to get a frame builder to see if it is salvagable.
Serial indicates 1950s. I can make out U 5 x on left rear dropout.
Stronglight competition bottom bracket. Headset is stronglight as well.
Cranks are marked A Durat professionnels.
Unmarked chromed steel bars.
Schwinn scripted track hubs laced to unmatched glue on rims.
Post is modified campy. Brooks saddle.
Rough old track bike with some nice components including a steel badged Cinelli track stem.
Top bar has several dents. Going to get a frame builder to see if it is salvagable.
Serial indicates 1950s. I can make out U 5 x on left rear dropout.
Stronglight competition bottom bracket. Headset is stronglight as well.
Cranks are marked A Durat professionnels.
Unmarked chromed steel bars.
Schwinn scripted track hubs laced to unmatched glue on rims.
Post is modified campy. Brooks saddle.
05-24-21, 05:03 PM
#2
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lug pattern Prugnat 62/d
HS early type P3
pedals OFMEGA (Avocet) Sintesi
incorrect chainwheel bolts
any marking on seat binder collar?
any marking on frame ends beyond serial?
any marking on underside of fork crown?
additional pictures -
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lug pattern Prugnat 62/d
HS early type P3
pedals OFMEGA (Avocet) Sintesi
incorrect chainwheel bolts
any marking on seat binder collar?
any marking on frame ends beyond serial?
any marking on underside of fork crown?
additional pictures -
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05-24-21, 08:03 PM
#3
JHD
Thread Starter
No fork crown markings.
Seat collar is URAGO.
Looks like a 50 stamped on the left fork dropout. Can clearly see a 0 (zero) and what appears to be a 5.
Rear drop number is 5490 on top of dropout. Bottom of same drop is U 5 x. where x is worn away.
Maybe markings on the steer tube? I'll get it apart this week and see.
Seat collar is URAGO.
Looks like a 50 stamped on the left fork dropout. Can clearly see a 0 (zero) and what appears to be a 5.
Rear drop number is 5490 on top of dropout. Bottom of same drop is U 5 x. where x is worn away.
Maybe markings on the steer tube? I'll get it apart this week and see.
05-24-21, 08:15 PM
#4
Senior Member
I would leave the battle scars as is. Why erase its history. Clean and preserve.
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05-24-21, 08:49 PM
#5
JHD
Thread Starter
Maybe find a correct seat post and pedals.
After receiving a couple messages ... It seems it's too rare to mess with.
History will remain intact as long as I own it.
Thanks
05-24-21, 09:02 PM
#6
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steerer may carry a tubing mark
transfer at top of seat tube looks like it might be a tubing one...Reynolds?
are you able to read anything on it?
crank arms produced by the firm A. Duprat (name may be difficult to read)
they did business from 48 Rue de Champagne Saint-Etienne
VeloBase.com - View Brand
RFG marking found on chainwheel is for the firm Roulement Francais Garanti, best known as makers of bottom bracket shells and cottered bottom bracket assemblies.
hubs & pedals were also produced.
VeloBase.com - View Brand
evidently a previous rider of the machine found the top tube and stem combination too long and decided to cope by turning the saddle pillar round backwards
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steerer may carry a tubing mark
transfer at top of seat tube looks like it might be a tubing one...Reynolds?
are you able to read anything on it?
crank arms produced by the firm A. Duprat (name may be difficult to read)
they did business from 48 Rue de Champagne Saint-Etienne
VeloBase.com - View Brand
RFG marking found on chainwheel is for the firm Roulement Francais Garanti, best known as makers of bottom bracket shells and cottered bottom bracket assemblies.
hubs & pedals were also produced.
VeloBase.com - View Brand
evidently a previous rider of the machine found the top tube and stem combination too long and decided to cope by turning the saddle pillar round backwards
-----
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05-24-21, 09:30 PM
#7
JHD
Thread Starter
Transfer decal for Reynolds 531.
Looks black and silver.
I'll see if I can get a picture outside tomorrow.
Looks black and silver.
I'll see if I can get a picture outside tomorrow.
05-24-21, 09:48 PM
#8
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you mention you would like to locate some period and origin plausible pedals for the machine
there is a good likelihood that whoever mounted the present Sintesi pedals tapped the crank arms out to 9/16"
unfortunate should this be the case
most likely mfr for the cycle's original pedals would have been Lyotard
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you mention you would like to locate some period and origin plausible pedals for the machine
there is a good likelihood that whoever mounted the present Sintesi pedals tapped the crank arms out to 9/16"
unfortunate should this be the case
most likely mfr for the cycle's original pedals would have been Lyotard
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05-24-21, 10:56 PM
#9
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What a fine bike!
I'm glad you have decided to retain its character, and I'm once again grateful to @juvela for all of the knowledge he shares about bikes of this vintage.
Brent
I'm glad you have decided to retain its character, and I'm once again grateful to @juvela for all of the knowledge he shares about bikes of this vintage.
Brent
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05-25-21, 07:21 AM
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machine's Prugnat 62/d lug set as loose pieces -
[seat lugs offered both with & without binder ears]
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the Stronglight P3 headset -
[catalogue page of 1958]
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cycle's Stronglight Competition cottered bottom bracket assembly Nr. 34 -
[catalogue page of 1958]
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Urago serials -
at this era serials marked on outer face of left dropout
marking below the axle slot reads U followed by two numerals which indicate year of manufacture
numerals above axle slot indicate matriculation within said year
---
machine's present pedals manufactured by OFMEGA/Of.Me.Ga. and branded Avocet as contract manufactured for Palo Alto Bicycle of California, model called Sintesi
manufacturer catalogue page of 1983 -
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machine's Prugnat 62/d lug set as loose pieces -
[seat lugs offered both with & without binder ears]
---
the Stronglight P3 headset -
[catalogue page of 1958]
---
cycle's Stronglight Competition cottered bottom bracket assembly Nr. 34 -
[catalogue page of 1958]
---
Urago serials -
at this era serials marked on outer face of left dropout
marking below the axle slot reads U followed by two numerals which indicate year of manufacture
numerals above axle slot indicate matriculation within said year
---
machine's present pedals manufactured by OFMEGA/Of.Me.Ga. and branded Avocet as contract manufactured for Palo Alto Bicycle of California, model called Sintesi
manufacturer catalogue page of 1983 -
-----
05-25-21, 08:11 AM
#12
Disraeli Gears
Way cool, man! Keep us apprised of development.
05-25-21, 11:51 AM
#13
Crawlin' up, flyin' down
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Bikes: 1967 Paramount; 1982-ish Ron Cooper; 1978 Eisentraut "A"; two mid-1960s Cinelli Speciale Corsas; and others in various stages of non-rideability.
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Originally Posted by hzqw2l;22074717[color=#dddddd
]I plan on doing a cleaning and service on it.
Maybe find a correct seat post and pedals.
After receiving a couple messages ... It seems it's too rare to mess with.
History will remain intact as long as I own it.
Thanks
Maybe find a correct seat post and pedals.
After receiving a couple messages ... It seems it's too rare to mess with.
History will remain intact as long as I own it.
Thanks
What a fantastic find. I am glad you found it and it found you. It's in the right hands.
__________________
"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
05-25-21, 12:03 PM
#14
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would expect a correct pillar size of 26.6mm
for one with an integral clamp and a frankish origin the Juy seems to go back this far...
German market brochure page dated 1960 -
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would expect a correct pillar size of 26.6mm
for one with an integral clamp and a frankish origin the Juy seems to go back this far...
German market brochure page dated 1960 -
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05-25-21, 12:15 PM
#15
JHD
Thread Starter
Soap and water cleanup on the stem. Just a touch of car wax on the badge.
Measures 85mm.
Original chrome is decent for 60ish bike component.
Any significance to the 5 stamped in the base?
Measures 85mm.
Original chrome is decent for 60ish bike component.
Any significance to the 5 stamped in the base?
05-25-21, 12:55 PM
#16
Pedal to the medal
Great score! I saw this posted and passed as I have too many projects and it's a bit earlier than the era I normally seek out. Glad it got into the hands of a fellow forum member. Looking forward to seeing it all cleaned up.
05-29-21, 12:59 PM
#17
JHD
Thread Starter
Disassembled the bike.
Steerer tube is stamped Durifort.
No markings on the fork crown.
Bottom bracket shell marked RGF.
I think the unreadable serial number digit is a 4. So it might be a 54 frame.
Found this ad on the net from 1954.
Urago used vitus or hydravion or reynolds or durifort in their builds.
Could this frame be some sort of one-off custom build?
Steerer tube is stamped Durifort.
No markings on the fork crown.
Bottom bracket shell marked RGF.
I think the unreadable serial number digit is a 4. So it might be a 54 frame.
Found this ad on the net from 1954.
Urago used vitus or hydravion or reynolds or durifort in their builds.
Could this frame be some sort of one-off custom build?
Last edited by hzqw2l; 05-29-21 at 01:59 PM.
05-29-21, 02:02 PM
#18
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most excellent detective work!
the Vitus, Hydravion & Durifort names all issue from Ateliers de la Rive
---
came across this example which appears it may be close in time to thine
its only similarity is the serial however
has a road style fork paired with track ends
it is constructed with a drilled seat stay bridge suggesting some measure of dual application...
---
telly news report on the Pasteur velodrome of Nice -
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xq3zmz ... steur_news
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most excellent detective work!
the Vitus, Hydravion & Durifort names all issue from Ateliers de la Rive
---
came across this example which appears it may be close in time to thine
its only similarity is the serial however
has a road style fork paired with track ends
it is constructed with a drilled seat stay bridge suggesting some measure of dual application...
---
telly news report on the Pasteur velodrome of Nice -
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xq3zmz ... steur_news
-----
05-29-21, 08:53 PM
#20
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Both are fun to see.
clean up the blue one- maybe rebuild the wheels with new nipples, maybe.
clean up the blue one- maybe rebuild the wheels with new nipples, maybe.
