WGB 

Ok, not even sure if these are Velo Sport or Velosport? Seen both names but sticking with Velosport.

This is a "Criterium". Not sure how these fit in on the food chain at Velo Sport but suspect that the name was chosen to capitalize on the race and that you might not choose this particular bike to race.

Posting because T-Mar always seeks serial numbers and because this brand (and the Criterium model especially) slips under the radar. Velo Sport was a Canadian importer, unknown if they made or just bought frames. Nice enough bike. I've heard people swear the Criterium had Dura Ace parts but have never seen that! Part of a deal in which I also got a a Motobecane Grand Touring with Campy drivetrain for $150. MY BIL needed a bike but he gave me $10 on top of what I paid, you know - for my troubles and time......

It has Shimano 600 Arabesque (600EX) FD, RD, shifters, cranks and brakes. Seat post is a "who-knows-what?" and it has a Brooks seat post clamp. I was told wheelset is original but though it has Weinmann rims and Maillard hubs, they are differing hub models so I doubt original.

Serial number is MOL76062.

alcjphil

Velo Sport was a brand of bicycles produced by the Procycle group which is headquartered in St Georges de Beauce, just southeast of Quebec City. At one time they also built Peugeot bikes for the Canadian and North American market.

non-fixie 

That is a 1980 Miki-built frame. Nice stuff and a nice find!

T-Mar

Actually, it's neither Velosport nor Velo Sport. Technically, it's Vélo Sport, with an acute accent on the 'e'. The Criterium appears to have been a one year model from 1981. OEM spec was Shimano 600EX (aka Arabesque). At the time, it was their top model, being replaced in 1982 by the Super Aero with Shimano 600AX. I'm not aware of Vélo Sport having a Dura-Ace model until the 1983 Image (a sample of which I owned for a very brief period).

Regarding background, the history is a bit fuzzy. The company currently known a Procycle started in 1971 as a Quebec based assembler of Japanese bicycles for Canadian chain stores. In 1974 it acquired the Vélo Sport brand, incorporating as Vélo Sport Inc. Frame manufacture commenced in 1977 but appears to have been restricted to hi-tensile models. The Vélo Sport line was dropped in 2001.

Besides Vélo Sport, the company has acquired a number of other famous brands over the years, including CCM (1983), Miele (acquired 1997, though they didn't re-introduce the brand until 2002) and Rocky Mountain (1997).

Procycle was also closely linked with Peugeot, becoming the exclusive Canadian distributor in 1974. In 1978 they started manufacturing entry level models for the Canadian market and in 1990 became distributor for the USA, after the dissolution of Peugeot USA. Procycle would terminate their involvement with Peugeot in 2001.

James.McLachlin

My son has purchased in Ottawa a Vélo Sport with Shimano 600 EX. The serial number is MOM 91008. Can you confirm this is the Criterium model and the year of build being 1981? The condition is excellent, a well cared for bicycle. I have it for the winter so I can perform basic maintenance including bottom bracket, headset and hubs lubrication plus check for rust (very unlikely).

Thanks, James

Miele Man

That may be but the Velo Sport I have here does NOT have any accent mark above the E.


Cheers

T-Mar

During the era in question, they typically didn't include the accent when using all upper case letters, such as the down tube logo. However, it was employed when using mixed cases, as in company literature. I suspect the omission on the logo was a combination of aesthetic and marketing factors. Omitting the accent provided a uniform height to all the characters and may have been viewed as desirable in anglophone markets.

non-fixie 

I suspect the number is actually M0M91008, where the first 0 means 1980 and the second M most probably December, which would make it a 1981 model. Whether it is a Criterium I couldn't tell you. Does it look like the bike in the first post?

T-Mar

Welcome to the forum. The serial number indicates a 1981 model manufactured in late 1980, while the Criterium was Vélo Sport's only Shimano 600EX model that year. So, unless it's been rebuilt, it's a 1981 Vélo Sport Criterium.

James.McLachlin

Thank you for the replies. I will post pictures once cleaned. The name 'Criterium' is missing from the top tube but otherwise the bike is almost the same as the original picture posted in this thread.

cb400bill

Pic Assist - https://www.bikeforums.net/g/picture/23370000

James.McLachlin

This picture is linked to the wrong thread - should be Harry Quinn