iab

Well, I have 4 of them that are earlier than 1950. 5 if you consider that I used to own 04146.

While the components on this bike are likely too new for the frame, I am told Frejus favored French components around the war years, pre and post. My 1942 (01642) cambio corsa has stirred controversy on the Frejus FB group. There are some who don't believe it saying that bike should be Simplex equipped. And since the bike is restored, you don't know what metal work is original or not. I agree with that point, there is no way to be 100% certain, but that also swings both ways. This was a special build (I have an image of the original receipt) so the owner could have asked for CC. And the dropouts used are very indicative of what Campagnolo used from 1940-1943.

TugaDude

Frejus is one of my favorite brands even though I've only seen two up close, in the wild. You sound like a huge fan of the marque, owning so many of them.

When I see a bike of this age with such good-looking paint, I have a hard time believing it is the original. Especially given the obvious replacement of various mechs. Just seems it would have many more nicks and scrapes if nothing else.

Are you sure it is wise to even ride it? I know most all of my posts are in favor of actually riding bikes, but sometimes there are exceptions. Maybe this is one of them and best left as wall art. In that case, if the tires are presentable, I'd just wipe them clean, put something on them such as Armor All, to make them look fresh and leave them be. If they are tattered, then replace obviously.

Please post some pics of the overall bike, from the drive side!

Whatever happens, that is one beautiful bike and I'm glad it is still in the family and receiving much care and attention.

Highmass

As Campione Del Mondo means world champion, I find it hard to imagine that they would write TDF victories on the headbadge.

smontanaro 

Yes. I was referring to the relative dearth of Frejus entries in Dale's list from before 1950 (compared to after), maybe 10-15 early frames compared to over 200 total.

As for flogging world champion v TdF, I believe the Campione del Mondo is related to world championships, as others have suggested. Ferdi Kubler won the Tour de France in 1950 on a Frejus, which the company flogged for many years afterwards. I have a late 50s/early 60s TdF:



As others have pointed out, the Frejus serial number "scheme" might be a scheme in name only. Mine has Simplex dropouts (and derailleurs), but a higher serial number than many with Campy dropouts.

Classtime 

A woman asks her friend to make her husband’s late father’s prized bicycle presentable and rideable. I would advise that it be “restored” to the condition it was most recently regularly ridden by the dude’s dad. I could be wrong but I think the biggest wow will result from avoiding mission creep. However, this thread should be printed and included in the card attached to the bike when finally presented to the son

FrejusFlyer

Ah, you're correct. My mistake. There must be some reason they put the '51 date on the updated badges.

SJX426 

Are those badges with dates only apply to the model Campione Del Mondo? Is that even a Model name?
Mine is clearly a Tour de France model and does not have a year on the badge. Either it is due to being a different model or too much time has passed to include it in 1967.
68FrejusHeadBadge on Flickr

However, they still put the tour map on decal set with out a year.
68FrejusDTTDFDecal on Flickr

3alarmer 

SJX426 

Got rid of the championship stripes too. What year is that bike, @3alarmer?

iab

If you notice on the OP's badge it reads 1933. 3 years later, if you look at the badge in post #18, you will see 1932. I have seen an original 1936 Frejus that used 1933. So for at least 15 years, they used 1933. For the record, Giuseppe Martano won the Worlds while riding for Frejus in 1932, in Rome.

Why on earth did they use the wrong date for so many years?

3alarmer 

...I'm not real good on the exact year, even though I bought it from the original owner. He bought it over at American Cyclery, in San Francisco, in the mid-1960s some time, but it's difficult to figure out how long it might have been in stock there, and he rode it quite a bit. So I'm uncertain as to the originality of the components. Not sure Campy was date stamping their stuff in the mid '60's yet anyway. It was in trying to figure out a rational dating for it that I ran into the serial number data base for Frejus, on Classic Lightweights. Which is why I still do not understand their serial numbering system.

SJX426 

Mine is wierd too
71BianchiDone14 on Flickr

3alarmer 

...

pastorbobnlnh 

Let me also add that the profile on the freewheel sprocket teeth look to be from the Sachs Aris model, which is circa 1990.

Beautiful bike!

smontanaro 

Maybe just using up old stock on hand?

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

iab

Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

But your theory is wrong. They changed the design, using the wrong date twice.

From the 1936 Frejus,

Fizzer

Hi folks,
First of all, thank you all for taking the time to discuss this bike, it's been very enlightening!

I've added a pic of the whole bike too. It's in my profile album. It's a bit of a looker.

Looking more closely at the paint, I can see that it is a repaint, but it looks like a good job, albeit from some time ago. There are a few rusty chips, not yet sure whether to just wipe down and lightly oil (assuming this bike won't get out much) or to try to fix.

Chain and derailleur are currently having a bath. Jockey wheels are quite worn but I've found some new old stock on ebay.

Tyres... I'm not yet sure whether to replace. They're old and a little cracked but they do hold air.

Classtime I'm with you on this one. I think this bike was well loved by his dad, I'm going to do my best to keep it 'as is'.

​​​​

juvela

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Fizzer

smontanaro 

This is going to seem dumb, but I've been hanging around here a long time and have never made use of this album, at least not directly. where is it? I looked in your profile but couldn't find it. Then I looked in *my* profile but couldn't find mine either. (A common problem I have with the BF interface is there is just too much going on.)

Fizzer

I'm on my mobile, I had to switch to desktop view before I could see the album link.

Fizzer

Does anyone have any advice about the Brooks seat?
My wife thinks saddle soap would be a good idea (she rides horses)!

Kabuki12

I use Dr. Martens boot salve on all my leather saddles. I bought it where I bought my boots from a western wear shop . It is about $10 a tin and works very well. I usually warm the saddle up in the sun for a couple of hours and treat both sides of the seat.

smontanaro 

I've used Brooks' stuff, but am currently working through some Obenaufs. If you're somewhere warm, coating it with one of these waxes, then letting them sit in the sun so the leather soaks it up helps.

3alarmer 

...when they get that rough on the surface, from aging and cracking, I usually just sand them down a little, to get a smoother surface, then wax the surface and let the wax sink in a couple of times. Works better if you warm the leather prior to and during the waxing. I just use something that is mostly beeswax, like Sno-Seal. There are people on the forum who insist that Proofide is the only approved wax for these saddles, but I've honestly never tried Proofide, and Sno-Seal is easier to find and cheaper. I haven't ruined any of my saddles yet. But I favor function over fashion.