Happy Retirement to Me! Jo Routens unboxed
12-01-18, 03:43 PM
#1
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Happy Retirement to Me! Jo Routens unboxed
I officially retire on Friday, December 7th. So I spent a chunk of what will be my payout for accrued unused PTO on something very special 
. It arrived yesterday and I’m just completing the unboxing process. SO many small pieces/details!!! It was made in 1978 (original receipt came with the sale) for M. Rene Puillot. Jo Routens, himself, signed the bill of sale. It will be an adventure discovering all the features - for example, the braze-on attachment for a supplementary rear light on the nds chainstay. (There is wiring in the fender, of course, for the main rear light). The lever on the seat tube to engage/disengage the dynamo is smooth. The cork brake pads are interesting, but may need to be replaced.
I will need a source for premium 650B tires in 32 mm. Does anyone have one to share?
Forgive my excitement - I will certainly post pics of the progress and report on its performance!
. It arrived yesterday and I’m just completing the unboxing process. SO many small pieces/details!!! It was made in 1978 (original receipt came with the sale) for M. Rene Puillot. Jo Routens, himself, signed the bill of sale. It will be an adventure discovering all the features - for example, the braze-on attachment for a supplementary rear light on the nds chainstay. (There is wiring in the fender, of course, for the main rear light). The lever on the seat tube to engage/disengage the dynamo is smooth. The cork brake pads are interesting, but may need to be replaced.I will need a source for premium 650B tires in 32 mm. Does anyone have one to share?
Forgive my excitement - I will certainly post pics of the progress and report on its performance!
12-01-18, 03:58 PM
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Wow - a bike like that, plus the time to noodle around with it and ride? Congratulations!
12-01-18, 04:40 PM
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Those chain rings are just bonkers! Lotsa cool little detail on that package.
Excellent choice for a first retirement project. May you have many more
Excellent choice for a first retirement project. May you have many more
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
12-01-18, 05:27 PM
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+ many, excellent choice/find/score, congrats all the way around! 
12-01-18, 06:03 PM
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Congrats on your retirement, and being in the position to enjoy bicycling as a hobby in this new-for-you portion of you life. May there be many miles ahead of you and your new steed.
12-01-18, 06:42 PM
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Welcome to retirement - we has kittens
Looks like a beautiful project! Don't forget to cross-post in the Triple Triangle thread.
DD
Looks like a beautiful project! Don't forget to cross-post in the Triple Triangle thread.
DD
12-01-18, 06:49 PM
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Congratulations on reaching your retirement! Now it's time to have some real fun!!!!
And looks like you have a great start with that JPR!
Now it's time to have some real fun!!!!And looks like you have a great start with that JPR!
12-01-18, 06:50 PM
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A beautiful and wildly eccentric bike! And speaking of eccentric what is the front derailleur and does it move back and forth to match the pronounced elipse of those chainrings?
Congratulations on your retirement.
Brent
Congratulations on your retirement.
Brent
12-01-18, 07:10 PM
#12
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The new Confrerie des 650 tire is finally available. You buy it direct from them. It is a Hutchinson, 584x32.
confreriedes650.org
confreriedes650.org
12-01-18, 07:15 PM
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dang... I should have had you plan my retirement... you did a much better job at it!
Congrats, and please post more pics!
Steve in Peoria
Congrats, and please post more pics!
Steve in Peoria
12-01-18, 07:37 PM
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Wow, wow, wow!
That's a dream bike!
That's a dream bike!
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
12-01-18, 07:51 PM
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Congratulations and Happy Trails to You, a bike for the life time ahead.
12-01-18, 09:01 PM
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This must be a dumb question, because no one else has asked it, but what is the function of the under-seat shift lever, i.e., where does that cable on the backside of the seat tube lead?
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
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12-01-18, 09:05 PM
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12-01-18, 09:07 PM
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Wow, that’s a spectacular bicycle! I like your espresso machine too! Congratulations!
i checked the original owners address in google maps but could not determine if his home was still there.
i checked the original owners address in google maps but could not determine if his home was still there.
12-01-18, 09:51 PM
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On this bike I think it would be for engagement of a generator.
12-01-18, 10:08 PM
#22
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Thanks, all, for the encouragement and congrats!
The underseat cabling is to engage/disengage the generator. The front derailleur is interesting. It has a simple lateral movement, controlled by two cables. Moves right and left. That’s it. I’m looking forward to putting the chain on to watch it work with the elliptical chainrings. (My husband says that watching them spin makes him seasick.)
@63rickert - thanks for the tip on tires! The ones on the wheels now are Michelin of undetermined age. They will be replaced.
A feature of these bikes is that the rear brake cable goes through holes in both the seat tube and a slot in the seat post. The seat post is relatively short (typical of the genre, as I understand) so there are limited vertical options for seat height. And it’s not a good idea to twist the seatpost in repositioning, because that will mangle the cable and maybe the seat tube
.More pics: check out the leather padding between the fender and the head tube. No simple washers here!
12-01-18, 10:54 PM
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Great details! That rear brake cable routing and front derailleur actuation totally threw me; that's the kind of stuff I think of when I envision French cycle-weirdness
The leather spacers for the fenders are stroke of genius. I bet in use that will be one very quiet pair.
That seat cluster gives me goosebumps!
DD
The leather spacers for the fenders are stroke of genius. I bet in use that will be one very quiet pair.
That seat cluster gives me goosebumps!
DD
12-02-18, 01:10 AM
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Amazing piece of machinery, and art!
Congratulations on your retirement my friend! That bicycle is a sweet way to kick things off.
Congratulations on your retirement my friend! That bicycle is a sweet way to kick things off.
