Minnesota Expat

Here's a better pic. Still working on figuring out the program for posting good full size pics.

juvela

thank you.

i'll wager she looks finer today than when she was ex-works forty years ago!

fine job.

Minnesota Expat

Yes. NEWSTAR hub on the front with a DEA Super-Chrome rim. My first Hirondelle had the same dimples on the rim, so I'm guessing those are original. However, the rear rim and hub are different, Rigida Chromolux rim with a Normandy hub.Also, there is no quick release. Very different pattern on the rims too. I'm thinking the rear wheel was replaced on this bike, perhaps the original was stolen or damaged?

Are NEWSTAR hubs good, bad, or ugly?

Minnesota Expat

I've already retaped the bars, added clips and straps, and recabled the brakes and derailleur. Next step, get rid of the dork disk on the rear hub, pull apart and clean the bottom bracket and headset.

I like the saddle, it's a newer Bontrager and very comfortable. The original was ugly. I want something more period correct, perhaps a nice old Brooks saddle, but is there a good French equivalent?

JohnDThompson 

Idéale:



Not cheap, but just as good as any Brooks.

juvela

NEWSTAR is an economy line from Etablissements Perrin, the firm which manufactures the Pelissier brand. one downside of the five-piece body design is that the right hand flange of the rear hub can tend to work loose with use. when this occurs the gear block will be seen to wobble a bit in freewheel mode.

the company went through several reorganisations over the years.

there is some Pelissier history at CR:

Pelissier hubs, main

Minnesota Expat

Sweet! Thanks!

juvela

at first i thought the seat binder collar on Minnesota Expat's bicycle looked a bit different than that of the mc_aines' machine.

so took a look back and they appear to be the same fitting.

https://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...0&d=1408303667

it is Nervex Ref. nr. 852.

Minnesota Expat

Also have a frame pump. Absolutely worthless, you can hear plastic bits rattling around inside, but nonetheless, very cool!

You can see the front and rear rims are different. I recall the dimples on the front rim and think those are the originals. There is no rear skewer and quick release. The original had a rear skewer.

Minnesota Expat

They are the same, I just hauled the laptop to the garage and checked. As I recall, his seat is original. Plastic cover that eventually cracked, with pieces flaking off.

juvela

looking back and forth between the two examples the Minnesota Expat bicycle looks to be about two to three years later than the mc_aines machine.

juvela

"seat binder collar" refers to the braze-on bit to hold the seat binder bolt on the frame.

Minnesota Expat

Seat post with pin striping.

juvela

and a most excellent job of cleaning/polishing.

interesting to note that the brake bridge is vertically drilled, just like that on the mc_aines bicycle. it is also arched. Nervex part nr. 616 or 618.

Minnesota Expat

No polishing, yet. Just a little general cleaning. The bike came "as is" and the story is the bike sat in a old person's garage for 10-20-30 years? It was received as trade for some help around the oldster's house, was ridden about 200 miles, and put up again. I wouldn't be surprised if the bike doesn't even have 1,000 total miles, there is/was no rust or dirt, little old grease, no road tar, or other road boogers underneath the bottom bracket or down tube. None.

Minnesota Expat

Mc_aines has decided to part out his bike. I'm trying to talk him into selling me the rear rim, skewer, and rear/front derailleur (I know my front derailleur will eventually fail).

juvela

did you find it locally or was it shipped from Colorado to Saint Anthony?

Minnesota Expat

I saw it in a post here on Bike Forum, a seven year old thread and the author had not signed on since posting a picture. I sent him an email and he responded! We negotiated a price that included shipping from Colorado to San Antonio. I had an identical bike in the early 70's until May 1982 (when it was stolen). It's very much a nostalgia/sentimental purchase, nonetheless it is a joy to ride.

One thing, and I distinctly remember this from riding my original Manufrance. The pads absolutely scream when braking hard. The wheels are true and stopping power is certainly not an issue, I can lock them up with a hard pull. Is it the rims, the pads, some treatment for the pads, or is that normal???

juvela

wrt brakes.

note that the mc_aines example is clb. the mafac racer brakes have a good deal of twisting flexure in the calipers when applied and hence require quite a bit of toe-in not to be noisey. cleaning the braking surface on the rim and running some emery cloth or sandpaper over the surface of the pad can also be helpful.

thanks for the additional information. it must be great for you to have a swallow back in the barn.

olmo for many years manufactured a model called the rondine. this word is italian for the bird we call variously in english house martin/swallow/swift.

salembimmer

@minnesota. I just found and purchased this yesterday on CL. Long story but basically I had purchased a Schwinn Continental last summer and bought new aluminum 27" rims and specialized armadillo tires to do longer rides with my local club. I ended up putting 50 miles on the rims before selling the continental. Since then they have hung on the garage wall waiting for another vintage bike to go on while I rode my new(er) '89 Giant with 700C's.

I thought I would end up finding a Nishiki, Panasonic etc..but came across the Hirondelle yesterday..and @ $100, couldn't pass it up. I now have two french bikes--my wife rides the Peugeot Montreal I restored.

So..I'll be putting my lightweight rims and tires on this weekend and now have a couple of original rims, tires and skewers if you would like them. I'm in Salem, OR.

Shifty

All of you Hirondelle fans might enjoy this book about an English chap's ride of the 1914 Giro de Italia route on a 1910 Hirondelle. Very, very funny account. "Gironimo", by Tim Moore. https://www.amazon.com/Gironimo-Ridin...2VA49TY4K02N03

juvela

salembimmer -

thanks for posting.

what is that rear mech your example wears, a shimano lark variant peut-etre?

salembimmer

Thanks for the book tip Shifty.

It is a Shimano Juvela. Too bad the simplex is gone. It does still have the simplex shifters and front derailleur however. I installed the new wheels yesterday and also installed a nos 5 speed freewheel. So, the owner of the old rims will also get an original Cyclo freewheel to go with them.

Minnesota Expat

Hey there, just saw your post. Still have those rims and skewers?

- Minnesota Expat

salembimmer

Saw your FR. I still have them.