Chuck M 

A few months back I had to buy three bikes I didn’t want to get one I did want for my wife. It wound up being about 35 bucks apiece so I wasn’t too opposed because I believed two of them to be survivors. One of them is a 1970 Gazelle Tour de L'Avenir that I hoped was going to be a decent enough project. But to be a survivor it would need some life support. Of course the Simplex front derailleur is broken and unfortunately the right seat stay had come loose from the seat tube lug. Tonight while rummaging for something in my storage room where I put the bike, I decided to take it out and look it over for the first time in daylight.

One thing that was already not great about it was it has steel rims and no QRs, but they looked like they would polish up well and have high flange hubs which I like. Unfortunately they are mismatched with the front rim being a Sturmey Archer with no markings on the hub and the rear a Ukai rim laced to a made in France Schwinn approved hub. Overall I was surprised at how poorly built the bike is. The lugs are rough and the brazing job at the seat stays was so poor it isn't a wonder that one broke away and the other doesn't look far behind. At this time, it is still on life support, but I know it is time to pull the plug and harvest the usable parts. The crankset will make some kind of decor for my den, maybe the handlebars too. But pretty much what I got for $35 is a set of Weinmann center pull brakes.

My wife's new puppy approves of the bike though.

b dub 

I found it’s twin on my local Craigslist. See here. At first I thought it was the same bike which confused me.



Some of the components are not the same though.

obrentharris 

@Chuck M if those brake hoods have the Weinmann logo on them and are in halfway reasonable condition I'll pay you the $35 that you spent on the bike for the levers complete with hoods.

Someone might be interested in those Lyotard pedals too.
Brent

Chuck M 

It certainly looks like it was beaten to death by the same rider. Mine came out of NE Oklahoma. Some of the panache I hoped to preserve are the Tulsa license sticker and a Norman license plate it has. But the mismatched wheels pretty much were the show stopper for me. I'm pretty sure I could solve the seat stay issues and Huret derailleurs would have been okay with me. But I don't know if I can find a wheel set that I would be happy with.

I dig the pedals so I want to keep them for some reason, especially if I go artsy on the crankset. I didn't look the hoods over too carefully, but if they are legit Weinmann and I pull the plug on life support, I will certainly let you know.

canklecat

Looks like a perfectly good garden trellis for tomatoes, beans and peppers.

Chuck M 

I look at this bike every time I put my lawnmower away. Halfway excited about having a N.O.S. Simplex front derailleur coming, tonight I wondered if the tires would hold air so I grabbed a pump. I only had the nerve to pump them up to 60 psi but they held. I like to take the bikes I drag home for a spin around the block and since this one didn't look like it would make it to the end of the driveway, I had not done that. But Atticus Finch said in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' to Jem, "It is a sin to waste bicycle air" so I took it around the block four times and broke the Simplex shift lever. I've owned a boat before so I'm used to throwing money at crap. I'll keep at this until I break the rear derailleur.

But seriously, on rotten tires, with a non functioning FD, rusted chain, barely operating brakes and a broken seat stay, this rode well enough I don't think I will have much of a problem putting more money than it is worth into it.

denaffen

I like your style, sir. Here’s to throwing more money at it.

OTS 

Hahahahahaha, made me smile.thanks for that.