kmerskine

I'm new and I searched the forums for LaPierre info but couldn't find anything. I can't post pics yet because I'm a new member, so a question will have to do for now. I recently bought a LaPierre Superlux for $10 and want to restore it. I'm not concerned about whether it is worth the money to restore it or not, I'm just doing it for fun. But I'm trying to figure out what year it is. Without pics, I know that's difficult. But the number is 9773, and there is also a 2 stamped in a couple of inches away from the 9773. These are both on the bottom bracket.

Any thoughts on what year this may be?

juvela

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hello kmerskine and welcome to the forum!

you can get around the ten post requirement by uploading images to the "member's album" on your member page here at the forum

readers can visit the album and place the images into the thread for discussion


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kmerskine

Great. Thanks, I'll do that.

juvela

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have the impression that there was organized importation of this marque into the U.S. somewhere between the mid-1950's and mid-1960's

suspect importer must have been in the east as marque largely unknown here in the west where i am located


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T-Mar

Only photos in OP's album are of Schwinn Varsity and non-drive on top of that!

kmerskine

Yes, I picked this up in Greenville, SC, although who knows where this guy got it. My first thought was that it was a late 60s or maybe 1970s model. It has a foil Superlux sticker. and a Dijon sticker as a badge, not a screw on badge. Seems like that would be a later model rather than earlier.

kmerskine

Yes, another poster mentioned I could upload pictures in my members album, but I uploaded only one or two and then got a message that I couldn't upload anymore pics. No permissions, or something like that. Anyway, once I get to ten posts I'll post a few pics.

big chainring 

G. LaPierre. Basic French Bike Boom bike. Sold mainly by the "pop up" bike shops that opened up everywhere taking advantage of the cycling boom of the early 70's.

kmerskine

And finally I can post pics! Here are several. I'm sure the seat is not original, although looks like most everything else is. The serial number is 9773, with a 2 under it, and in the center of the bottom bracket is what looks like an E inside of a circle. It also has Mafac Racer brakes.

juvela

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hello once again kmerskine,

good to see you have the pictures matter now sorted

regarding your query about dating:

earliest possible date 1971

latest possible date 1972

you may discover date mark on the cycle's Simplex Prestige model gear mechs

on the rear mech check the backside of the inner cage plate

on the front mech check the underside of the body

the bicycle's RIGIDA SUPERCHROMIX wheel rims may be marked with a date inside a small diamond symbol





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frame -

constructed with BOCAMA lug pattern 14/I

fork crown & cap are BOCAMA

pump pegs are NERVEX Ref. 845

dropouts are NERVEX Ref. 1036

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the G. initial in the name stands for Gaston

firm celebrating its 75th anniversary this year -





the cycle's birthday came at the time of firm's silver anniversary and now the machine itself is celebrating its golden

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kmerskine

That did it. The wheel, at least, is 1980. The rear wheel must have been replaced at some point as it isn't the same type of wheel. The other parts you noted don't have any years at all. The front gear mech is plastic on one side. It does appear to have an arrow, but no year. The rear mech has nothing. I had to get out the steel wool to see anything at all, but alas, nothing.

Did the 1971 and 1972 models have much different from the 1980? The brakes certainly don't look 1980 though. They are the old Mafac Racers.

juvela

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in the photos provided the cycle's wheel rims appear dissimilar in that the front exhibits a smooth braking surface and the rear a serrated one

where did you locate the 1980 date marking?


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kmerskine

From the picture you posted of your wheel, I looked on my front wheel. It is exactly the same is yours, or appears so. The text is the same, and where you have a 78 inside a triangle, I have an 80.

juvela

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that fits, thank you

at the time of the cycle's manufacture serrations were very much for norm for french steel rims

unserrated steel rims were not often seen and tended to come later

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kmerskine

So do you think this front rim was added aftermarket and that the bike is a 1971 or '72? I am a little skeptical that the from shifter mech is early 70s though, half of it is plastic. It looks similar to yours, but one half is plastic.

juvela

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front wheel rim, or complete wheel, clearly a replacement

either the original was stolen or damaged by misadventure

derailleurs in the photos are a match

differences perceived may be due to lighting

body of mech in image posted by me is black Delrin.
the black Delrin is somewhat similar to the black plastic trim seen on automobile exteriors in that they both quickly turn dull in appearance with exposure to the elements. the black becomes an off-black or dark grey in appearance with a dull milky grey surface film.
it can appear differently depending on how the light catches it.

Monsieur Lucien Juy began use of the Delrin material for Simplex brand gear mechs ~1962-1964. in the early period white was employed rather than black.

should you doubt me dating please use whatever you think best; it is your cycle after all


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kmerskine

Lol, I don't doubt, I will take your word for it. I know literally nothing about old bikes, except about the two or three I've done to date. Two Schwinns and one Bianchi. Just surprised to see plastic on the front mech in the early 1970s. In any case, I'm more interested in just knowing for the sake of knowing. I don't plan to restore this bike back to it's original glory. Might make it the bike I ride back and forth to my office, which would likely be a single speed. It's four blocks and flat. I don't need ten speeds for that.

Thanks for your help!

Luis tristan

If anyone can help me get an appraisal I would appreciate it