AZORCH

Although I've been actively thinning out the herd for quite a while now, this Bernard Carré frame caught my eye and my interest recently. I made an offer that was accepted, so now I need to dig through my bins because while I was passing along frames, I was also divesting myself of a ton of French parts as well. Hopefully, I've still got a few appropriate components left out there. Regardless, I thought some of you might be interested in seeing it.

The frame was advertised as a randonneur, but more than one person on the CR list speculated it might be a CX frame. I'll measure the BB height after it arrives, but I feel like that's a legitimate possibility.

"B. CARRE" signature on the top of the stay, at the seat tube join. The seller identified the seat pin as 26.2, which comes as a little surprise to me. I would have guessed 26.4, which is a little more typical. I kind of hope the seller misstated the size because I've got a really nice Simplex pin that would pair up nicely with this frame.

The seller reports the Campy dropouts are spaced at 122. Also notice that there are fender eyelets.

Not sure what the spindle width is, but included is a TA bottom bracket, along with a Stronglight Competition headset and MAFAC Criterium cantilever brakes.
All in all, kind of a cool bike.
And I even like the color.

non-fixie 

Very cool! Thanks for posting it. It's hard to tell from these pics, but the geometry looks pretty steep for a randonneur.

gomango

Love the color for sure.

Looks like a great project for you.

Vonruden

I can't wait to see that beauty built up.

Chris W.

That is awesome!!! Looking forward to seeing the finished build

Cheers!

CV-6 

Looking forward to this.

AZORCH

I agree with you. It's really tough to tell from the evilBay photos what the actual geometry is. Doesn't look like the typical French low trail popularized by BQ though. I'll add details and photos when everything arrives in a couple of weeks. Let's hope it doesn't come packaged in a paper envelope or a plastic bag or something!

non-fixie 

It makes the bike all the more interesting. Looking forward to seeing more.

non-fixie 

The reasons I find this frame quite interesting are these:

1. A quote from Norris Lockley on CR on Bernard Carré: " much of his production was destined for use by the leading French Pro riders, and it is known that he built most of Anquetil's frames in the 50s "

2. This picture of Anquetil during the opening time trial of the 1961 Tour de France - notice the brakes:



3. The fact that it seems to wear early seventies Mercier racing colors.

CV-6 

The way I read your post, you hold some hope that this might be a Anquetil frame. Not likely. A Carré built specifically for Anquetil would most likely have J.A. on the seat caps and not B. Carré. Similarly, a custom frame is unlikely to have domed chain stay ends. AFA the color, M. Chrono did not ride for Mercier and was out of the race scene after 1969, BiC being his last team.

It is a nice frame and rather unusual in that it could well be a CX frame. I have been following Carré sales for over a decade and this will be the third (assuming it proves to be so) CX Carré I have located. I sent @AZORCH the photos of the other two to help him with his investigation. Had it been my size, I would have bought it. C'est la vie!

juvela

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Happily, it be not me size otherwise I would be envious.

Suspect livery non-original due to dimple on right seat stay.

This was likely the erstwhile home to a cable housing guide.

Will look forward to following the build thread.

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gaucho777 

Oh la la! Nice score. No doubt this will turn into a cool and versatile bike. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

Narhay

Very cool. French, but not too French.

juvela

Wonder if this statement would rule out Motobecane as their slogan/subscript was always "Definitely French."

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non-fixie 

The reason the name of Anquetil came up was that I have been studying his career and his bikes for a while now, and a couple of years ago I stumbled upon pictures of his '61 TdF time trial bike, which was quite unusual because of the cantilever brakes. I've been looking for more info on that bike since then, but never found other pictures of it than the ones taken on that 25th of June 1961.

And no, definitely not the same bike:



@juvela: isn't that a little low for a cable stop?

AZORCH

Likely. Until the frame arrives and I've got it in my hands I'm not sure the direction I'll head with it. My proclivity leans toward bikes I can ride all day, and then again tomorrow. I haven't begun to dig through my parts bins to see what I've got that would be appropriate for this one, but I have looked through my wheel sets... all of my French wheels are 27", so I may opt to rebuild a decent 700c rim around one of the sets of Maillard hubs I have on hand. This is, of course, academic at the moment, but then that's the way I roll: imagining the possibilities. If it turns out to be a CX, with a high BB and tighter trail than a randonneur I may lean toward a sportif sort of build instead. However, I've got a TA front rack that would pair nicely with a smaller front bag and those MAFAC cantilever brakes. (You see how it is, right? I won't be able to make any decisions until I've tried out a variety of configurations, and imagined several others.)

I tend to think about not only the current build, but also the bikes I've got in the studio. What is getting ride time? What "gaps" do I have in the current version of the herd? I tend not to overlap "bike purpose" too much, and that sort of consideration lends a lot toward the decisions I make about builds. So for instance, this one could potentially be a wide tire, mixed terrain sort of bike, right? But I've already got my International outfitted with 38's, high clearance, fenders, and bags. I've also got a Jeff Lyon on the way once he gets back from vacation, that fits 650b x 42 + fenders. Not to mention my Boulder. So this category is getting a little full on my end, and I even wonder if I might look at a more upright porteur bar and rack sort of build for spiffing around town, grabbing a microbrew, farmer's market shopping, etc. OK, so that sounds pretty precious, I know. Heck, this was one of those spontaneous purchases, and I desperately need a new project. So anything might happen.

DIMcyclist

That's really something; thanks for sharing!

juvela

Not a housing stop but a guide:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cv-6en...7629164343478/

[image courtesy of our very favourite aircraft carrier]

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non-fixie 

I assume you intended for a picture to show in your post?

juvela

software would not accept image so replaced with a url.

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Sir_Name 

It'll be fun seeing what form this one takes, looks like a fun versatile bike. Should be easy enough to shoehorn it into an unoccupied niche in the collection.

non-fixie 

Thank you. I'd never seen one before. And so I keep learning.

repechage

If this frame had been a 54-56 cm, center to top... Temptation would have been too strong.

juvela

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find meself with CV-6 in thinking of a CX application.

one simple measurement which could be made would be to check shell height...

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AZORCH

A quick update: The frame arrived while i was out of the country last week eight days ahead of the scheduled delivery, so oh la la, and viva la French postal service! I picked up the parcel over lunch and hurriedly unpacked the frame so I could pop a couple of wheels in. First try was 650b. Nope! (I never seriously thought it would be anyway.) The next pair of wheels I pulled down were 27, with 27 x 1 1/4 tires installed. The cantis definitely fit 27 inch as currently adjusted. The MAFACs have a lot of adjustment though, so I'll test a 700c wheel when I get back home tonight. With the 27 inch wheels in place, a quick measurement shows the BB height is a little under 290mm. Obviously lower if 700c fits.

OK, now it's play time!