Histokid

Hello, my sister recently gave me a Recherche and I would very much like to know more about this bicycle as far as size, model, value and uniqueness? It appears to be completely original and is Pearl White in color with a sticker stating "painted by Cyclesmith's San Marcos CA". It has other decals stating Alpha Bicycle Company Vista, California and of course Recherche in Yellow. It has Sante hardware and engraved numbers and the letter T on the frame under the cranks. The brake hardware is also painted the same color as the frame. One side of the handle bars say Modolo patent Anatomic bend.


Thank you and I will eagerly await any replies.

randyjawa 

I don't know much about value. Value is a product of bike quality, condition, size and location. Knowing just the name does not help me much when value is the concern. As for more information...

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C...ih=610&dpr=1.5

Histokid

the only other identifiers are the numbers under the cranks 813T and the numbers 50 below, which i am interested to know what they indicate? I will try to post a photo of the bike.
thank you for your reply.

alcjphil

https://davemoultonregistry.com
These frames were built by Dave Moulton

cb400bill

https://davemoultonregistry.com/Recherche.html

The Recherché was a private label frame, built for Kent and Kyle Radford, owners of a bike store in Rancho Bernardo, CA. (San Diego County.) They wanted a frame they could sell in their store and also market to other Southern California bicycle dealers.

They had a name for the product, Recherché, and a decal design. The frame was the exact same geometry as the Fuso, in fact one of the reasons I took on this project was because I could build the frames in with the Fusos.

I usually worked on batches of five frames minimum, all the same size. So I would build 3 Fuso frames and 2 Recherché for example. There were slight aesthetic differences in the two frames, like different seatstay caps and fork crown, and a different treatment was given to where the front and rear dropouts joined the tubes.

The Recherché frames were originally offered only in red, but later blue, yellow, black and white were added. The frames were a single color with a white decal panel on the seat and down tube. Some 200 were built, mostly in 1985 through 1987.

One of the French interpretations of the word Recherché is “Sought After,” which is somewhat prophetic. They were a no frills frame with a slightly simplified paint job when compared to the Fuso, but because there were far less built, there is a rarity appeal to this model.

Dave Moulton

Kentradford

I doubt this is a Recherche I never had Dave build a 50 cm frame, The serial number is wrong also. they were only 3 digits and no letters. Pearl White was not a color that was offered. Post a picture if you can

Kent Radford

steve sumner

the owner of Cyclesmiths started at Masi Carlsbad and has gone on to paint many
brands of bikes He is IMHO the best frame painter in the world. bike painting is very
much a speciality due to the very small radius of frame bits. that paint job will last
many decades.

dailycommute

Would love to see a picture, I have no idea on SN but wonder the "T" is some connection to Dave Tesch? He would have been active in SoCal around the time of Dave Moulton though the SN would not seem to be Recherche.

Histokid

Unfortunately I am new to this site and it won't allow me to post photos.

I'm still at a loss as to weather or not I have a real Recherche bike and what it's value is?

alcjphil

Just keep talking to the members. Once you reach 10 posts, you will be able to send photos. This thread has generated quite a few very good answers. Talk to the people who have replied.(mine excluded)

alcjphil

Thank you for chiming in here. very useful information. All the more reason for the OP to keep going to the point where they can send pictures

wrk101

I picked this one up back in January. Verified with Dave Moulton that it is the real deal. A thread like this needs pictures! These pics are as found, dirty. Unusual fork crown (to me at least). This was an early one based on low serial number (in the first 10) and feedback from Dave. Three digit serial number. There were a little over 200 made.

fullsizeoutput_17c9 by wrk101, on Flickr

fullsizeoutput_1656 by wrk101, on Flickr

IMG_2136 by wrk101, on Flickr


On the non-drive stay:

fullsizeoutput_165e by wrk101, on Flickr

wrk101

I need to measure mine, but its close to that size.

dailycommute

Up on ebay, guess Dave Moulton confirmed it is a copy/counterfeit. Apparently there are several of these spotted over the years and he commented on it but never have figured out the builder. There is a 2013 thread here with some interesting info, appears they were painted at same place.

Histokid

apparently Dave has conformed on this site my bike was not built by him.

Histokid

apparently you are correct my bike was not built by Dave. Thank you.

Histokid

Thank you for getting this photo up. I am still puzzled that the bike shop in Vista CA. actually sold this bike either knowing or not knowing it was not an authentic Recherche.

The sticker on the frame says it was painted by CycleSmiths so I assume this is legit?

dailycommute

Could not find any actual confirmation but that 2013 thread seemed to indicate cyclesmiths painted more than one which would indicate some type of semi organized effort.. Your SN is very close to the 2011 reference. The frames appear well made but why somebody would just not put their own decals vs recherche is the puzzle. For legal reason we may never know for sure, Dave M seemed more curious than anything but that thread mentioned "contracted" but again no evidence to support if that is true and if so who did so.

The referenced frame with SN 814 is the one linked via Daves blog.....your price seems reasonable given build quality but might have to end up willing to ship. Is the bb cinelli stamped? Might highlight columbus tubing, lugwork, shimano sante groupset (not very common).

Histokid

Thank you so much for your input. The bb shell itself is only stamped 813 T and the number 50 below it. I will verify later this afternoon but I believe the bb is stamped as well.

TugaDude

Fascinating thread. Thanks dailycommute for linking the information from Dave Moulton. And thanks WRK101 for the pics. Amazing that one ended up in North Carolina! It is certainly a gorgeous frame.

uncleivan 

I dont suppose anyone has a spare recherche fork?
After reading what I wrote it seems even more ridiculous, but hey... never know.
There are ALMOST..(just wanted to be clear)...no bikes I would buy without the original fork, but there was no way I was passing on it for that reason.

uncleivan 

I'll put it up in a separate thread when I have it finished. I've had it for a few months give or take. Here is a picture from the original listing. Hanging in a barn in the middle if nowhere maine, listed as a "postal bike" for really cheap. I was honest with the seller about what it was. I dont mind getting a good deal, but I dont want to take advantage of someone who doesn't know.

Histokid

Update on my bike the rear dropouts are stamped Campagnolo. When it was purchased from Alpha Bicycle Company in Vista California the sales person never mentioned that it was a replica Recherche. Still wish I knew more about this bike.

Histokid

sorry for the delay in my reply. Apparently according to Dave Moulton's blog my frame is built with Columbus SLX tubing. The rear dropouts are stamped Campagnolo.