Date an old Frejus

  • Thread starter David L. Johnso
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David L. Johnso

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I visited a local charity bike place (the Neighborhood Bikeworks in Philadelphia) that helps kids
learn to not only repair bikes, but through that to get their own.

Anyway, sometimes they get donations that are unusual, and this fit the bill. I was particularly
intrigued, since I own an old Frejus, but this one stumped me.

The bike was in nearly-new condition, except for one minor rust spot and rotted tires. The
components were all Campy NR or Record, except for Universal center-pulls. That would have
suggested to me that it dated before 1970 or so, since it did not have Campy brakes, but I don't
think so after looking closer. The wheels had campy hubs, Stella estrella (sp? the ones with the
star stamped on the head) butted spokes (plated), and Fiamme Red Label rims. Tubes are all 531
according to a decal.

There is no serial number stamped on the bottom-bracket, like mine has. I did not find a serial
number, but maybe missed it somewhere.

The head badge is a decal, not a metal badge. The seat-post binder is not what I associate with
Frejus, but has the bolt on the inside, in front of the seat tube and below the top tube. I would
have said that was a Legnano design. It even had a separate bolt with a hole tapped into the lug to
hold the hanger for the center-pull brake. Mine simply had the hanger attached to the seat-post
binder bolt.

I am guessing that this bike was built post '75, after Frejus was acquired by Legnano -- due to the
mixed-up design and the decal headbadge. The paint and decals look much like mine did before the
rust came. Aside from the seat lug, all the lugs are pure Frejus.

Any clue to the vintage of this? Also, any idea of value? If it is post-merger, then I would guess
its value would be less than if it were earlier, but this mix of styles may have interest.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | And what if you track down these men and kill them, what if you _`\(,_ | killed all of us?
From every corner of Europe, hundreds, (_)/ (_) | thousands would rise up to take our places.
Even Nazis can't kill that fast. -- Paul Henreid (Casablanca).
 
On Sun, 02 Mar 2003 20:40:43 -0500 "David L. Johnson" <David L. Johnson
<[email protected]>> wrote:

>The bike was in nearly-new condition, except for one minor rust spot and rotted tires. The
>components were all Campy NR or Record, except for Universal center-pulls. That would have
>suggested to me that it dated before 1970 or so, since it did not have Campy brakes,

The Campy brakes were so expensive that a LOT of bikes were sold with all Campy except for brakes
for many years afterwards.

>The seat-post binder is not what I associate with Frejus, but has the bolt on the inside, in front
>of the seat tube and below the top tube. I would have said that was a Legnano design.

Says Legano to me, too.

>I am guessing that this bike was built post '75, after Frejus was acquired by Legnano

Sounds like a good guess to me, but I didn't even know that Frejus got bought up by Legano. ;-(

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Jim Adney [email protected] Madison, WI 53711 USA
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I once dated an old Gios. Blue and cold as steel. :)

GJ
 
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