Recent content by Imwit

How DO you grab the brakes if you are on the drops? I’ve got the same levers on my velo de ville but with porteur bars although it wouldn’t have been like that originally. From what I’ve seen, that style of levers are meant for drop bars but they don’t seem all that practical.

Are there other cranks than RH that they will fit? Stronglight 3 arm cranks seem to be too big, 116 BCD from what I can see.

Is there any possibility of re using the original chainrings? Are they a proprietary BCD?

Could it be Ellis Briggs? Classic Lightweights listing has Beryl as an Ellis Briggs rider

Loving this thread, your work on the build and the stories around it. I think that Jan Heine of Rene Herse Cycles has the build books from the original business. If so, he should be able to tell you when it was built with the details you now have.

Campeur/Jousteur? No room in any of the 5 bags for the salad server? And you would need to be committed to get that hip flask. Nice bike though 😜

Ok there’s a hip flask holder and a nice carrier for the D-lock but why the effe is there a salad server mounted in front of the head tube?

That’s great. Thanks @non-fixie. I measured ~27mm rear and ~31mm front so definitely in the ball park. And you naming the brake shoe pivot helps me to see that there is a bit of up and down adjustment for the shoes. That looks to be the answer. Thanks to @Woz for your guidance too.

I’m wondering if @non-fixie might be up for measuring the brake drop from post to shoe on your trois dames and if there is any difference between front and back?

Thanks for the options @legrandefromage

Thanks for the Christmas reading. I’ve been engrossed with the eau de nil La gazelle all Boxing Day. I’ve still got a bit to go but it is definitely a cautionary tale and with at least one ‘uh oh’ moment when on a side trip to Sheldon’s page I realised I might need some pedals. I’ll see if I can...

Thanks Woz. In hindsight I’m with you on buying a complete bike but I think I’ll try to complete the challenge to finish this build. This was my giant hillbilly cousin when he collected it for me. I got the stem and bars, levers, seatpost and chain guard when I was in Paris last year after...

The make is Breda. I haven’t found too much about it apart from a few pictures of other (probably 70’s) bikes. I’m in Australia where getting hold of those brakes to try seems to mean buying them from France or the UK. Factoring in the postage often doubles the price so it would be good to get...

Hi all. Great thread. johnny69’s tip find is one for the ages. Mine is much less special and not a randonneur or porteur. I have a 1950’s velo de ville that I’ve been building up. It has posts for centrepull brakes but I’m not sure exactly which ones to get as the Jeay M type and Bebolux don’t...