Hello from Southampton

[Quiet Mike]

Greetings from Southampton. Profuse apologies for not using my very rusty schoolboy French. Typical ignorant English!

I love vintage bicycles, and I love cycle touring in France and Belgium. Mainly to cover the old battlefield areas, so Normandy, the Somme valley, Ypres and Passchendaele ...

And a few organised rides. I loved the first couple of Eroica Britannia, before it got too big. And then we started doing European rides like La Savoureuse and the Retro Ronde. Yet to do the famous Anjou Velo Vintage!

All my experience is on mid century English machines, Club and Lightweight models. But last weekend at Ripley I became the proud new custodian of an early Belgian bike, with mostly French fittings. I have come here for help and advice to get it back on the road, as I know nothing about pre 1930 machines.

A few photos of tours and rides over the years. I like to use a 35mm Voigtlander VitoB as well. I'm behind the camera on a lot of these, so the other chaps are my cycling pals Dickie and Ben.

Kind regards,

Mike.



Merci Google Traduction ...

Salutations de Southampton. Profuses excuses pour ne pas utiliser mon français d'écolier très rouillé. Anglais ignorant typique! :rouleau:

J'adore les vélos d'époque et les cyclotours en France et en Belgique. Principalement pour couvrir les anciens champs de bataille, donc la Normandie, la vallée de la Somme, Ypres et Passchendaele ...

Et quelques manèges organisés. J'ai adoré le premier couple d'Eroica Britannia avant qu'il ne devienne trop gros. Et puis nous avons commencé à faire des manèges européens comme La Savoureuse et la Retro Ronde. Reste à faire le fameux Vintage Anjou Velo!

Toute mon expérience concerne les machines anglaises du milieu du siècle, les modèles Club et Lightweight. Mais le week-end dernier, à Ripley, je suis devenu le fier gardien de la première moto belge, avec des installations essentiellement françaises. Je suis venu ici pour obtenir de l'aide et des conseils pour le remettre sur la route, car je ne connais rien aux machines antérieures à 1930.

Quelques photos de visites et de manèges au fil des ans. J'aime également utiliser un Voigtlander VitoB de 35 mm. Je suis derrière la caméra pour beaucoup, donc les autres gars sont mes copains cyclistes, Dickie et Ben.

Sincères amitiés,
Mike.



Route check by Mike, on Flickr


Retro Ronde 2018 trip by Mike, on Flickr


Passchendaele Cycle Tour by Mike, on Flickr


Passchendeale Cycle Tour by Mike, on Flickr


Somme Battlefield Cycle Tour by Mike, on Flickr


Somme Battlefield Cycle Tour by Mike, on Flickr

[Quiet Mike]

And here is my project, 'as purchased'. A circa 1925 Bruneau Durieux from Notre Dame Au Bois, near Brussels. A company who also made sewing machines I believe, but I have not been able to find any information on the company.



The next project by Mike, on Flickr


The next project by Mike, on Flickr


The next project by Mike, on Flickr


The next project by Mike, on Flickr


The next project by Mike, on Flickr


Those handlebars ... !!! by Mike, on Flickr

And after an afternoon tinkering I fitted an old pair of 28x1 1/2 Schwalbe tyres, as I really didn't like the black rubber on an early machine.
The scissor brake was added by the previous owner, but I would like to fit a suitable French cable brake. Also, some pedals are required. A standardf French thread I believe.


1925 Bruneau Durieux by Mike, on Flickr

[KRISSTOFF]

Hello Mike ;
Welcome to the Tonton Vélo forum

Belles photos
...et désolé , mon anglais est aussi mauvais que ton français

[king]

welcome aboard, we have a few british people here , Nellie Melba , an other Mike ...
DOM

[Chef de gare]

Welcome here Mike, I really like your pictures, especially the fifth one !

[Quiet Mike]

Welcome here Mike, I really like your pictures, especially the fifth one !

Thank you! One of my favourites too. Click on the photo and it should take you to flickr, and you can see the rest of the album. I upload a lot of photos there.

Hello

Mike ;
Welcome to the Tonton Vélo forum

Belles photos
...et désolé , mon anglais est aussi mauvais que ton français

We are even then Luckily I can communicate through emojis and photography

welcome aboard, we have a few british people here , Nellie Melba , an other Mike ...
DOM

I was told about Tonton on a UK forum, LFGSS (London Fixed Gear and Single Speed). I would not have found it otherwise!

[S. Cargo]

Welcome among us all, Mike ! Happy to see that our forum is spreading over the Channel !

That Google translation is quite funny… but, don't worry, the essential of your message is understood !
Do not hesitate to send a private message to me if you need any help to get some french words you'd need to name specific bike parts, I'll do my best to help you.

Cool bike, anyway, hope you'll get it nicely refurbished soon !

Standard french thread for old pedals is 14/125.
Your rear hub is a Torpedo, which include the rear brake when you pedal backward. You can see its year of origin engraved on it.