1970’s Austro Daimler Inter 10

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Nola Wilken

Here is a late 70’s Austro Daimler Inter 10. It is built with Reynolds 531 butted tubing and has an unusually nice mix of quality components. I have overhauled and restored it in my usual way, which involves removing all components for cleaning and mechanical overhaul, cleaning and waxing the frame, treating the frame internals for rust, then putting the bike back together with new: cables, housing (if needed), tubes and tires and of course a rebuild of hubs, bottom bracket, and headset. With its high quality frame and excellent overall condition, this is a bike to keep as original as possible.

Campagnolo Nuovo Record Long Cage Derailleur

Campagnolo Front Derailleur

Top end Red Label Normandy Lux Competition Hubs

Stronglight crankset with 42/52 rings – showing no wear

Not all Austro Daimler Inter 10’s were made with Reynolds 531 tubing, but they were mostly set up with components for light touring and sport riding. This Inter 10 also has higher end components normally found on the upper level models such as the Super Light and the Vent Noir.

The drive train is geared for touring, with a 14/34 freewheel mated to a 42/52 crankset. With this wheel size, the yields a gear inch range of 33-100. That’s a pretty good range conducive for all types of riding.

Rare and beautiful GB Maes bars in fantastic shape.

Atom 600 pedals

Weinmann 605 Sidepulls with quirky Mathauser finned brake shoes

Maillard 14-34 5 speed freewheel

I encountered just about every marquis existing in the bike world in the 70’s on this bike: Reynolds, Campagnolo, Weinmann, Normandy, Maillard, SR, Atom, Simplex (the seatpost bolt!), GB, Shimano (forged chrome drop-outs), Stronglight, and Huret. To clean the component mix up, I replaced the Huret downtube shifters with Campagnolo shifters from the same era. I also replaced the Weinmann levers, which were in bad shape, with these Campagnolo levers also from the same era:

Campagnolo downtube shifters

Campagnolo levers – this style first introduced in 1976

Campagnolo shifter cable guides

I also had a nostalgia moment when I removed these “extras” from the bike – an odometer, tire savers, and flick-stand. These were de rigueur back in the day. The flick stand is actually a very useful device that I will probably use for one of my bikes. The Huret odometer shows less than 1600 miles on the clock – that seems about right given the nice condition the bike was in.

All of the Austro Daimler’s I have encountered have been surprisingly nice. The company had a lengthy and complex relationship to bicycle manufacturing. If you want to know things you never dreamed of wanting to know about the company, here is an amazing manifesto on the subject.

This frame is built with Reynolds tubing. The sticker is missing on the seat tube, but still present on the fork. This bike’s top tube is 57 cm, even though the seat tube is 53 cm. Apparently, Austro Daimler just used the same top tube length for most of its bikes, regardless of seat tube length. Fortunately, when the bike was built up, a short reach and tall SR stem was chosen, so the ergonomics on this bike still fit like a typical 53 cm bike. The bike has an unusual seat post – a “G.S.” San Marco, which is actually very attractive and has the diameter inscribed in a helpful location.

The build quality of the frame is extraordinarily nice, with Shimano forged drop outs, lined lugs, a chrome fork crown, and top quality finish work on the seat lug. There are no braze-ons of any kind, but the clamp-on Campagnolo and Weinmann guides are very attractive.

This is another great example of a quality touring/sport-touring bike from the late 70’s. Although a production build, the bike has survived quite well and has many miles left to go.

Update October, 2016: Sold! Congratulations to Bob in Pennsylvania.

1947 C. Daudon

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Nola Wilken

I have had this 1947 Camille Daudon for a few years now, and have done nothing to it since first acquiring it from the prior owner who had done some of his own restoration work, including re-chroming the Vitus frame. In fact, the bike is so lovely in its current form, that I am reconsidering my plans to bring it back to its original state by adding period correct hammered fenders, front rack, lighting, and a chain guard, which is what it would have originally been equipped with. This Daudon was custom made for Irene Faberge Gunst, granddaughter of the famous creator of Faberge eggs, a special birthday gift from her husband. In 2006, this bike won the award for best French bike at the Cirque du Cyclisme show. As pictured, it weighs a mere 20 lbs.

The wing nuts were drilled to save weight. Double eyelets in the front, single in the rear. Designed to carry a front load.

The head tube shows a slight loss of lug detail due to re-chroming of the frame. Lam side pull brakes with plenty of clearance for fenders.

650b aluminum box style rims with surface pattern to improve braking.

Pelissier hubs.

Daudon’s customized shifter – everything bespoke on this bicycle. Shifter cable not properly set up – a one piece system is required.

Beautiful Stronglight crankset in very good condition.

Cyclo rear derailleur with wrap around cable.

Gorgeous Ideale Saddle – a bit dry and in need of conditioning.

The color matched crank arms are only still visible on the left side. Threading for all left side components is reverse, including the crank bolt, lock ring and bottom bracket cup.

You can see the slight loss of lug detail mostly on the head tube.

Perfect fork rake – a lovely bend close to the drop outs makes for a nice ride.

Re-chromed stem which is bolted to the steerer tube. All bolts are 8 mm heads.

Unbranded pedals – possibly also crafted by Daudon.

Irene Gunst’s engraved steerer tube cover. Beneath this lies the hidden tool kit.

8 mm nut heads on the seat tube clamp, simple but pretty stays.

Tool kit hidden inside the head tube.

Prior to re-chroming the frame looked like this:

As you can see, the chrome was seriously compromised. The prior owner decided that it would be worth it to re-chrome the frame and risk the loss of lug detail, rather than sanding it down and re-painting it. While disappointing in some ways, I think the overall impact of the new chrome outweighs the downsides. It’s nice to have these photos which will help me re-create the head badge and logos. There are other examples of Camille Daudon bicycles which can also help. Jan Heine’s The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles features two Daudons, and the latest Bicycle Quarterly features a Daudon that is somewhat similar to mine. As far as restoration goes, I still need to make the bike mechanically sound and rideable. The Cyclo derailleur uses a one piece shifter cable, and although I could have soldered a cable to work with this derailleur, I have finally located one that will work for this bike:

And, I am still in a quandary about whether to make this bike appear as it once did – as a touring bike with fenders, lighting and front rack. While I contemplate that, here are some of the parts I have put together – aluminum fenders, front rack which bolts to the fenders, and Simplex chain guard. I still need to source appropriate lights for the front and rear fenders, and a dynamo.

I welcome your thoughts and ideas about this amazing piece of cycling history.

Le Cycliste Magazine 1956

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Nola Wilken

I recently acquired 3 1956 volumes of the monthly French cycling magazine Le Cycliste. I don’t know much about this publication, only that it was originally founded by Paul de Vivie, aka Velocio, in the late 1800’s. Velocio himself, an avid cyclist and competitor, was a champion of derailleur gears as well as small wheeled bicycles. Unfortunately, he died in 1930, but his cycling buddies carried on publishing the magazine for quite some time thereafter. Much of my awareness of Velocio was originally gleaned from my avid reading of Bicycle Quarterly, Jan Heine’s publication which has on occasion re-published some of Velocio’s articles from those early days of cycling’s history.

This particular volume is packed with articles, photos, and some wonderful advertisements. Here are some highlights:

“Easter in Provence” celebrated apparently with cycling events. The photo in the upper right corner features a tandem pulling a trailer!

Photos from a 1956 cycling event in Maconnaise. The clothing worn by the cyclists looks comfortable and not too “bikey”.

Cyclist Maurice Maitre on the Col de Saint-Louis.

A Daniel Rebour drawing of a new Campagnolo seatpost (a design which continued unchanged for decades), a new sleek “Comet” headlamp, and an article about something called “Dissoplast” – haven’t figured that out yet.

Ads for Rene Herse and Mavic, as well as leather saddles and mudflaps.

Ads for Cycles Goeland, J. Routens, Hutchinson, and the mystery item “Dissoplast” which I now think is glue for flat repairs.

Amazing Rebour drawings of rear derailleurs. Note the quick releases on the “wrong” side of the drop outs, and the two cable system on the Simplex Juy.

This ad is amazing – it is very eye catching. The bike featured is a moped with the engine mounted on the front fork. Apparently, these little mopeds were sold all over the world, and the company continues to this day (although under different ownership.)

No cycling magazine would be complete without technical specs. This drawing and the related table show various frame dimensions at two different seat tube angles. I am going to study this awhile and see if I glean any new insight into bicycle frame geometry – a topic which seems to lend itself to both mysticism as well as science. Since it’s a rainy, windy day here in Portland, it’s a perfect time to curl up and read.

Restoring Vintage Bicycles from the Hand Built Era

Portland, Oregon, USA

Category Archives: Randonneur

1970’s Austro Daimler Inter 10

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1947 C. Daudon

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Le Cycliste Magazine 1956

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