topher1
New Member
- Location
- Batavia Illinois USA
I recently acquired a bicycle from my father that he purchased from a "constructeur" named E. Bekaert near Paris, France. The original bill of sale dates this bike from 15 Jun 1939. It is frame #2055 and rolls sweetly today. Amazingly I could find nothing on the Internet about this builder. I have posted photos in another forum with nothing but knowledgeable guesswork in response.
Hard to believe I might actually own something unique.
The metal tag on the head bracket says only Bekaert. The seat tube has numerous fluer de lis on a white field and the label on the down tube says LEULLIOT in large letters. On either side of that in smaller letters it says VELO ROUEN. Some of the fittings are French (Huret).
I assume it is French but have been unable to find anything about this bicycle maker on the internet. According to Wikipedia, Jean Leulliot was manager of the French team that won the Tour de France in 1937 and then had a rather colorful and contentious relationship with French Nationalists, organizing the alternative 1942 Circuit de France under Nazi sponsorship.
Thanks in advance for any assistance,
Chris Edmonds
Batavia IL USA
Hard to believe I might actually own something unique.
The metal tag on the head bracket says only Bekaert. The seat tube has numerous fluer de lis on a white field and the label on the down tube says LEULLIOT in large letters. On either side of that in smaller letters it says VELO ROUEN. Some of the fittings are French (Huret).
I assume it is French but have been unable to find anything about this bicycle maker on the internet. According to Wikipedia, Jean Leulliot was manager of the French team that won the Tour de France in 1937 and then had a rather colorful and contentious relationship with French Nationalists, organizing the alternative 1942 Circuit de France under Nazi sponsorship.
Thanks in advance for any assistance,
Chris Edmonds
Batavia IL USA