Forgotten French Marque ? (Lejeune)

[velohomme]

Just a couple of pics of my 1978 Lejeune. I bought it off ebay but it was originally found at a French jumble sale. Full campag gran sport groupset so the guy could probably not believe his eyes. Lejeune won the TdF in 1968 which is something mercier never managed.

 

[alicat]

Quel joli vélo.

 

[biggs682]

@velohomme tres bon nought wrong with that machine

 

[woodbutcher]

@velohomme tres bon nought wrong with that machine

Hm , methinks thats a timely reminder to start doing the rounds of this summers 'vide grenier' ! Nice bike

 

[Oldfentiger]

Agreed, LeJeunes don’t crop up very often.
Two in our stable though.
I bought the blue one as a frameset only for Mrs OFT. Refinished at Atlantic Boulevard and mostly period bits bolted on.
I bought the tandem mostly because it was cheap, then spent a couple of hundred on refurbish the wheels and components.

 

[velohomme]

It spends it's summers back in France. I look at the vide greniers as well. No luck yet

 

[velohomme]

Agreed, LeJeunes don’t crop up very often.
Two in our stable though.
I bought the blue one as a frameset only for Mrs OFT. Refinished at Atlantic Boulevard and mostly period bits bolted on.
I bought the tandem mostly because it was cheap, then spent a couple of hundred on refurbish the wheels and components.

View attachment 461063 View attachment 461060

 

[velohomme]

Nice bikes. The tandem looks very French.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Fantastic looking machine. Barry Hoban raced one when he rode for Sonolor Lejune, and if you want to complete the picture here's a team jersey -

https://freestylecycling.com/retro-sonolor-lejeune-cycling-jersey.html

 

[velohomme]

Great looking jersey. Much nicer than my Lejeune jersey

 

[normgow]

Lejeune won the TdF in 1968 which is something mercier never managed.

Without trawling through a load of old records I seem to think that Louison Bobet rode a Mercier to victory in the 1955 Tour de France and possibly in 1954 and 1953 as well. Pre-war results should be looked at too.

 

[velohomme]

Although Bobet rode for Mercier when he won in 1955 the TdF was raced by national teams so he wasn't riding a mercier at the time. Unfortunately as a team the closest they came was second. The record over their history was still pretty good though.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Although Bobet rode for Mercier when he won in 1955 the TdF was raced by national teams so he wasn't riding a mercier at the time. Unfortunately as a team the closest they came was second. The record over their history was still pretty good though.

They still rode their trade team bikes though, just like they do now in the Worlds. Check out Poulidor in the 1968 Tour, riding his team issue Mercier -

 

[normgow]

Although Bobet rode for Mercier when he won in 1955 the TdF was raced by national teams so he wasn't riding a mercier at the time. Unfortunately as a team the closest they came was second. The record over their history was still pretty good though.

As Smoking Joe points out, the 1968 Tour was also contested by national teams won by Jan Janssen riding his Lejeune as can be seen in the excellent photograph.

 

[velohomme]

I stand corrected. Which I am more than happy be. Thanks for putting me straight