Riding a 100-year-old Racing Bicycle: The Antique Claude Delage French Racer. 

Thanks, Four! I love the way these bikes look in their original state. We have another that we're working on, but someone had already started with the full showroom restoration, so we were forced to continue down that road. At least it'll make an interesting comparison to this one. :)

It would be cool if someone was building something like this today! Thanks for watching!

@@bikestrikesrazors I found the closest to a classic so far! Pashley bikes from the UK. but nothing to the level of the claude delage. 👌

@@bjorngrauers The Pashley bikes are beautiful and oh so much more ridable than the bikes from the 20's. :)

It would be fascinating to send off the modern pros on replica bikes over the same stages that the “hard men” rode back in the teens and twenties and compare their times. Of course, those old-timers couldn’t accept help out on the course even if it meant using a local blacksmith forge to repair their own bikes. I’d like to see a modern pro do that! :)

Thanks, Steve. Yep, the original cables were already gone when I got the bike. Somebody in France was using it as a regular rider. When I took the old tubes out, they were from the 60's or 70's and had about 20 patches each on them! Time trialing vintage bikes sound like a blast!

Thanks very much for watching, Matt!

Thanks for watching, Joe! I'm going to put some loctite on the brake-clamp screws today. Not very authentic, but those tiny little bolts and nuts holding the brakes on look like they can use some help. :)

Thanks for watching, William!

Thanks Dino and thanks for watching!

Thanks Mark!

Thanks Gary! Love that music by Aaron Kenny.

Hi Tom! I've also seen flip flop hubs that have two different size gears, so you have the amazing option of TWO gears! Today's riders would never stand for only two gears. :)

Thanks Douglas. It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt (when an antique bike falls apart!). :)

Been there done that 🤕but worth it🤗💫

Merci beaucoup! :)

Thanks Rob and thanks for watching!

Thanks very much for watching, Jered!

Thanks for the kind words, Evan and thanks for watching!

@@bikestrikesrazors We ( my wife and I) look forward to the posts. Have a great week.

Thanks very much for watching!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks very much, Kirsten, and thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching, Rokko!

Hey, MOT! Those handlebars had taken a "shot" at some point in the bike's long life and were bent down pretty significantly (and then bent back up) so they're not exactly "even". I had a local frame builder take a look and he assures me that, being steel, they won't fail catastrophically, and if they do fail, they'll likely just bend slowly down. Hopefully they won't fail at all but I don't think you'll find anyone that would recommend riding on 100-year-old handlebars, bent or not- Or a hundred-year-old bike, for that matter. :)

Indeed, Louis! I think the French were out front in development for quite a while with the bicycle.

From axle to axle is approximately 45". :) Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching, Chardelra!

Thanks, Coleman! That jersey is a recreation of an original "Capitol City Wheelmen" jersey (an old club that used to ride around Sacramento, CA) that Rich and I had made through a custom jersey company in Spain. Since we only had two made, they cost us a staggering $250 each. We'll be making a video about those jerseys soon, and when we do, I'll add something about letting us know if anyone's interested in having one. I'll start a list, and if we can get enough folks that want one, we can order and get the price down to a more reasonable level. They came out beautifully, all Marino wool, with the button up shoulder and full chain stitching for the logo. I wouldn't mind having another one myself. If you subscribe, you should eventually see the video pop up. We were waiting to do the jersey video until I got my Hercules Speed King restored, but I'm having a problem finding a correct crown race. As soon as I can find one, or make one, the jersey video won't be far behind! :)

@@bikestrikesrazorsLooking forward to seeing the Speed King restoration completed, and the jersey video!

@@colemanweidenbusch4086 We're a bit hung up on the Speed King. Trying to track down the proper crown race, but it's almost done!

Thank you 😋

I’m thinking about it, Stan! :) Thanks for watching!

Alas, I can't grow a decent mustache! My facial hair wouldn't pass muster with "The Beast". :)

@@bikestrikesrazors well maybe you can part your hair down the middle like him and wear a fake mustache. 😛

@@glenn_r_frank_author There's an idea! Where did I put that fake mustache ?

Grees pencil🤗

Thanks very much for watching, Krishnan!

Hi Jacob and thanks for watching! My rear hub looks to be a little shorter than 110. Looks like 106-107, but there are a lot of things on this bike that don't look to follow any kind of standard. Not sure where you are, but the best bet for a 30's hub is probably eBay France or eBay UK. They seem to have the most really old bike parts to choose from.

Thanks for the anser! I live in Sweden where parts are scarse. I will probably have to import. Thanks for the suggestion!

@@jacobhaggstrom1452 No problem, Jacob. I'm in California and parts are scarce here as well. On the East coast of the U.S. there seem to be more old bikes and parts. I usually have to go to an eBay in Europe to find things.

Hi Stan! I've been toying with the idea of checking the fixed side out as the crank and freewheel spinout pretty quickly on the flats. The original front chain ring is a 44 and the rear is an 18. The fixed side is a 16. Check out our video: "Cycling 30 miles on 100-year-old antique bicycles" and we talk a little about the gearing. :)

@@bikestrikesrazors 44x18 is a 69.9-inch gear, a bit higher than 68, which I've read was considered the "standard." My Surly is currently a 44x18 for 66-inches, which I've found what's best for an older guy confronted with steep, short New England hills. I use the brake (front only and back pressure on the pedals to keep from spinning out downhill). You both look like you're doing very well on the bikes in the 30-miles video. Gearing is so personal and dependent on terrain that one can't generalize. But you look like you're riding in a place with terrain appropriate for your gearing and strength. Riding them fixed will be a whole new deal. I'll watch for the video!

@@newenglandergray3002 Thanks, Stan. I've only ridden a modern fixed gear once many years ago, so it will be a learning experience for me. I'm kind of glad the gearing on the Delage is a little on the easy side as the pedals look a bit delicate and I'd hate to be the one to mash them apart on a big hill. :)

@@bikestrikesrazors That gearing is a bit lower than normal. If you have serious concerns about too much pressure and like riding it fixed, maybe use modern rat trap pedals. Incidentally, your video on the shoes was great. Pics on alamy of vintage bike racers shoe shoes were lace up but lower cut than yours, well below ankle. Usually they seem to have worn socks but not always. Also, sometimes puttees. The book The Wonderful Ride (Ellen Smith) has a couple of good pics showing footwear.

@@newenglandergray3002 Thanks for the info! I'll check out "The Wonderful Ride". Yes, some of those old shoes look very much like ballet slippers!

Hi and thanks for watching! I never measured the headtube or seat tube angle on the bike, but it's super slack.

Hi George! These are Continental RIDE "Classic" 37-622.

@@bikestrikesrazors Regular 700c? Damn. What little I’ve deal with in pre-depression era bikes are those crazy 28” virtual sew-ups.

@@syketherocker Yep, I think the 28" single tube tires are an American thing. I remember reading it had something to do with Pope and not wanting to pay extra to use someone else's patented designs. Eventually sank the American bike industry until Schwinn came out with clinchers on their bikes. I have a Hercules U.S. import that I can't find tires for. A lot of the old French bikes seem to have these 700c clincher rims on them.

@@bikestrikesrazors Any idea what that Hercules needs? I may have some ideas.

@@syketherocker The black one or the red one? The red one needs quite a few things to make it ridable, but I'm holding off on that project for now.

Thanks for watching, Douglas!

@@bikestrikesrazors, there is a little known word that is associated with successful people; the ability to be authentic. You guys do a great job with your vids whether simple rides or historical bikes you're restoring, being authentic translates across the lens & it resonates with viewers. Keep having fun!

@@D11Alpha Thanks for the very kind words, Douglas! It's fun sharing what we're doing and its fun making the videos!

I concur, GT! :)

LOL! That effect is called the "Ken Burns" and was made famous in all the Ken Burns documentaries. Thanks for the comment. It's good to know someone finds the effect annoying! :)

I know, right?! Amazing.

You laugh, but I'm so addicted to my Garmin- I mean, it's like if I don't have the ride on Strava, it didn't happen. So, what am I supposed to do, mount a Garmin on this 100-year-old bike? I can't bring myself to do it. I'll just have to keep the Garmin in a jersey pocket. :)