c. 1987 Mécacycle «Chrono»

serial no. 9265 (stamped on steerer tube) 926 (stamped on bb undershell)
Saint-Étienne, Loire, France

Purchased (eBay Germany) as a frameset on 22 October 2018
Back on the road 17 April 2019

Les normes que Mécacycle s'impose sont draconiennes. Ainsi le Chrono est un cadre soudo brasé de très haute qualité alliant beauté, pureté et efficacité.

MÉCACYCLE

One of the last quality French framebuilders to be established, Mécacycle had its roots in the very heart of the French bicycle industry, indeed its birthplace… the city of Saint-Étienne, about 60 miles southwest of Lyon. It was here that the first modern French bicycle was built in 1886 by the Gauthier brothers. Etienne Mimard went on to start the La Manufacture Francaise d’Armes et Cycles which in 1911 was renamed Manufrance. By the early 20th century Saint-Etienne was the home of the component and cycle brands that defined the French cycling industry and ethos: Simplex, Vitus, Stronglight, Lyotard, Cyclo, Mercier and many others.

It was for Mercier that Raymond Crozet worked for most of his career as a framebuilder and designer and it was a company, like so many other French cycle firms, that struggled in the 1970s with increased foreign competition, high labour costs and diminishing sales. Indeed, by the end of the decade the entire industry was in general decline and upheaval with many firms closing up or bought out by foreign companies.

M. Crozet left Mercier (which went into receivership in 1985) and didn’t have to go far to continue in the cycle industry, indeed it was literally just down the road from the Mercier plant in Rue Gutenberg in Saint-Etienne. There, most sources say he “acquired the struggling Mécacycle firm” although as this was only founded in February 1978 it’s not sure if Crozet did not in fact start the company himself. In any event, he immediately put his stamp on the firm stressing innovative designs, quality framebuilding and superb finishes that came to distinguish Mécacycle during its dozen or so years. Indeed, it was one of the few bright spots in the otherwise diminished French cycling scene of the era and the one of the last of the independent semi bespoke steel framebuilders in the country.

Mécacycle’s name and reputation is not as widely known or regarded despite its quality and innovation as many of its frames were finished for small local cycle shops in Europe with their name not Mécacycle’s and while it distributed its frames in the UK and the United States, its principle market remained France, Germany and the Low Countries.

By the early 1980s, Mécacycle had 15 employees and was producing 500-600 frames a month. Building quality frames (all being made of Vitus lightweight tubing with other lightweight tube options for most models as well), Mécacycle sold road, time trial, low pro, track, touring and mountain biking designs. Indeed, M. Crozet is credited with building the first French MTB in 1983 and helped to pioneer the sport. Reflecting its semi bespoke construction methods, Mécacycle offered a range of options in frame tubing, finishing and features within a set range of frames, rather like Carlton did in the 1950s so that no two models were alike. A hallmark of the firm was the widespread use of fillet brazing achieving light weight with very neat finish, but requiring the highest standards of craftsmanship to achieve yet accomplished a tight turnaround time.

Other than its pioneering MTB fames, Mécacycle today is best remembered for its Turbo road racing model. This featured a double seat tube design that accommodated the rear wheel in between to provide a uniquely short and responsive wheelbase and a stiffer frame. It was, of course, not a new idea and was originally pioneered by the Saxon firm in England between the wars and other firms like Rigi in Italy and Geliano in Orleans, France, also featured twin tube models.

On the Mécacycle Turbo, the seat tube was actually composed of fork blades and the whole frame fillet brazed. This included, in the early models, the bottom bracket, but soon as a cast lugged design special to the model was used. Most of these models were constructed of Super Vitus although Columbus SL was also offered as an option. Owing to the design, a conventional clamp-on front derailleur could not be used and as this was before “braze on” front derailleur became widespread, a special braze on version of the Huret Jubilee front derailleur was produced and usually included with the frame. The Turbo was first introduced in September 1981 and was offered in road racing, cyclecross and track versions and remained a linchpin of the firm’s offerings through the decade. A great many were built and decaled for other firms and various local European cycle shops so that the “Turbo” is better known than the company that actually made it.

Such was the success and popularity of the Turbo, that other Mécacycle designs and models are comparatively rare and unknown. This includes the model featured here, the "Chrono".

MÉCACYCLE «CHRONO»

Les coureurs
Chronométrés
Pour l'épreuve
De vérité

Lyrics from "Chrono" from "Tour de France" album, Kraftwert 1983

Les normes que Mécacycle s'impose sont draconiennes. Ainsi le Chrono est un cadre soudo brase de trase haure qualitie aliant beaute, purete et efficacite.

Le Chrono, cadre soudo brasé a la finition particulierement soignee, combine la legerete d'un cadre san raccords a la purete de ses lingnes.

With a 753 frame, the Chrono was both the most expensive (FF2280 vs. FF1935 for the Turbo) and the lightest (2150 kg.) model in the Mécacycle range.

Not a stock model (unlike the Turbo, Giro and Camus), the Chrono was built to customers' specification with a 10-day turnaround (up to 60 cm), larger frames taking four weeks to construct.

The Chrono frame was offered with a choice of five different tubing options:

Mod. SV Super Vitus 980 (6/10) 2,350 kg. price (c.1987) FF1290
Mod. CO Columbus SL (6/10) 2,350 kg. FF1490
Mod. COX Columbus SLX (6/10) FF1690
Mod. R5 Reynolds 531 Pro (6/10) 2,200 kg FF1590
Mod. R3 Reynolds 753 (3/10) up to 54 cm c-c or (5/10 seat tube) 55 cm-60cm FF2280

The provision of an internal expanding seat post cost FF125 extra and various chrome (not offered on the 753 frames) and paint options were also available.

Fillet brazed 753 represented the acme of framemaker's skill to achieve. According to Mike Mullet, Manager of Raleigh's famous SBDU in Ilkeston which pioneered 753 and had but one fillet brazed frame in its offerings c. 1981, the very rare Dynaflight, the fillet brazing process for 753 was thus: "The tubes were mitred accurately and a ring of the normal Silver Flo 66 was bent to shape, very free flowing used for the lugged frames, and placed inside the tube. It was then “teased” out with the torch until a sparkle of the silver solder appeared on the outside. After the joint had cooled, ArgoFlo was used which was a very pasty lower temperature silver solder. As the name implies it had an element of gold in its make up. It was then possible to build up the significant fillet without melting the initial Silver Flo 66. Yes 753 could be fillet brazed by a builder with enough torch talent.”

Very few builders offered fillet brazed 753 frames as a result and in addition to the SBDU which built as few as 25 of the Dynaflites, Argos of Bristol and British framebuilder Dave Lloyd also produced some time trial frames using the process. Along with Raymond Crozet, Roger Roche also produced fillet brazed 753 frames in France as did Christian Pyttel in East Germany.

THE RESTORATION

This frameset was acquired on German eBay and was originally purchased from Fahrrad Fricke, Braunschweig, Germany. Mécacycle must have sold a lot of their machines in Germany given the number of Turbos and other models offered on German eBay and other sources as well as those already in the hands of collectors.

The condition is original and exceptional with the luxurious black lacquer finish still as lustrous as the day it was applied. Oddly, the one single small decal on the headtube was badly chipped and replaced by an exact replica by Gus Salmon. Definitely of the "less is more" school practiced by many French bespoke makers of the 1980s, there are no other decals or markings other than the Reynolds 753R (in English) transfers.

The quality of brazing and finish of this frame is exquisite in every respect, equal to the finest bespoke frames of the period.

This Mécacycle Chrono project is a homage to the very end of an era when one could still fit out an almost entirely French top-end lightweight around a bespoke quality French frame to produce a racing cycle unmatched in lightness, finish, craftsmanship and performance.

In addition to striving for French fitments, I also wanted to keep the association with the St. Etienne-built frame to include as many components made in that once great center of the French cycle industry. Finally, I wished to avoid the obvious "Tout Mavic" fit of the era since I accomplished that with my 1987 Vitus Carbone 9 and 1980 Vitus 979.

The front and rear derailleurs, shifters and crankset are from the Sachs New Success Group which combined French made (by Huret) derailleurs and shifters with a German (Thun/SKS) made crankset.

The brakeset is the CLB Omega which was the last new model introduced by the firm. Other French components include Wolber rims, Mavic hubs, Maillard pedals and freewheel, Sedis chain, Christophe toe clips and straps, Reydel saddle, Atax stem and rare Chrono 'bars by Philippe. The bottom bracket is a Stronglight titanium.

The headset proved challenging as for some reason this frame requires one with an extraordinarily low stack height (36 mm), lower than even a Stronglight A9/B10. So as a last resort, a black anodised IRD headset was used.

FRAME

Material: Reynolds 753R 3/10 (seat tube 5/10) completely fillet brazed except for lugged cast bottom bracket
Bottom bracket: Cinelli microcast
Fork: Reynolds 753R blades and Cinelli microcast crown
Finish (original): black enamel with "smoked" silver-red-silver banding on seat tube, top tube and fork blades
Size: seat tube 62 cm (c-t), 60 cm (c-c), top tube 58 cm (c-c)
Angles: 75° (head) 73.5° (seat)
Rear spacing: 126 mm
Wheelbase: 39"
Chain stay length: 41.5 cm (16.33")
Bottom bracket height: 10.75"
Fork rake: 1.33"
Trail: 55 mm
Braze ons: pair of bottle bosses on down tube, front derailleur fixing plate on seat tube, chain rest on driveside seat stay, cable stop on driveside chain stay.
Weights:
bare frame/fork: 4.73 lbs
complete machine: 20.10 lbs

COMPONENTS

Rear derailleur: Sachs (Huret) New Success ARIS (ARIS - Advanced Rider Index System) 47.2D. 88 date code. 224 g.
Front derailleur: Sachs (Huret) New Success ARIS. 94 g.
Gear levers: Sachs (Huret) New Success ARIS. 92 g.
Chainset: Sachs (Thun) New Success P2, 130 BCD, 175 mm cranks, 42t x53t chainrings. 740 g.
Bottom bracket: Stronglight 650 118mm / 68mm English BSA 1.37x24T. Titanium spindle, alloy cups. 290 g.
Headset: IRD Technoglide English BSA. 93 g.
Stem: Atax aero XA 120mm, 22.2 quill, 25.4 clamp. 294 g.
Handlebars: Philippe Chrono 42 cm, 25.4mm, 355 g. Pelten Shade red to white tape.
Brakes: Angénieux CLB Omega RS side pull calipers (268 g. pair), CLB Omega aero levers and CLB white hoods (192 g. pair). Recessed allen bolt fixing.
Seatpost: Atax 26.4 quill fixing, 220mm. 338 g. 2.85 date code.
Saddle: Reydel GTi. 374 g.
Pedals: Maillard CXC-700D Bernard Hinault. 368 g. (pair)
Toeclips and straps: Christophe aero chromed silver (28 g. ea.) with Christophe red leather straps
Rims: Wolber Profil 18 aero 700x17.6 bronze anodised titanium and magnesium alloy, 24-hole sprints. 300 g. (ea.)
Tyres: Tufo S3 Lite 700x19. 195 g. (ea.)
Hubs: Mavic 501 24-hole low-flange sealed bearings with Mavic alloy skewers 215 g. (front) 260 g. (rear)
Spokes: aero bladed stainless 48 266 g.
Freewheel: Maillard 700 Professional zycral 6-speed 13-19t. 135 g.
Chain: Sachs-Sedis silver 310 g.
Accessories: Cobra Aero TT Profil bottle cage and bottle. 148 g.