1940’s Vanoli Randonneur
1940’s Vanoli
Hey, all of you Randonneurs out there are going to love this bike. Perfect for your local French-World War-One-Reenactment-bike-rides brevets, this Vanoli has it all.
650b-sized wheels, the latest miracle wheel size for gravel bikes, came standard on this 70 year old classic. The aluminum Lefol fenders have a nice looking dimpled finish. The elegant front and rear racks stylishly hold just enough stuff to complete a 500km randonée. Check out the industrial hose employed as handlebar grips and the sweet bar-top brake levers.
As for the drivetrain, the Simplex Touriste derailleur in back and rod-actuated front shifter manages a staggering 6-gear spread. Probably the most interesting tokens on this bike are in the cockpit area.
Touring levers
I think that’s 6 speeds
Simplex Touriste
Stem washer nameplate
Randonee medal
Front touring setup
On the top tube we have an event medal, perhaps from Paris-Brest-Paris (it’s a bit worn and hard to make out) and on the handlebar stem we have a circular nameplate that identifies the rider. Looks like this bike belonged to Paul Crestel, and he lived at 71 Avenue du General Leclerc in Bourg-La-Reine.