Berthoud Decaleur

[Ron Mc]

Hi, 

Haven't posted here in awhile, but this group ought to appreciate the heads up.  

Berthoud decaleur is back in stock in all varitions - it's been absent for 10 years.  

I just ordered one I need, horizontal stem bolt and 90-mm reach.  

Their Christmas sale was still in effect today - free DHL Express from France.  

With VAT subtracted, mine is coming home for 97 euro.  

https://berthoudcycles.fr/en/883-899-handlebar-bag-decaleur.html#/186-length-50mm/187-stem_type-ahead_4_bolt_faceplate

IMO, best decaleur design ever.  

Since I'm here, my '85  Mercian, Gran Compe CPs with Ene-mini front-brake-bolt rack and Berthoud Singer mini front bag.  

[RichS]

Ron,

Thank you for posting this. I have always like the Berthoud decaleur; good to know they're available. Might be time time to lose the cords that attach to the drops on my hbars. Also, great looking handlebar/bag setup and a gorgeous Mercian!

Happy New Year!

Rich in ATL 

[Ron Mc]

Hi Rich, 

Thanks friend.  

While the Berthoud decaleur is the best in function, it's also the best in non-function - it's clean and inoffensive when it's not supporting a bag.  

Thanks again - my Mercian is embarrassingly pretty, and received blue titanium fasteners everywhere I could use them, along with blue Paul Moons and Gino.  

Instead of a brake bolt, the Dia Compe CP have female threads in the caliper backplate, so I could use blue titanium M6 bolt through the fork crown and rear brake bridge.  

      

[R Shannon]

Hi Ron,

No need to be embarrassed by your Mercian. A bike that gorgeous requires every detail to suit. It shows how much you care. 

I'll have to rethink my choice of fasteners! 

Best,

Rich in ATL

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[Ron Mc]

Thanks Rich, 

They're like sapphires all over the bike.  

There are a few choices for the titanium, Wanyifa sells on Amazon and Ali Express; ebay seller Great Gears, and automotive shops like Acer and ProBolt.  

For the brake bolts, I went to the quality automotive shops, for the trim parts, was happy with Amazon delivery.  

  

Seatpost clamp bolt from Germany.  

Also found a couple of Rocky Mountain vendors with titanium bottle cage.  

  

I started this nonsense when I was hanging a double kickstand on my Viner to keep it stable with a loaded 15-l front bag.  

Discovered I could replace this much steel with titanium ordering custom from Wanyifa.  

I've worked this bike over, replacing M5 w/ Ti

[Ron Mc]

Here's the result with the new decaleur on my 15-l Ostrich front bag on Viner gravel bike - rock solid

[John Bokman]

Ron, I haven't seen an Ostrich bag like yours. Is this a F-106? Does the lid open away from you or toward you when riding? 

Thanks,

John

[Ron Mc]

Hi John, yes, that's the F106 - it must be the biggest front bag out there.  

It otherwise opens backwards, but works well in this configuration.  

The decaleur replaced those red straps and provides much more overall support.  

This is my bike-fish bike - can pedal it to county road crossings with moratorium on parking cars - roll it into the flood plain sendero, cafe lock to a tree - you're out of the county right of way and into state navigation rights.  Also take it every winter to Laguna Atascosa NWR - 98,000 acres along Cayo and Laguna Madre shores - it all belongs to bikes and ocelots - the macadam was closed to motors 15 years ago.  

All bike items are in the saddlebag, especially fold-up tire and a gang of tubes, all repair items - also, a fishing bag will strap on the Ostrich S-2 saddlebag using the built-in straps.  

I have 3 rods that will fit in the half-frame bag, 6-pc fly rod, Smith telescoping stream trout casting, and Legit Design 5-pc inshore casting.  

The massive front bag will carry boots with extra room, or snugs a 15-l Ice Mule with a 6-pack.  

The front bag also expands upward, and can keep a redfish catch chilled in the open ice mule.  

something else to show on the S-2 saddlebag, it has a bottom sleeve that fits Nitto Erlen bag support literally like a glove.  

The Erlen bag support stacks on seat rails.  

[Ron Mc]

John, one more thing while I'm thinking about it.  

The F106 opens from the bottom front toward the rear - what I wanted to add, it doesn't have a tombstone sleeve.  

It takes some creative strapping to secure it to a front rack - and again, I'm delighted with it on this bike and for this use.  

  

[Steve]

Ron, I'm just now catching up with your thread. Let me say if I may  - you have put together some exceptional builds. I'm intrigued by the Raleigh - that is a Raleigh International? Judging from the placement of the brake pads and the presence of fenders I'm guessing you've built it as a 650b conversion. I'd love to see a bit more of it. 

I have a soft spot for old Raleighs - an early 1970s Gran Sport was the second bicycle I purchased for myself, happily replacing a stolen Schwinn Varsity.  I lusted for a Professional, but only had the coin for the GS back in my student days. 

Steve in Asheville, NC

[Ron Mc]

Hi Steve, 700c.  

I've passed buying fender kits, and like the Honjo blanks from Jitensha, so I can drill all my own holes.  

I'm also a junkie for Paul Moons with CP brakes.  You can take the wheels off, squeeze the caliper and removed the straddle cable, which lets you remove brake levers to wrap a bar without replacing or even adjusting a brake cable.  

  

[Steve]

Ron, thanks for sharing. Just as I suspected, that is one beautiful Raleigh!  I love the attitude the mustache bar with the Acorn rando bag lend the bike. 

Nicely done fender install - especially on a frame not designed with fenders in mind. I have to agree with you regarding Honjos. I recently installed a 650b set of 62mm smooths on my Platypus. They are superb.

[Ron Mc]

Thanks again, Steve - this is my longest-term bike, and the baseline for measurements any time I build a bike.  

It's cozy beyond words.  Great aero position on the moustache bar, and the wide reach gives you excellent control.  

[Takashi]

Hi Ron,

I'm not in need of a decaleur right now, but that Mercian is so beautiful!

(It's no secret that I'm partial to wooden fenders.)

Takashi

2024年1月6日土曜日 13:17:52 UTC+9 Ron Mc:

[Ron Mc]

thank you Takashi, the Mercian is a labor of love x2, and I'm going to end up writing you an essay.  

My friend Tad put the Woody's fenders on the bike.  Background on Tad, he has a hobby business restoring and turning antique bikes.  Part of his job includes traveling in the company tradeshow van.  He previews Craigslist, makes appointments, and brings home bikes and parts.  Best example of his work, this 1940 Umberto Dei, from bare frame to this condorino with the correct chaincase and Dei-pantogrammed chainset - even a Dei-pantogrammed bike bell.  

 

https://thecabe.com/forum/attachments/a92ae443-f071-4438-a925-ecf02a1b56d7-jpeg.735360/

At one point, he had to generate $10,000 to help his son, and sold a stable of bikes, including the Dei, 

but he held out the Mercian for me, because he knew I would want it.  

We're polar opposites on building bikes - he wants period reproduction, I want comfort and reliability.  

Everything he used on the Mercian was worn out - he rode the bike twice - clicking bottom bracket, clicking 1st generation Phil hubs, molasses freewheel, clicking headset.  Dura Ace brakes that made you stop like Fred Flintstone.  Cinelli 65 deep drops.  V-O front rack that formed a truss and took the life and soul from that marvelous fork.  

 

The only parts I kept were the fenders, seat post, crank arms, shifters and FD.  

It took me miles of road shock and a year to work all this out and bring her back to life.  I had a NOS Blueline RD to replace the aged VGT.  

Phil BB, new Tange headset, wheelset built on Grand Bois 6-sp cassette hub, stem to fit me, Cinelli 64 bar, Gran Compe CP brakes and mini rack.  

BTW, the best fit and most tire under the wood fenders are Challenge "open tubular" (clincher), because of their short sidewalls.  

Here's my final gear chart, and final form.  

[Ron Mc]

oops, this was the link I wanted to share on Tad's Umberto Dei condorino restoration

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1940-umberto-dei.179124/

[John Bokman]

Love, love, love, that Mercian! Thanks for the head's up on the Decaleur and the great post with all the deets. As an owner of the horizontal decaleur, I concur that it's a great product. Nice to know I can find parts as needed now, or another for a future bike. BTW I have one in the modern style for the faceplate stem (different bike obviously) and that is brilliant, also.

Can't be sure but I thought I'd been informed that Mercian still builds their bikes truly by hand (no machines to speak of). On the jig, one maker at a time. One of my absolute favorite brands across the models. They all look stunning.

John

[Ron Mc]

Thank you John - they still offer King of Mercia, and prices have gone way up from the $600 spec sheet on my '85 frame.  

https://www.merciancycles.co.uk/product-category/frames/

 

[john Bokman]

Ron, excuse me if I missed it, but what size tires are you running on this machine? Does it fit 35mm tires under fenders?

John

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[Ron Mc]

Hi John, just catching up.  

The 17" chainstays would fit 35-mm tires with room to spare (also w/ Honjo fenders).  

The Woody's fenders are 44-mm wide, but also 8-mm thick.  My buddy Tad was running 28-mm Vittoria Corsa Control gravel tires, but also having clearance issues.  

(I gave away these tires, but took a lead on them, and run the 30-mm now on my International under Honjo 44-mm fendeers - great ride and better clearance than 32-mm Stampede Pass).  

I built a wheelset on 126-mm 6-sp Grand Bois cassette hubs (killer exchange rate), and IRD Cadence rims I already had stashed away (from closeout).  

The perfect tires under the wood fenders are 30-mm Challenge Strada, which completely solved clearance issues, and the widest tire that fits these fenders.  

I've always liked these tires for toughness and ride comfort, they're a little cold-blooded, but fast and super-smooth when they warm up.  

On the right is the best photo I have to show fender fit and tire width.  

I call these tires low profile because of their short sidewalls.  

 

[Ron Mc]

John, adding a ps

My buddy Stevo has the KOM with 16" chainstays, and it really limited his options. . 

He has the PDW fenders with 25-mm tires.  

He also had a very unusual fit of jealousy when he learned Tad had sold me my Mercian - three times we had the conversation about "he would have bought it"

[john Bokman]

Thanks Ron.  FWIW I would definitely want the longer stays. I’ve pretty much determined my sweet spot for the majority of my riding is 35mm in a 622. So long as I can fit a 35mm tire with metal fenders, I’m a happy camper. Not the skinniest, not the fattest, just right. 

I know this is a Rivendell thread, but I can’t resist (I’m confident Grant would approve of the inquiry into building methods). For those interested, notice that Mercian still builds in the old way, using the open hearth to join the tubes:

https://www.merciancycles.co.uk/craftmanship/frame-building/

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