La Roulante Fillet Brazed Road Bike 1920s

La Roulante, the rolling one was a bicycle brand which was registered by Cycles Emile Coudrin in Saint Saveur de Nuaillé, a small village, close to la Rochelle, France. The bikes were then produced in St.Etiennes, the heartland of French bicycle manufacturing.
The bike we present here seems to have been sold in La Rochelle since it wears a badge, pointing it to Maurice Denis of the Rue de Jericho in La Rochelle.

The frame itself is a very sturdy construction of smoothly fillet brazed tubes, the dropouts being rather strong for their time. A top tube length wich is unusually long for our modern taste is counterbalanced by the positive 'setback' of the seatpost.
As for the parts, the typical sturdy quality of the early 20th century can be found. Classic 'Bowden' type brakes by LAM, an interestingly clamped cockpit and large diameter wheels. If you think 29ers are a modern solution for rough roads, remind yourself that there is nothing new in bicycle design. This French bike already rolls comfortably over cobbles and dirt roads, living up to its brand's name.
The transition of 48x18 or 20 is not what we would expect nowadays but for the 1920s it is quite a classic drivetrain which would have been a competitive choice in many races.

We love the moderate lime paint, the smooth joints and the assuring construction as well as the small details like the chain guide and the general rarity of this wonderful piece.
Certainly a bike for collectors or those who would like to get a feeling how cycling felt about 100 years ago.