Manufrance 531 Steel Road Bike

Manufrance, founded in the 1880s, was a gigantic distributor of cycles, rifles and almost anything useful for a private household. They were based in St Etienne, the city known as the cycle manufacturing cradle of france.

They were the first big french company in the mail-order business. Their success was incredible but came to an end in the 1970s and in the 1980s the troubled company was bought by Bernard Tapie. The same Tapie who at the same time owned the "La Vie Claire Team" and sponsored Bernard Hinault and Greg Lemond.
He turned to sell Manufrance out rather than rebuilding it and soon the last batch of bikes was made and partly sold. But some of them remained well stored and never ridden. Just like our Manufrance Premium NOS Steel Road Bike frame, an authentic sweet Reynolds 531 construction.

The quality lugged frame is built using a classic geometry as well as material. An internally routed brake cable, integrated fork crown on a chromed fork and chromed semi-horizontal dropouts show that this frame was meant to be a reliable speedster of remarkable value.
A top class Concor saddle rounds off a build which is made for fun sportive rides in the city or over longer distances !

An original, mostly new old stock bike with a seriously reliably working gear at a no-nonsense price.
At the turn of a screw on the right shifting lever, the shifting is non-indexed and the bike becomes Eroica eligible!