Cycles Routens Cyclosportif, 1980, France
History & Specifications
Joseph “Jo” Routens was one of the 3 most mentioned French frame builders of randonneur, cyclotouring and cyclosportiv bikes along with René Herse and Alex Singer in the last century. He competed in long-distance races from the mid-1930s, winning the 1939 Concours des Alpes, a 4-stage race of 553 km. He was also an avid tandem rider and won Paris-Brest-Paris three times with his tandems, leaving behind his famous frame builders of the time, René Herse and Ernst Csuka (Alex Singer). After the war, Routens cooperated with Hugonnier in 1946 and produced custom frames, and from 1952 Routens had his own atelier in Grenoble.
His son Jean Paul Routens worked in the atelier since 1971 and in December 1975 he officially took over the atelier. His father continued to build a few frames in his own way in his son’s studio until around 1980. From this period, the frames are labeled Jo Routens, Cycles Routens and JP Routens.
This Cycles Routens Cyclosportif still has most of Jo Routens’ characteristic construction methods, for example, double plate fork head, seat stay ends soldered to top tube and seat tube, reinforcing plates on down tube and seat tube in bottom bracket area, “Routens front derailleur” construction, brake cable feed through seat tube, rear brake caliper side seat tube, and the soldering on parts of the cable guides.
Innovations by Jean Paul included the Reynolds 531 Extra Légère frame tubeset, Shimano Dura Ace NB-120 (FE-SF21) dropouts, fillet brazed saddle clamp and plastic cable guides under bottom bracket. Jean Paul dates the construction of the frame in 1980, and this intricate workmanship continued in one-offs until about 1985, with alternating changes from the father’s make. Since the takeover of the son, there were also bought or cheaper produced Routens Velos.
The installed components of the bike I have taken over from the predecessor, who conquered the Mont Ventoux with this Routens. Only a set of NOS Bluemels Club Special fenders I have mounted. And on advice from Jean Paul bought a NOS decal set for a repaint and a NIB Pelissier Dural 2000 hub set, Mavic MA40 rims and new spokes are ready for a more authenic wheelset. A NOS Huret Jubilee change with long cage would also be ready for assembly. Maybe a winter project at some point.
The bike is well maintained and in good mechanical condition. The paint could be renewed.
Frame size seat tube 56 cm center-top, top tube length 56 cm center-center, weight 10 kg.