L’Industrie du Cycle en 1951: résultats et perspectives — L’Officiel du cycle, 17 November 1951, the Cycle Makers’ Statement at the Salon

From L’Officiel du cycle, du motocycle et du camping, 17 November 1951, N° 39, the cycle edition’s report on the 1951 Paris Salon du Cycle et du Motocycle, page 23: the statement of the cycle makers’ Chambre Syndicale on the results and prospects of the French cycle industry in 1951, with its export figures. The title, headings, captions and lists are transcribed as printed; the text is summarized in Ebykr’s words, and the page images carry it in full.

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L’INDUSTRIE DU CYCLE EN 1951

Résultats et perspectives

Voici les déclarations de M. Philippe Girardet, Président de la
Chambre syndicale nationale du Cycle, à l’occasion du Salon 1951 :

[Ebykr summary; the article’s text is not reproduced. The statement, quoted in full, is entirely about the bicycle. M. Girardet says that while no spectacular novelty marks the evolution of bicycle technique, large investments by many makers have very clearly improved the quality of French bicycles. To a superficial observer the bicycle has not changed much since 1900, but new manufacturing processes, standardization, metallurgical progress creating new steels, the use of light alloys, stronger and more supple tires and the protection of parts against oxidation (chrome plating, enamels and so on) have produced a lighter, more elegant and more comfortable bicycle demanding far less physical effort than the 1900 machine, which cost 13 louis d’or; it is now worth 4. French makers take pride in having stayed without interruption at the forefront of cycle progress. To ensure quality, the French cycle industry has, besides the firms’ own technical control installations, a technical research center with a laboratory for tests of every kind, completed by a standardization office. Alongside their high-quality production, which he says cannot be compared with the mass-market articles of other nations, French makers also produce popular touring bicycles with all the qualities specific to French machines: robustness, precision and lightness. The following list of models, he says, shows the industry can meet every need and wish of every class of user.]

a) Bicyclette de toutes tailles pour enfants, construites avec le
même souci de perfection que les machines normales.

b) Bicyclette de tourisme populaire, sans changement de vitesse,
d’une construction très robuste, avec un cadre émaillé sur couche
antirouille et dont toutes les pièces sont soigneusement protégées
contre l’oxydation par zingage ou cadmiage.

c) Bicyclette polymultipliée avec dérailleur et éclairage
électrique, porte-bagages, toutes pièces chromées, engin idéal
pour le service journalier.

d) Bicyclette polymultipliée de luxe, avec cadre en tubes extra
légers, nombreuses pièces en alliages légers permettant le maximum
de confort et le minimum de dépenses physique.

e) Bicyclette de course, avec cadre gabarit spécial tubes spéciaux
extra légers, dérailleur 4 vitesses, toutes pièces en duralumin.

f) Bicyclette cyclotourisme, cadre en tubes extra légers trian-
gulé, dérailleur 4 vitesses, toutes pièces en acier, chromées ou
duralumin.

[Ebykr summary, after the list. The last three types, M. Girardet says, benefit from the general use of light alloys, of which France is a large producer and in which it holds supremacy. A fine future remains for the bicycle: the most supple and economical of vehicles, it brings independence and health, its use is worth every gymnastic exercise, and it alone is the instrument of complete touring.]

Exportations de cycles.

— Pays étrangers — Colonies — Total
Année 1950 — 27.804 — 126.049 — 153.853
1er semestre 1951 — 35.760 — 102.671 — 138.431

[Text only: a ruled editorial panel. The title “L’INDUSTRIE DU CYCLE EN 1951” runs across the full width in tall light geometric sans-serif capitals, with the subtitle “Résultats et perspectives” below it, ranged right, in large bold italic serif. The introductory sentence naming M. Philippe Girardet is set in italic and the statement follows in two justified columns of an old-style serif with old-style figures, each paragraph opening with a guillemet; the six model types are lettered a) to f) in italic. A short centered rule closes the statement in the right column, followed by the italic heading “Exportations de cycles.” and a small table between double and single horizontal rules, with vertical rules dividing a row-label column, dotted leaders and three figure columns headed “Pays étrangers”, “Colonies” and “Total”. A heavy rule closes the foot of the panel. There is no illustration and no signature beyond the attribution in the opening sentence. Text from the reverse of the leaf shows faintly through the paper.]