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Ebykr celebrates classic and vintage lightweight bicycles through provoking imagery and opinion. Ride along with us.

Tag France

Bicycle Makers, Routens

Jo Routens History: A Timeline of Key Competitive and Corporate Events

Joseph “Jo” Routens ranked among the greatest makers of randonneur, cyclotouring and cyclosportif bicycles in cycling history, distinct from contemporaries René Herse and Alex Singer for his unwavering commitment to the everyday cyclist. This timeline traces his competitive and manufacturing legacy from the Brevet de Randonneur Alpin through his eponymous marque, anchored in Grenoble, France.

Eric Anschutz
July 4, 2026

Bicycle Makers, Terrot

Terrot History: A Timeline of Key Corporate and Technical Events

From its 1887 beginnings as a modest textile workshop built by Charles Terrot in rural Dijon, France, the Terrot enterprise grew into a resoundingly popular manufacturer of bicycles and motorcycles over the next three quarters of a century. This timeline traces its groundbreaking products, aggressive marketing and podium record from 1887 to 1970.

Eric Anschutz
July 4, 2026

Bicycle Makers, Gitane

Gitane History: A Timeline of Key Racing and Corporate Events

Gitane took its name from founder Marcel Bruneliere's own nickname, given to him by his wife for his constant continent-spanning dealmaking, and applied it to bicycles beginning in 1930. This timeline traces the marque's Tour de France triumphs under Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond through its eventual reduction to a licensed name on generic bicycles.

Eric Anschutz
July 4, 2026

Bicycle Makers, Peugeot

Two Wheels and a Lion: The Complete History of Cycles Peugeot

c.1985 Peugeot PX-10 S Super Compétition road bicycle

The full history of Cycles Peugeot: from a family steel foundry in Montbéliard to a record ten Tour de France titles and the lightweight PX-10 and PY-10 racers prized by collectors today. Along the way, a family divided between the bicycle and the automobile, a folding bicycle built for soldiers, and the checkerboard jersey that defined an era of French racing.

Eric Anschutz
June 27, 2026

Bicycle Makers, Peugeot

Peugeot History: A Timeline of Key Corporate and Technical Events

Jacques Tati and his 1911 Peugeot in the 1947 comedy Jour de Fête

From a 19th-century grain mill to a record ten Tour de France victories, the story of Cycles Peugeot spans more than two centuries. This timeline charts the industrial milestones, technical innovations and racing triumphs that carried the Peugeot Lion from the steel foundry to the front of the peloton.

Eric Anschutz
June 27, 2026

Component Makers, Idéale

Idéale Saddles: Going Back in Time With Rare Company Photos

This feature article provides an unprecedented visual window into the industrial soul of the Idéale brand, presenting rare archival photographs of the F. Tron & Cie and Tron & Berthet facilities and the generations of artisans who defined them. The images trace the company's journey from its hydraulic roots at a former wool mill to the height of its mid-century power.

Eric Anschutz
March 20, 2026

Component Makers, Idéale

Idéale History: A Timeline of Key Corporate and Technical Events

The history of Idéale is a century-long narrative of industrial perseverance and technical mastery that transformed a modest Parisian stamping workshop into the emblematic brand of the French saddle. Founded in 1890 by Jean-François Tron, this timeline traces its pursuit of extreme lightness through Duralumin and Titanium chassis and its racing pedigree under Marcel Berthet.

Eric Anschutz
March 20, 2026

Component Makers, Idéale

Idéale Saddles: Behind the Leather Curtain

1971 Ideale Ad Le Cycle 05 01 1971 No 119 P12 1200px

Idéale saddles remain among the least understood classic bicycle components given their standout prominence and frequent exorbitant value. This feature unpacks the dizzying array of models produced under the Idéale marque, 82 and counting, and the collapsing French cycling industry that nearly ended the brand before its recent revival.

Eric Anschutz
March 20, 2026

Bicycle Makers, Maury

André Maury: 28 Technical Innovations of the Bicycle Couturier

Prolific Innovator While the Golden Age of French cycling is often synonymous with the legendary workshops of Alex Singer and René Herse, André Maury occupies a unique space as one of the undercelebrated, almost unknown masters of technical integration. Establishing his…

Eric Anschutz
March 15, 2026

Bicycle Makers, Maury

André Maury: Bicycle Constructeur d’Élégance et d’Excellence

Setting the Stage When reminiscing about the crowded field of mid-20th century Parisian constructeurs, familiar names like Alex Singer and René Herse usually consume the largest share of the conversation. Their machines have come to represent some of the most…

Eric Anschutz
March 8, 2026

A monthly letter on classic lightweight bicycles