c.1942 Barra Ladies Aluminium French Bicycle.
c.1942 Barra Ladies Aluminium French Bicycle.
Overview
A rare c.1942 aluminium ladies’ sporting bicycle from the French “Golden Age of the Handbuilt Bicycle”. Built by Nicola Barra, it proudly wears the badge of Cycles Delcayre of Paris and retains a slender, classic silhouette.
While his contemporaries were perfecting steel, Barra was an “Alchemist of Aluminum”, creating distinctive bicycles through his expertise in non-ferrous engineering.
Measurements
Frame size: 52 cm (20.5 inches).
Wheel / tyre size: 35-584 (650B), recorded as 26 × 1½ inches.
Components
Gears: Simplex 4-speed derailleur gears.
Brakes: LeFol brakes and levers.
Wheels / tyres: 650B wheels, recently fitted with fresh tyres.
Chainset / pedals: Stronglight cranks and Lyotard alloy pedals.
Handlebars / stem: Adjustable alloy handlebar stem.
Saddle: Ideale.
Other fittings: LeFol dimpled aluminium mudguards, headlamp, alloy pump and bell.
Condition and originality
The bicycle is in very good, well-preserved condition and has recently been fitted with fresh tyres. Following long-term storage with the previous owner, it will require a good service and fresh overhaul before being returned to rideable condition.
History
From a private French collection of fine artisan-built bicycles. See the other bicycles offered from the same collection.
Maker history
Nicola Barra was not a high-volume manufacturer; he was a technical virtuoso. Operating at the vanguard of the mid-century lightweight movement, Barra mastered the art of torch-brazing AG5 magnesium-aluminium alloy.
Unlike the oversized aluminium frames of the modern era, the Barra-built Delcayre ladies’ bicycle retains a slender, classic silhouette.
- Soudé-Brasé artistry: The joints feature Barra’s signature smooth-fillet brazing, creating an organic, seamless flow from tube to lug that steel builders could only envy.
- Engineering foresight: Built for the “lady” who demanded performance without the weight of steel, the frame offers a level of vertical compliance and road-dampening often missing in later aluminium experiments.
- Functional elegance: Every inch of this machine reflects a time when French constructeurs led the world in cycling innovation.
Viewing and delivery
Viewing and collection by arrangement. Please enquire for a delivery quotation to your destination.
HOW TO BUY?
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