Author Topic: Bernard Dangre BMX... a bit different (Read 49479 times)

Chilli Rinse · « **on:** July 28, 2020, 02:21 PM »

Hi guys,
So last year I bought a complete French bmx made by Bernard Dangre. I hadn't heard of the brand but it turns out they hand built road frames and bikes to order and larger runs in the 70s & 80s. By looking at the serial number I reckon mine is an 82. So whilst cleaning it up and trying to get it rolling I've discovered a few interesting features on the bike.

1. Everything is French threaded for road bikes, pedals, euro bottom bracket, forks and headset (can't get a standard stem in)
2. The seat post tube takes a 25.something post (seems large for an early bmx)
3. The lower chain stays are oversized.
4. It has holes for internal cabling to the rear brake.

I know it's not the find of the century but it's kinda quirky. Does anybody know of any of these features on other early 80s BMX's? Any other European manufacturers known to do this. Do some mini BMX's use these smaller headsets and fork steerers? The ones on it are bent and need options if I'm keeping it. The components could be called lower end but with a few upgrades it could be a nice bike. It has Rigida Superchromix 20x2.125 rims with Michelin bicross tyres on New Star hubs and chromed Nervar 3 piece cottered crank. The normal chromed bars with flattened ends of the cross bar and minging skinny steel calipers and levers along with steel rat traps. My plan was to upgrade the wheels, bars, stem, brakes and crank, thought she would look cool then. What are your thoughts guys, worth the effort for something different or move it on ?

bobafett · « **Reply #1 on:** July 28, 2020, 03:18 PM »

Interesting features indeed mate. Any pics of the full frame ?

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #2 on:** July 28, 2020, 03:30 PM »

Coming soon

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #3 on:** July 28, 2020, 03:44 PM »

Here's a few pics

BMX1973 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 28, 2020, 10:38 PM »

Looks cool to me.

bobafett · « **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2020, 01:26 AM »

Yeah looks cool - something different indeed. Shame the tyres aren't skin or gum wall - not a fan of full colour tyres unless it's all black 70's tyres personally. Reckon she'd look sweet with a pair of blue cheng shin comp III's or snakebellies

Picklez · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2020, 04:41 PM »

Interesting indeed. Is the photo angle or are the forks slightly bend?

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #7 on:** July 29, 2020, 07:57 PM »

yup, mentioned above. The wheel sits over to one side in the forks too. I've tried other forks but they don't work with the small road headset

Mikku · « **Reply #8 on:** July 29, 2020, 10:59 PM »

I like it! Definitely worth the effort in my book, as it's always nice to see something different plus this has some interesting features. Vive la difference!

OrgasmDonor · « **Reply #9 on:** August 01, 2020, 11:04 AM »

Turn wheel 180 degrees n ride into a wall n then tweek with long socket bars on wheel nuts to align legs, I'm sure this is how the experts do it

I like different, it's quite cool

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #10 on:** August 09, 2020, 01:26 AM »

I've decided to keep her so I got a few bits for the build. This will be a slow one though. Keeping all parts French and European where possible with a nod to the road bike link of the company.
Stronglight 93 crank and caps from a 49d, Stronglight alloy seat post. Most likely will go with a Weinmann brake set up and possibly a Cinelli Unicantor or Selle Turbo saddle.

bobafett · « **Reply #11 on:** August 09, 2020, 02:24 AM »

Liking the parts selection so far

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #12 on:** August 09, 2020, 12:26 PM »

After another sleepless night and a late night search meant I found these bars for the build. French made CW style crmo Belleri, nos with marks and original price sticker. Taller than the og bars, should look cool.

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #13 on:** August 09, 2020, 12:39 PM »

As this looks like it's a resto thread now, it?d be cool if a nice Radmin could move it over to the tech and resto section

Thanks

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #14 on:** August 19, 2020, 08:40 PM »

I wanted a different seat post clamp and went for a Landar. The original has crimped the tube a tad. Made in the Republic of China but for an English company, so it works with the European theme for me. Not too many 80's 28.6 clamps to choose from either

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #15 on:** August 21, 2020, 03:56 PM »

I couldn't resist this piece of the puzzle. 1982 to 1984 (if my research is right) French threaded Stronglight Competition V4 headset. I'll probably be looking for a Stronglight bottom bracket soon.

bobafett · « **Reply #16 on:** August 21, 2020, 06:31 PM »

Cool

Mikku · « **Reply #17 on:** August 29, 2020, 10:13 AM »

Glad you kept it, and like the direction you're going in!

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #18 on:** September 07, 2020, 11:55 PM »

I'm looking at these grips but can't decide. Both are Plastiche Cassano and work with the Euro theme and og tricolor colour scheme. What are your thoughts chaps ? I like the cam knock offs and the Supercross are kinda oddball.

bobafett · « **Reply #19 on:** September 08, 2020, 03:09 AM »

Well for me it's the blue grips - I was already feeling the blue vibe on this bike with the decals and pads and then you added the blue seat clamp to the mix so I'm hoping for an overall blue vibe against the white

Not really a fan of those white grips sorry Toby mate $:-\$
Did you decide what you are going to do with the tyres ? I reckon she'd look ace with a set of gum/skin wall blue tyres

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #20 on:** September 08, 2020, 05:29 PM »

I like the blue too John and will most likely go with them, just wanted to show you guys what I was considering and get an opinion or two. As for tyres, I'm hoping to snag some Michelin Cobras 🐍 in blue, it's a waiting game on those. If I don't end up with those I'll defo go down your route. Fingers crossed on the Cobras, French bike rolling on French tyres... cool 😎

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #21 on:** September 08, 2020, 06:47 PM »

Blue Cassano's purchased

bobafett · « **Reply #22 on:** September 08, 2020, 07:27 PM »

Nice one mate, and yes blue cobras would look ace

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #23 on:** September 08, 2020, 08:56 PM »

These have been on the radar for a while. Not cheap though, rubber Cinelli cable guides. The og cable was badly worn where it enters and exits the frame so they're a must for me. Another piece of the puzzle sorted.

Picklez · « **Reply #24 on:** September 08, 2020, 10:06 PM »

Quote from: Chilli Rinse on July 29, 2020, 07:57 PM

yup, mentioned above. The wheel sits over to one side in the forks too. I've tried other forks but they don't work with the small road headset

Hi Toby,

Sorry being slow with my 'keeping up to date with things' at the moment, but had been meaning to cycle back around to this thread.

sorry for missing your obvious original comments and queries on the forks-headset situation, serves me right for reading the post too quickly in the first place

And loving how the build is progressing, definitely agree with the blue theme, grips and tyres etc., and will now definitely stay away from a cheeky bid on those Cobras in my Watch List (fingers crossed they're yours by Thursday night)

Re the headset, I'm assuming it's not only the headset tube diameter that's an issue but also the thread size? i.e. Steerer diameter 30.2mm vs 32.7mm coupled with the fact that the french thread forks metric rather than imperially, i.e. bmx typically 24TPI where as french road bikes were 25mmx1.0mm pitch if I remember correctly.

I did quite a bit of reading into this when working out head sets for the Changa. VDC also used the road bike diameter sizing, but the more common (over here at least) british threading. Which means, you have to run the 30.2mm diameter, or 30.0mm to be absolutely precise, but can stick with conventional BMX forks because the british road bike headsets still have a 24TPI thread size.

So, might take a bit of final checking etc. i.e. confirming correct stack height and top nut inner diameter etc. and do get sure with those measurements checked (cheap micrometer is worth its weight for this), because there are two variants (30.0mm and 30.2mm steerer ID and something like top nut id's of 21.1mm and 22.2mm) but I'd put money on you being able to run with something like this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tange-Seiki-Levin-CDS-Threaded-Headset-C-P-in-Silver-1/133511212931?epid=11030407308&hash=item1f15e36f83:g:86wAAOSwgVZfUq6V

and then finding some suitable replacement standard BMX forks.

Or, if you want to spend top money, and keep it a bit more euro centric go for one of these (or similar):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Campagnolo-Record-Early-C-Steel-Headset-Italian-threaded-Excellent/264476386804?hash=item3d940565f4:g:Lr0AAOSwIhhdiiIo

(I went the Tange route, cracking head set for little money)

FYI, Italian thread sizes are same as British, it's just the damn French that had to be different. Great web site here for working it all out:

https://sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-headsets.html

but basically a British or Italian road bike headset should sort you out for putting std bmx forks on the build.

HTHs

And keep up with the updates, cracking & different project that I'm sure a few of us are following with interest