Austro-Daimler: The Bicycle That The Owner Of A Bösendorfer Imperial Piano Would Ride

    Steyr trademark Austro-Daimler continued making civilian automobiles until 1934 when Austro-Daimler Puchwerke merged with Steyr-Werke AG to form "Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG"; this merger was registered in Vienna by 1935. The merger that produced Steyr-Werke AG made this one of the three largest manufacturing concerns in Austria in the 1930's. While the Depression no doubt limited the demand for the ADR 6 and ADR 8 motor cars, they continued to be available into 1935, even after the merger with Steyr. After the ADR production stopped in 1935, all automobile production by Austro-Daimler was ended as the facilities transitioned solely to the production of trucks as large as the ADGR a large 6x6 six wheel drive, and lorries (small towing or personnel carrying trucks). While Steyr continued with the production of consumer and military passenger vehicles and trucks.

    Right: Steyr-Werke AG trademark (11,137 bytes).

    Those bicyles made after the merger in 1934 bear the name "Steyr-Daimler-Puch Aktiengesellschaft" engraved on the head badge, and this was embossed on some accessories too.

    Heinrich Himmler, Franz Ziereis, Ernst Kaltenbrunner (77,182 bytes) Heinrich Himmler, Franz Ziereis, Ernst Kaltenbrunner (77,182 bytes)
    Above left (left to right): Reichsführer of the SS Heinrich Himmler, Kommandant Franz Ziereis, and SS-Gruppenfürhrer Ernst Kaltenbrunner visiting Mauthausen 27 April 1941 (77,182 bytes).
    Above right: SS-Totenkopfverbände men in front of prisoners on the parade ground in Mauthausen-Gusen, October 1941 (91,154 bytes).

    By the Spring of 1941 Steyr had about three hundred (300) slave male laborers provided by DESt working in positions related to the construction work of Steyr facilities including bomb shelters. Additional laborers were requested for Steyr. On 5 January 1942 Meindl wrote a letter to Kaltenbrunner recommending a new 'satellite' prison camp facility be constructed nearer to the Steyr factory. In this letter Meindl coldly reasoned this would reduce the travel distance so that more prisoners would be available to work for even more hours per day. Meindl went on to explain this would also reduce the number of German/Austrian security personnel that would otherwise be needed to manage transports and security to and from Mauthausen. In reply to his request the KZ-Nebenlager (concentration camp satellite) Steyr-Münichholz facility was completed by 14 March 1942; this was located about four kilometers from Steyr. It was 'staffed' by prisoners assigned from the main KL Mauthausen. The camp typically housed between 1,000 to 1,500 prisoners, but by April 1945 there were some 3,090 prisoners there working for the city and for Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG. By this time Steyr-Daimler-Puch was producing nearly ten percent of all rifles for the German war effort. For the city of Steyr too they labored, building roads and air-raid bunkers. Brigadeführer Meindl was fast becoming considered to be a sort of 'mini-Speer' (reference to Armaments Reichsminister Albert Speer) by some, a man who might even be qualified to manage the SS operated manufacturing industries.

    On 30 March 1943 Albert Speer visited Konzentrationslager Mauthausen-Gusen, this was his sole visit ever to a concentration camp. His VIP tour took about 45 minutes presenting the camp to him as a nearly 'idyllic' facility complete with flowers in vases in the one or two barracks he visited while diverting him and his retinue away from areas that might offend sensibilities. Speer was accompanied by Prof. Ferry Porsche and met with senior executives of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch and the Reichswerke Hermann Göering organizations. At the direction of Speer, on 30 April 1943 DESt signed an agreement with Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG allocating additional slave labor for wartime production. After meeting his old friend Reichsmarschall Göering at the airfield in Graz, Meindl sent a letter to Himmler on 14 July 1943 referring to that meeting and requesting an additional 2,000 prisoners to work at Flugmotorenwerke Ostmark (aircraft engine factory east) manufacturing facilities to be built in Wiener Nuedorf for the production of aircraft engines. Thus Konzentrationslager Wiener Neudorf was opened on 2 August on a two-acre site where the municipality of Guntramsdorf is now. Wiener Neudorf, with a peak capacity of nearly 3,000 people, was another one of what would become more than fifty sub-camps associated with Mauthausen.

    The Lagerkommandant (camp commander) of KZ-Nebenlager Steyr-Münichholz from 27 August 1943 to 6 May 1945 was SS-Obersturmführer Otto Heess, a German from Pforzheim. Heess was a German from Pforzheim who had been an office clerk by profession, and a member of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) since 1933. Heess had been an SS staff member at the main camp at Mauthausen from February 1940 to August 1943, this included a term as commander of the guard troops in the quarries of the Wiener Graben. By 1943 he promoted to Obersturmführer, that corresponded to the rank of Oberleutnant (Lieutenant) in the Wehrmacht (regular Army). Among the most cruel of the staff at Steyr-Münichholz was SS-Scharführer (Sergeant) Gottlieb Muzikant, from Mürau in present day Czechoslovakia, he was an SS-Sanitäter (medic) on staff known to torture prisoners "in every possible way" and murder prisoners by any one of several cruel methods including the injection of phenol.

    By the end of 1943 some 1,300 concentration camp prisoners worked for Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Arbeitskommandos (prisoner work details) at eight different production halls of Gusen. While some improvements to prisoner conditions over those at Mauthausen were granted in the interest of worker productivity, the overall poor nutrition combined with the hard work, at times in freezing cold with a lack of winter clothing, and absent medical care claimed their victims. So replacements were periodically called in. In time some 18 barracks (or halls) were established at Gusen under the commands "GEORGEN-MUEHLE I, II, III and IV" for some eight thousand five hundred (8,500) additional laborers working at the Steyr-Daimler-Puch underground factory built there in 1943.

    Steyr-Daimler-Puch, as did most other Reich Corporations, developed 'trustee sites' these were subcontractor facilities in Poland at Radom and Warsaw that relied on slave labor as well. By September 1944 production facilities in the area were gradually relocating to underground to provide better protection from air raids. Steyr-Daimler-Puch rented space at underground facilities from DESt, amounting to some 3,050 square meters by February 1945. Wartime slave labor from Mauthausen working for Steyr would peak at about three thousand ninety (3,090) by April 1945. These had worked on the production of weapons including the Karabiner K 98 rifle, the MP 44 and 45 assault guns, MG 42 machine gun, and airplane engines. Dr. Meindl was rewarded for his efforts again on 9 November 1944 with a promotion to SS-Brigadeführer, still with a status that conferred no line military authority.

    Mauthausen 6 May 1945 (63,442 bytes) On the afternoon of 5 May 1945 twenty-three soldiers on patrol led by S/Sgt. Albert J. Kosiek of the First Platoon of Troop D, 41st Recon Squad of the US 11th Armored Division, 3rd US Army liberated the camps at Mauthausen-Gusen. That same day American troops entered Steyr, and KZ-Nebenlagers Steyr-Münichholz. On 7 May regular troops of the 11th Armoured Division and 26th Infantery Division occupied the St. Georgen-Gusen-Mauthausen areas. The US 260th Infantery Regiment formed the regional military government based at St. Georgen. Soviet troops arrived by 8 May.

    Right: on 6 May 1945 liberated prisoners take down the gate keeper at the former KL Mauthausen (63,442 bytes).
    Click on image to see enlarged view (84,999 bytes).

    The Reckoning The prisoner death toll at the Mauthausen complex is estimated at between 122,766 and 320,000; records destroyed by the Nazis preclude a concise determination. So what became of all these big shots mentioned above and their minions? There would be some thirty-six major trials plus trials for twenty-five individuals. Known as the Mauthausen-Gusen Military Tribunal at Dachau, these were conducted to assess the participation and culpability of the 298 defendants from KL Mathausen-Gusen, it's sub and satellite camps. This series of trials resulted in 117 death sentences, 55 sentences for life imprisonment, 104 sentences for terms of from two to thirty years, and 22 acquittals.

    The first trail commenced on 7 March 1946 when sixty-one former Mauthausen camp personnel and collaborating prisoners ('Capos' who worked for the SS) were brought to trial before an American Military Tribunal in Dachau, Germany. The defendants were all charged with violation of the laws and usages of war, as well as with subjecting foreign nationals to killing, beating, torture, and starvation. The trial began 29 March and lasted only six weeks, with the court finding all sixty-one defendants guilty on 11 May concluding there was enough evidence of death by shootings, gassings, hangings and starvation to find every member of the camp personnel culpable. On 13 May the court sentenced fifty-eight of the defendants to death and gave the other three life sentences. Later, nine of the death sentences were reduced to life sentences. Those sentenced to death were hanged on 27 to 28 May 1947 in the yard of the Landsberg am Lech War Criminal Prison Nr. 1 (prison) in Bavaria.

    • Dr. Georg Meindl was arrested by the American troops, but then released after some days in custody, possibly in error. Meindl is suspected to have died by suicide when on 10 May 1945 an unidentifiable charred body, reportedly Meindl, was found in a burned shed in Neuzeug.

    • Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner was the highest surviving SS-leader, then SS-Obergruppenführer (Lieutenant General) und General der Polizei und Waffen-SS. He was arrested by an American intelligence team on 12 May 1945. Convicted at the Nuremberg Trials, he was hanged at the Nuremberg Prison on 16 October 1946.

    • Franz Ziereis abandoned Mauthausen on the evening of 2-3 May, driving to his mountainside hunting lodge near Spital am Pyhrn in Upper Austria. On 23 May he was discovered by a US Army patrol, found dressed in civilian clothes he was recognized and apprehended. He attempted to escape the soldiers but was shot thrice. Suffering from bullet wounds he was given first aid, then brought to the US Army 131st Evacuation Hospital at Gusen I. Conscious and knowing he was going to die, Ziereis spent several hours of the evening speaking speaking candidly with interrogators about Mauthausen and its operations, its staff, and about his role there before he died on 24 May.

    • August Eigruber was the Austrian-born Gauleiter of Oberdonau, the topmost Nazi Party representative in a region. In 1938 he helped to establish the Mauthausen complex by conveying the land to the SS and later by supporting their other projects, and aiding those efforts of industry including Steyr-Daimler-Puch. He also served on the Board of Directors of Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG. Eigruber was captured by American troops then tried by the first American Military Tribunal at Dachau convened from March 29 to May 13, 1946. Convicted on 13 May 1946, he was hanged on 28 May 1947 at the Landsberg am Lech War Criminal Prison Nr. 1.

    • Dr. Eduard Krebsbach was captured by American troops. Tried by the first American Military Tribunal at Dachau, he was convicted on 13 May 1946, and hanged on 28 May 1947 at the Landsberg am Lech War Criminal Prison Nr. 1.

    • Dr. Erich Wasicky was captured by American troops. Tried by the first American Military Tribunal at Dachau, he was convicted on 13 May 1946, and hanged on 28 May 1947 at the Landsberg am Lech War Criminal Prison Nr. 1.

    • Otto Heess was arrested by the American troops. Tried by the fourth American Military Tribunal in Dachau (U.S. Vs. Willi Auerswald and others) convened from 2 to 17 July 1947, Heess was convicted of crimes committed against prisoners in the Gusen camp including applying severe punishments and murder, then sentenced to life in prison.

    • There are some later examples of justice even if delayed. Consider the case of Gottlieb Muzikant, he was arrested on 30 April 1959 by West German police on charges of murdering 300 persons. The trial commenced in Fulda on 31 November 1960, there he explained to the court that he had not considered enemies of the State to be human beings furthermore, he had been shown "how to kill people quickly and painlessly". He was convicted for war crimes committed in 1943, and between August 1944 to April 1945 at KZ-Nebenlager Steyr-Münichholz and KZ-Nebenlager Melk consisting of: murder of ninety prisoners by phenol injections (usually directly into their heart), as well as the murder of another one hundred prisoners by mishandling, shooting, strangling and by depriving them of medical care. On 23 December 1960 he was sentenced to twenty-one terms of life imprisonment at hard labor plus 15 additional years imprisonment.

    The post war trials and many sentences generated significant controversy. Some in German circles claimed the allies had used the trials to defame the German people, while the church expressed concern about the death penalties in particular. There were questions raised, even within some Allies legal circles, about fairness and technicalities of the trials even for some whose crimes were obvious and clearly abominable. Then there was the problem of situational ethics, practices of governments including the USA trying to put the past behind them while trying to confront what they perceived as the threats to democracy from Stalin's Soviet Union. As a result several war criminals had their death sentence conveyed, or who had been sentenced to long terms were released well before the term was served. The Americans closed the Landsberg War Criminal Prison facility in 1958 and handed the building over to the Federal Republic of Germany.

    After The Whirlwind Steyr-Daimler-Puch came under control of the US Army occupation forces at the end of the war. The allies viewing Austria as a victim of Germany at the time agreed at the Moscow Conference in 1943 to liberate Austria, then to reconstitute it as a free and independent state. In compliance with the occupation plans set forth by the Allied leadership before the end of the war, on 28 July 1945 US troops departed that region of Austria leaving it in the hands of Soviet occupational forces. The Soviets and allies expropriated whatever interested them in the region, particularly plans and materials for the productions of Messerschmitt designed Me 262 jet aircraft fabrication, as post war Europe gradually settled into the new order.

    Steyr 380 Diesel-Lastkraftwagen advertisement (11,911 bytes) The Allies were eager to 'move beyond' matters of World War II as they faced a perceived threat from the Soviet dominated Eastern Bloc nations. Reconstruction, the restoration of farming and manufacturing, even the building of a new Army in West Germany was encouraged by the western allies. Austria, in general, was treated with a leniency not initially shown to Germany; it was as though Austria had been invaded by Germany and then liberated by the Allies. The Reichswerke assets in allied-occupied Austria were nationalized by the First Nationalization Law enacted by the Austrian Parliament on 26 July 1946. By October of 1946 Steyr was back in the production of work trucks, most notably the Steyr 380 Diesel-Lastkraftwagen, a derivative of the war-time production Model 1500A, a versatile truck chassis developed in only 52 days and personally approved for production by Adolf Hitler. The Steyr 380 chassis became the foundation of many working trucks, from cargo haulers to dump trucks, buses, firefighting apparatus, and more.

    Right: Steyr 380 Diesel-Lastkraftwagen advertisement (11,911 bytes).

    Creditanstalt-Bankverein, the bank formerly holding stock in Steyr-Daimler-Puch before the war, was nationalized and then resumed operations including holding stakes in several important Austrian companies again including Steyr-Daimler-Puch. By 1949 cooperation agreements were being signed with manufacturers in western bloc nations, the first of these was one with Fiat of Turin, Italy. By 1953 Puch introduced two new motorcycles. In 1954 Puch introduced their first 'Moped' the MS 50, this economical two wheeled vehicle was well suited for the needs of European urban living at the time, this was the first of a decades long success story for the company. In May 1955 full independence by Austria was regained, and by then and throughout the next decade bicycles and Mopeds were manufactured in Graz, Austria and marketed in Europe as Puch.

    Steyr head badge The Puch bicycle catalog of 1956 shows seven basic models in production, each available in any one of numerous size frames. Most of their basic designs in production then through the 1960's still resembled those they manufactured well before World War II. Bicycles and Mopeds were manufactured by Steyr-Daimler-Puch for export to the USA including those branded 'Allstate', and those made for Sears, Roebuck & Company bearing the 'Sears Made In Austria' or 'JC Higgins' brands; the Higgins trade name was used by Sears for many products they sold through 1961. The JC Higgins trade name was dropped after 1961 and from 1962 on some Sears bikes made by Puch bear the trade name 'Ted Williams Brand'; this trade name was used by Sears on several of their top of the line sporting goods made through 1974. Sears, Roebuck & Company bicycles could be found bearing the alternate label "MADE IN AUSTRIA, STEYR - DAIMBLER - PUCH, A.G. - GRAZ" by the early and mid 1960's. These bicycles were sold under the Puch name and also under retailers trademarks including 'Sears'. Among the more numerous of the models imported to the USA from the late 1960's into the early 1970's for sale by Sears was the upright Free Spirit model, available in many sizes and in a choice of either a conventional or women's frame. The handle bar end plugs on the Free Spirit bicycles of that era read "Puch" however, the mandatory "Made in Austria" tags were usually peeled off at the retail stores.

    Left: Embossed aluminum head badge of a Steyr bicycle, probably built about 1970 (92,616 bytes).

    Puch head badge The Steyr-Daimler-Puch bicycles sold from 1964 to around 1972 may bear a decal on the seat tube commemorating the 1864 to 1964 centenary, this will read "Steyr-Puch 100 Years" for example. By 1966 BMX ('bicycle motorcross') models for off road use had entered the line-up too.

    Right: Embossed aluminum head badge of a Puch bicycle, probably built about 1970 (26,892 bytes).

    At the turn of the 1970's the Steyr-Daimler-Puch company was marketing entry level road and BMX bicycles. Each Steyr or Puch trademarked bicycle frame was being manufactured and assembled at Werk Graz-Thondorf, the Steyr Daimler Puch factory in Graz, Austria. By then the bicycles were being marketed on several continents and under one or more of the company brand names simultaneously: Steyr-Daimler-Puch, and Puch. To facilitate distribution they set up companies in several countries; for example sales and service in the United Kingdom were managed by Steyr-Daimler-Puch (Great Britan) Ltd., at Steyr-Puch House, 211 Lower Parliament Street in Nottingham.

    Steyr trademarked bicycles made into the early 1970's included simpler frames with geometries dating to the pre-war era and of steel construction, these bore the head badge similar to that shown above at left. But even their best bicycle products at that time were less than impressively built, comparatively heavy and with contracted lower-end components branded Altenburger for example. Some retailers ordered bicycles for exported for sale under the retailers trademark with their respective brands or trade names including Sears for example decals and a head badge reading SEARS ROEBUCK AND CO. MADE IN AUSTRIA. The most popular bicycle made by Steyr for Sears seems to have remained the Free Spirit advertised by then through at least 1973 as the "10-speed. It gets you there."

    The Puch branded bicycles was initially reserved for frames sold in Austria or exported for sale in other European countries (Germany, France, England, etc.). The Puch branded offerings also included BMX models sold in Europe and destined for sale in the USA.

    The Booming 1970's And USA Distribution The USA experienced a dramatic bicycle sales boom starting in 1965. This period saw baby boomers children buying bicycles while adult cycling too increased in popularity dramatically. In two years around 1970 bicycles sales doubled nationwide. The Time Magazine issue of 14 June 1971 referred to this as "the bicycle's biggest wave of popularity in its 154-year history" By May 1971 Schwinn, the largest manufacturer, had sold all its planned productiom for the year!

    The upsurge in bicycle sales from 1965 and into the early 1970's prompted the consortium to consider the production of mid and upper level bicycles, more sophisticated than those that had been their hallmark. The Arab Oil Embargo of October 1973 to March 1974 persuaded Steyr-Daimler-Puch management they might have a much larger market for their products in the USA, and so the Steyr Daimler Puch of America Corporation was established in Greenwich, Connecticut to manage the representation of the lines and provide constructive feedback to Austria. The importation and distribution of their products (including Mopeds, bicycles, and Steyr firearms) in the USA was to commence from locations in Secaucus, New Jersey and in Jacksonville, Florida. The product line would be marketed under the trade name Austro-Daimler. For most consumers the expectations were high when buying a bike associated with those great Austrian and German names!

    In order to better negotiate the complicated US marketplace and improve their offerings for the European market too, Steyr Daimler Puch America explored developing relationships with established bicycle distributors in the USA. First and foremost in their minds was Lifecycle, Inc., a well regarded and proved cycling retailer and distributor then located at 1005 Massachusetts Avenue, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The proximity of Lifecycle to the Steyr-Daimler-Puch offices in Greenwich, Connecticut added the benefit of convenience. Lifecycle distributed products to some 125 bicycle retail shops throughout New England and in California.

    Lifecycle was founded by the late Eugene (Gene) Ritvo, the company integrated a highly experienced team of technical and sales people. Among their many kudos Lifecycle had over many years developed a special relationship, beyond that of a typical regional distributor, with Fuji America based in New York City. Lifecycle helped to make the Nichebei Fuji group product an acclaimed and financially successful line - the first such Japanese bicycle manufacturer success story in the USA. Up to then imported bicycles were usually entry to mid level models marketed under westernized names, or made for American manufacturers to distribute under their own names. Fuji's business strategy differed, this was the brainchild of Ken Mizugaki, President of Fuji USA and a graduate of Reed College in the States. He and his closest, loyal, and competent associates (Ken Moriya, Yoshi Kitazumi, Katz Nishimura, Maury Shitanisi) stuck with their business plan to develop a premium line of bicycles and components made in Japan and retaining their Japanese identity, even while taking ridicule from fellow importers and distributors. The components makers included: Dia-Comp, Sun Tour, Nitto, Pearlizumi, Shimano, Silver Star, Sugino whose items were clearly identified. Gene had been so instrumental at improving the Fuji line by helping to determine production frame sizes, frame angles, tubing choice, and component groups that to this day he is considered by many to be the father of the Fuji line in the United States. By the early 1970's Consumer Reports magazine's "Best Buy" pick was the Special Road Racer, though the bike Fuji became best known for was the later version designated the S10-S, the 27 lb. ten-speed road touring bicycle introduced in 1971 selling for about $210. The successes eventually earned for the Fuji trademark the cache of Sony, Nikon, Seiko and the like. Lifecycle had a display wall lined with wonderful bikes by makers including: Masi, Cilo, Cinelli, Bob Jackson, Harry Quinn, Colnago, Fisher, Mooney, Merckx, Paramount, Teledyne Titan and several other state of the art frames for that 70's into the 80's era. Among the newcomers was Gary Klein, an MIT student who retailed his first Klein bicycles with boron-reinforced aluminum frames through Lifecycle. So the credentials of the team at Lifecycle were obvious.

    Steyr Daimler Puch America representatives arranged an introductory meeting with the principals of Lifecycle. Those attending included Lifecycle founders Gene, Thomas Manning, and Warren Koebler who has as much knowledge about bicycles, design, and cycle trivia as anyone in the business. Attending representatives of Steyr-Daimler-Puch included Robert Yung a Chinese American marketing fellow here by way of Brazil, Helmut Quindt from Graz who was technically knowledgeable and represented the manufacturing side of Steyr-Daimler-Puch, and Silvio Simon an advertising specialist from France. The meeting conveyed how Steyr-Daimler-Puch of Austria intended to develop a new product line of bicycles with the better components, more upscale than those they were known to have manufactured up that time. These bicycles would bear the Austro-Daimler tradename and continue within the production serial number sequence already in effect at the factory, hence there was nothing in the serial number to distinguish a Puch frame from one to be marketed as Austro-Daimler; these new bicycles were to be seen as among the best that Europe could offer. In time there would be Puch trademarked road bikes, these offerings were to represent the lower priced offerings of the maker. While there was some some minor overlap of the features between the trademarks road bikes.

    It had been decades since a product had borne the Austro-Daimler trade name, but by 1975 bicycles bearing that name were starting to be noticed among cycling circles:

    Austro-Daimler trade name and font style

    They put forth a proposal to Lifecycle that focused on developing a presence and sales strategy for the US market. Lifecycle would exclusively distribute the line in the USA to retailers, and would also retail the Austro-Daimler and Puch lines directly to their clientele. The product line would be initially launched in New England because of its perceived affluence and existing strong bike market. If the business worked out well in New England then they would expand nationally.

    Lifecycle signed a three year contract with Steyr Daimler Puch USA to conduct sales, marketing, and perform design consulting work then commenced their work. The team at Lifecycle actually specified the entire Austro-Daimler line, even down to the then unique custom-cut foam packing. They proposed frame designs (tubing choice, lugs, frame angles, etc.) with the desired frame component lists, and made suggestions for models to be offered to suit the various price points and their intended customers. Gene Ritvo was almost fanatical about paint quality and through his input the Fuji finishes were applied electro-statically and became regarded as being among the best in the industry. Gene might spend weeks agonizing over getting just the right shade of color or component choices for new models. A great deal of credit should also go to Warren Koebler, an associate at Lifecycle, for his work in choosing group components and his love of the minutiae in specifying a bike model; Warren is still in the bicycle business working with Belmont Wheelworks. The Lifecycle team with Gene in particular put heart and soul into this design effort, they helped to bring Steyr-Daimler-Puch bicycle design into the modern age.

    One of the persons who was then with the Lifecycle company related:

      "As I recall they (the Steyr-Daimler-Puch people) did not have a clue as to how to create stable frames and alter the frames to shorten wheelbases on different models. They only made frames using one set of angles and their wheelbases were quite long and unwieldy. The Fuji 'Dynamic' would have been seen as a criterium bike by them. They needed their hand held bigtime."

    After that good deal of forethought and preparation at Lifecycle, Gene Ritvo made the first of several trips to Graz, Austria to discuss these matters directly with production management and technicians. Gene also had in hand his big passion: color charts. Gene was proudest of development of the Ultima, their top line model originally finished in a red termed "Bordeaux Red", then later in the distinctive purple aubergine color, and the Superleicht model, the unprecedented all black Vent Noir with black finished components, later followed by the lustrous smoked chrome Vent Noir II (sometimes marketed as the Vent Noir). Several of the suggestions by Lifecycle were also rolled over by Steyr-Daimler-Puch into a then undisclosed, overlapping line of Puch brand bike models.

    The Austro-Daimler bicycles models shared a fairly standardized geometry but differed in several ways. These differences involve the selection of frame materials (tube alloy or steel for example), construction hardware and techniques including choice of frame coupling hardware and brazing technique and materials (silver brazing for example), Gruppo or group of components selected by make and degree of sophistication, finishing work such as hand painted trim and including type of seat and handlebar grip material.

    The top of the line Austro-Daimler bicycle was marketed as the Ultima but at later times bore the label "ULTIMA superleicht". These were basically an upgraded Superleicht (super light) frame made of Reynolds 531 alloy but with the lighter weight Campagnolo Super Record series components.

    By 1977 the product line-up published by Steyr Daimler Puch of America Corporation was:

    Model Frame Suggested Retail Price
    Ultima Reynolds 531 DB $1,275.00
    Superleicht Reynolds 531 DB $875.00
    Vent Noir Reynolds 531 DB $575.00
    Inter 10 Reynolds 531 DB $350.00
    AD-SL 3 Tubes of Reynolds 531 DB $250.00
    AD-S AD Special Steel $185.00

    Austro-Daimler Ultima

    By 1978 the Ultima incorporated: full titanium Super Record group (including their rare recently revised rear Derailleur), Campagnolo Horizontal Dropouts and the Fork Tips, a Regina Oro chain and sprocket, lightweight Fiamme Ergal polished 7075 aluminum 700c tubular racing rims (averaging 296 g each), a taped Cinelli Bar and with a Cinelli Stem, and with a Unicanitior Model 3 Saddle.

    Left: The Ultima in Thorndorf-Purple, the bicycle that put Austro-Daimler on the radar (32,980 bytes).
    Click on image to see enlarged view (199,428 bytes)

    The Ultima frame was offered in a dark purple metallic color advertised as "Thorndorf-Purple", referring to Werk Graz-Thondorf the factory where the frames were made, with gold painted trim. In Europe too the Ultima were marketed under the Steyr-Daimler-Puch trademark bearing the model label "ULTIMA", also finished in Thorndorf-Purple. In 1978 the frame was also made available in Amethyst, a metallic silver-light lavender color and with black painted trim. In later years other color choices were added including Green and Burgundy. The retail price of the 1977 Ultima was a then whopping $1,275 though they might be had as late as in 1981 for about $1,600 new. Regardless of the cost, the Ultima appealed to that segment of the market that demanded the lightest (about 19.5 lbs. complete) and the finest regardless of cost.

    Great care was taken to present the product line as something special and elegant:

    • Special models with groups competing in the high end Ultima, to elegant frames with unique finishes and trim (Vent Noir and Vent Noir II) were offered. It was Gene who determined the Ultima frames were to be the finished in the purple aubergine color paint; he stood firm on its appropriateness for what became their top end model.

    • Some of the Austro-Daimler bicycles were so well regarded that they were successfully raced by some US Olympic and National Team members. Steyr Daimler Puch became active in bicycle racing developing a 531 frame they called the Team, this would be the basis of several production bicycle models including the Ultima. This added additional credibility to the product line; the advertising by the company took note of this.

    • By 1978 Austro-Daimler literature made claims of some bicycles being 'All-European' indicating the frames and all their components originated in Europe and no doubt adding some snob appeal to the equation.

    • Commencing by 1975, the printed catalogs of the Austro-Daimler line (do you recall when free printed catalogs were the norm?) were among the most elegant bicycle catalogs ever distributed. The entire catalog focused solely on their five premium bicycle models. The catalog showed large lustrous color photos of the products, assembly, and with tissue paper between each of the pages.

    • Up to this time bicycles were usually shipped packed simply within a narrow cardboard box, with some padding attached to the frame here or there, and maybe with some styrofoam blocks within the carton. But for an Austro-Daimler even the packing of the bicycle was well thought out and elegant, both to provide a good presentation as well as to insure damage free delivery to the retailers and customers. The bicycles were shipped from the factory nearly fully assembled nested in a custom-cut foam packing and within an outer carton. The foam insert was cut to accommodate each of the respective size frames and often fabric lined to reduce risks of abrasion.

    There were initially glitches with some designs and production aspects of these new and more advanced frames, among them was a full size range of bikes all sporting the same length top tube. There are some early production frames with rough or obvious filing marks, most notably the underside of the Bottom Bracket. All of these matters were gradually worked out.

    There have been some comments made about the durability of some components such as the often misunderstood lightweight (c. 290g each) Fiamme Ergal tubular rims; these are superb in racing but are not the most durable choice for casual riding along uneven surfaces as typically encountered by the casual rider. The term 'Tubular Rim' refers to the arrangement whereby the tire is sewn-up then glued onto the tim; this is not the easy to repair tire and inner tube set as are installed onto the more common 'Clincher Rim'. The tubular rim was preferred until recent years over the clincher rim, particularly among racers who run on smooth clean surfaces, because the tubular rim with tire weigh less than the clincher set. The tubular tire could (at the time) operate at higher pressures of up to 200 psi than a comparable clincher set at up to 150 psi, thus providing less rolling resistance. With less weight there is less rotational inertia on the wheel, and so a bicyclist riding on tubular rim and tire can accelerate faster and or with less effort than with a typical clincher. Of course in casual riding the benefits of light weight are offset by the need to carry a spare tubular tire, instead of the simple patch kit to repair the inner tube of a clincher rim.

    Austro-Daimler trademark head badge plate Gene was quite an interesting and talented fellow, one of the later tales tells something of the man Gene was a guy who was witnessed at the Pebble Beach Concours saying to Ralph Lauren himself who was dressed in bright yellow and yellow and white plaid ..."Good Grief..... who dressed you today?" In appreciation of the work by Gene Ritvo the team at Steyr-Daimler-Puch presented to him a new Ultima Superleicht bicycle painted in red complete with Campagnolo Fork Tips and Dropouts, Bocama Lugs, and all Super Record components including a first generation Super Record titanium rear Derailleur. The frame features Mr. Ritvo's initials "ER" painted in gold Austro-Daimler "Auriol" font style on the seat tube. Incidentally, the photos in the 1976 Ultima superleicht catalog pages through those of the 1978 Ultima catalog actually show this exact bicycle bearing the Ultima Superleicht label. This is even though the 1978 specifications and the smaller insert photo of the cased Ultima indicate it was then only available in Thorndorf-Purple. This bicycle survived him in good condition, it is presently in the capable and appreciative hands of Scott Ryder, whom I thank for the help in filling in some details here.

    Left: Embossed aluminum head badge on the author's Austro-Daimler Vent Noir II (18,250 bytes).

    Steyr Daimler Puch America opened a store in Greenwich, Connecticut that was then a rather unique concept: a flagship single-brand store for the Austro-Daimler bicycles. The original bicycle shop on the site was owned by Chet Ribner and Rob Feldon, they negotiated the arrangement to convert their own store to a purpose built operation laid out to impress the visitor and feature solely the Austro-Daimler bicycles and accessories. As related "it had AD logo wallpaper etc and was quite an operation, boutiquey and rather snotty in nature... so Greenwich!" In time Rob Feldon ended up going to work in China to establish sources for the production of Puch brand bicycles. At this time Schwinn Bicycle Company was the dominant manufacturer of bicycles in the USA. Taiwan based Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. was manufacturing Schwinn-labeled outsourced bikes, often bearing the label Schwinn Approved. Sales to Schwinn represented almost all (ninety percent or more) of Giant's production. In 1979, Edward R. Schwinn Jr., became President of the Schwinn company then made Giant's owners uneasy as Schwinn attempted to have their bikes sourced at even lower cost from either eastern Europe or mainland China. By 1986 the Giant company decided to become self-reliant, dropping the relationship with Schwinn and instead marketing under their own trade name. Chet Ribner went to work for Giant, then became President of Giant in the US; this ended the ability of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch showroom in Greenwich to survive. Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. went on to become one of if not the world's largest bicycle manufacturer with facilities in Taiwan, The Netherlands, and China.

    Their experience in the defense industry crossed over and in 1978 Puch designed the world's first carbon-frame bicycle. The Austro-Daimler trademark was reserved for bicycles sold in the US market, hence those competing as an American market mens team rode 'A-D' labeled frames - usually the 'Ultima' model. While Puch was the label of frames sold in Europe, and for those competing as the Eurpoean market team and for the American Women's team. I have seen Austro-Daimler team racing advertisements, and have seen their tasteful jerseys from 1976 and from 1977.

    The Late 1970's, Early 1980's As mentioned previously, the USA experienced a dramatic bicycle sales boom starting in 1965 and cresting by 1975. The period was followed by a sudden decline in sales as the market became saturated by competitors and clogged with large inventories of unsold bicycles. This was unfortunate for bicycle makers, particularly those trying to become established in the US market including Austro-Daimler and Puch brands.

    As if the slowing sales overall in the highly competitive bicycle market was not enough, by 1976 the American consumer had forgot the oil crisis and became acclimated to the higher fuel prices. So they resumed favoring larger and less fuel efficient vehicles. Most of those Americans who would ever opt for a motorized two-wheeler shunned the Puch Mopeds (still popular in Europe) and other similar vehicles in favor of full sized motorcycles. As a result of this the sales of Puch Mopeds in the USA never really got off the ground. The Moped distributor for Puch was a company based in upstate New York that dealt with the sales of snowmobiles and farm equipment. This was a capable and successful company in those fields, but their sales of motorized wheeled goods reflected the Moped market in the USA - dismal. Not long after picking up the Puch Moped distributorship they concluded this would not work for then, so they liquidated their existing inventory and got out of the Moped business altogether.

    By the late 1970's the remaining operators of Lifecycle agreed to continue distributing the Austro-Daimler line even in the face of the market slowdown, some changes of staff, and increasing number of new manufacturers from overseas competing for the US bicycle market. Steyr-Daimler-Puch sought ways to remain competitive and pursue the lower priced market areas. Lifecycle would also continue to retail (sell directly to customers) the line as well as remain involved with the design, specifications, and other decision making. To meet the growing demand Steyr-Daimler-Puch ramped up employment and production; their quantitative peak was attained in 1980 when their more than 3,200 employees produced 310,000 bicycles.

    Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Austria continued to produce bicycles based on their own designs that were old, but yet marketable particularly in Europe. Consider the single-speed 1939 bicycle (SN 481104) trade-marked 'Johann Puch AG' bearing the painted 'JPAG' head badge plate, alongside a similarly single-speed made about 1980 Puch Elegance. Shown here are versions made to accommodate women for easier comparison of the similarities of: frame geometry, spring-loaded saddle (seat), design and location of the thumb bell, even down to the Bosch brand of power generator and headlamp:

    Austro-Daimler Ultima
    Arguably the most refined decades-old bicycle technology still in production!

    I would guess that by this time Steyr Daimler Puch in Graz was ramping up their interest in making this effort a success, and if they did not already have the engineers on staff with bicycle design or materials knowledge when they started this new effort then they were certainly hiring them. Rudolf Resch was an engineer and Chief Designer, while Franz Volk could become Chief Production Manager; their faces and promises appeared in the factory literature. So if SDP needed hand-holding, then I expect this would not be the case for long. That said, their marketing team know how certainly was lacking and remained lacking throughout the term of their efforts into the mid 1980's. The Steyr Daimler Puch bicycle product labeling and differentiation is about as confusing as that which any maker has ever attempted:

    • How can one know for certain what made this or that model superior to another for one use or another? In part the confusion because the model names and components seemed to change from year to year: Ultima or Ultima superleicht, SL or Superleicht?,

    • models names were used over and over again that confused buyers: Vent Noir, Vent Noir II, Mistral Vent Noir II - it is hard to tell them apart since the literature confused them and at times even the frame labeling was confusing too!

    • errors in the catalogs and literature were numerous, even if minor. For examples:

      • I note with amusement the 'All European' mention for some bicycles in 1978 literature even though the specs indicate they incorporated Shimano (Japanese) Horizontal Dropouts and Fork Tips.
      • The catalog sheets showing a photo of a bicycle in Bordeaux Red while the specifications indicate it is only made in Thorndorf-Purple.
      • So was the customer saving to buy the all-black Vent Noir or the smoked chrome Vent Noir II either that could be listed in a catalog as the Vent Noir?

    I call these grounds for "mismanagement alerts"; read on to learn more about this.

    Steyr-Daimler-Puch headquarters decided to source some of their new bicycles from factories overseas so that they could offer these to the customer for a cost lower than those made in Austria. These third party sources were initially in Japan and in Taiwan. One may come across one of these contracted bicycles from Asia bearing a "PUCH" head badge but with smaller letters "MADE FOR" over the Puch name.

    Some miscommunications apparently developed between the managements of Lifecycle and Steyr-Daimler-Puch. Lifecycle understood the new lower priced bicycles would bear the Puch name, and this would help to round out their market offerings. Lifecycle had worked diligently to present the Austro-Daimler trademark as representative of upper crust European fare; for their strategy to work there could be no overlap with Puch - no models even remotely competitive to those bearing the Austro-Daimler trademarks. When the first shipment of these lower priced bicycles arrived at Lifecycle the staff observed an additional load of bicycle cartons labeled 'PUCH' that bore several different model names on the cartons. Upon inspecting the shipment it became clear these Puch models had indeed overlapped most of the Austro-Daimler models, with some of the Puch models costing well over the $1,000 retail price point. This was perceived by Lifecycle as a complete violation of the design and consultantcy agreement. There was likely more to the dynamics of this story than I know, but it appears this episode exacerbated the issue of already compromised trust, and the value Lifecycle had placed in Steyr-Daimler-Puch as a venture partner ended. Lifecycle withdrew almost immediately as the distributor for the new Austro-Daimler line. With that break Steyr Daimler Puch America lost access to the better retailers in New England, and became deprived of American consumer based design advice.

    The Puch overlap with Austro-Daimler progressed so that Puch too would also offer some very fine road models in the USA, with some noteworthy competitive teams riding Puch trademarked frames. This complicated the matter of discriminating between their own competing trademarks: time here for another 'mismanagement alert'. Steyr Daimler Puch America found out the idea to parallel Puch and Austro-Daimler was confusing customers, and wasteful of advertising to get the message across. Added to that, the choice by Steyr Daimler Puch America of a new bicycle distributor, replacing Lifecycle, was a disaster; the new distributor charged high storage fees, became slow to pay, and did not even approach the overly optimistic predictions for sales volume they promised. Eventually Steyr Daimler Puch America parted with that distributor, then called again upon Lifecycle to at least help repatriate their US inventory from the new distributor and into lower cost storage. But Lifecycle declined to go any further with the relationship than that.

    Steyr Daimler Puch America Corporation proceeded to establish distribution relationships directly with retailers, in some regions hiring a local District Sales Manager to aid their efforts to market the bicycles and mopeds. By the Summer of 1977 John B. Cellier was their Director of Operations. As their point of contact for the bicycle stores, Cellier was also referring customers who inquired to their nearest retailer. The beautiful Austro-Daimler sales literature, advertisements, and the recognition brought by an increasing number of competitive bicyclists riding the Austro-Daimler and Puch bikes helped to attract even more of those specialty bicycle shops that catered to the more demanding cyclist to contact Steyr Daimler Puch America Corp.. But ironically, while Steyr Daimler Puch America was trying to nurture relationships with bicycle stores, SDP America also sold bicycles directly to the consumer; I have seen sales receipts from 1980 written at Steyr Daimler Puch America in Greenwich - earning them yet another 'mismanagement alert'. I purchased my Vent Noir II in 1981 from College Park Bicycles in Maryland, though my bicycle frame serial number indicates it was made in 1978.

    Steyr Austro-Daimler Puch trademark decal By the Spring of 1980 Steyr-Daimler-Puch contracted Speed Unlimited (Thruster) of Wayne, New Jersey to manufacture a new BMX bicycle, the Puch Trak/Pro. These bicycles are constructed of a chromed chrome-moly frame, and bear a standard "PUCH" head badge. The overall lack of success of Puch in the BMX market had more to do with management and distribution issues than their technology. When Sears transitioned production of the Free Spirit and other models of bicycles to be made in Japan and Taiwan instead of by Steyr-Daimler-Puch, this was another notable loss of revenue for Steyr-Daimler-Puch. I have read one account "Within three years (of terminating the original agreement with Lifecycle) SDP USA losses were in the $24,000,000 range and Austria pulled the plug on it altogether."

    Right: later production model Vent Noir II frame with "Steyr Austro-Daimler Puch" decal on the seat tube. With less hand painted trim this frame is not finished as elaborately as its predecessors. The frame downtube bears the decal "Made by Puch AUSTRO-DAIMLER". It bears a metal Puch head badge, this is embossed and then painted but in a simpler manner than the one shown above right (170,122 bytes).

    Back in Austria there were some efforts to make the available bicycle line more diversified in terms of choices, and in terms of pricing too.

    Efforts to offer less costly bicycles in the line including outsourcing of some road bicycles. Up to about this time the manufacture of most Puch and all Austro-Daimler road bicycles had remained at Graz in Austria. However, in order to compete in the lower-priced areas of the market the production of some Puch models, including the durable Pathfinder bicycles, were shifted from being made in Austria to Japan under contract to Araya Industrial Company. Other Puch models were outsourced to Kuwahara Company of Japan; the company is better known for making BMX bikes marketed under their own name including the forty red and white KZ frame model bikes made famous in the 1982 Steven Spielberg movie E.T.

    Puch and made for Puch head badges To see how the outsourcing resulted in changes consider how those Pathfinder bicycles made in Austria through 1979 were of 2600 Manganese steel tubing with a mix of European and Asian components; these tended to bear the PUCH head badge and Puch or Austro-Daimler decals. The complete Pathfinder bicycle made by Araya between 1980 (or earlier) through 1983 sold for about $200.00; these were based on a frame made of fairly heavy but stiff Araya Hi Tn (sometimes termed 'Hi-Ten', short for 'high tensile') steel butted tubing, and with Asian-made components including Dia-Compe, Sugino cranks, and Suntour GT. These contracted bicycles frames will bear the PUCH head badge and decals, but also bear the decal MADE IN JAPAN, and a Serial Number beginning with 'ARYGxxxxxx'.

    Left: Head badges of 1980's Japanese made bicycles. At left is one from a c. 1980 Pathfinder made by Araya bearing PUCH, while at right is the MADE FOR PUCH head badge of a Kuwahara-made Model 190 from about 1986 (29,385 bytes). Note how these outsourced frames both frature riveted-on metal plates, not the cheaper stick-on label sometimes found on Puch and Austro-Daimler bicycles made in Austria.

    A Budding Race Tradition Since 1977 Steyr-Daimler-Puch had been sponsoring bicycle racers, some who attained prominence riding their Austro-Daimler or Puch trademarked frames. In Europe all Steyr-Daimler-Puch bicycle factory sponsored riders rode the Team or Ultima frame, finished in Puch green and with Puch decaling. The plan by Steyr Daimler Puch America was to have male athletes ride Austro-Daimler Team frames, with women riding the Puch frames in green. By 1977 four members of the Junior World's Team won on Austro-Daimler or Puch frames.

    On 2 June 1980 Andrew Teisher Weaver won the Buckeye Race for the Gold (part of Olympic qualifying trials) with a 37:03 time for the 30 Kilometer time trial riding Austro-Daimler. He went on to become a nine-time National Cycling Champion. In 1979 four members of the U.S. Olympic Team and five members of the U.S. National team were riding on Austro-Daimler bicycles. By 1981 they were racking up really notable wins: Winner of the Self Magazine Series, Coor's Classic Women's Individual Winner, Coors Classic Team Winner, National Champion of the Women's Individual Time Trial, and National Champion at the Women's Road Race. Three members of the U.S. Worlds Team rode these frames too.

    Connie Carpenter won riding for Team Puch. She is among the most highly regarded women athletes for her win of the National Road Championship and two-points championships in 1981. She appears prominently in the 1982 Austro-Daimler catalog. She was also the national two-points champion in June 1982, and criterium champion in 1982 and 1983. As reported in the newspapers in the Summer of 1982 "Connie Carpenter was on top of things all the way as she won her second consecutive Coors Classic, the world's longest, toughest -and richest- cycling event for women. Carpenter set a world record of 3:49.53 in winning the 1983 world pursuit championship. The following year, she became the first U.S. cyclist since 1912 to win an Olympic medal. These wins were reflected in the advertising literature as shown below.

    By the mid 1980's a decision was made by Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Austria to unify their overseas bicycle marketing efforts behind the Puch name alone. Puch continued to be the trademark in most European markets, while the brand would be marketed as "Puch Austro-Daimler" in the USA. The last of the production Austro-Daimler bicycle frames of this time bear the Puch head badge and with the decal "Made by Puch AUSTRO-DAIMLER" along the frame downtube. These frames may also bear the "Steyr Austro-Daimler Puch" decal on the Seat Tube as shown above right. Later production Puch and Austro-Daimler frames may have a stick-on decal applied instead of the formerly embossed metal head badge plate, apparently a cost cutting decision. But oddly enough I have seen earlier production frames too with the stick-on 'PUCH' or 'A-D' decal applied, so these may have been applied if/when the factory ran out of the metal embossed head badge. A photograph published in the 23 July 1982 edition of Velonews shows Connie Carpenter winning the 1982 Coors Classic, she is seen just edging out Jeanie Longo; Connie is riding the green Puch frame labeled clearly as such in bold white letters - but that frame has an "A-D" head badge.

    Puch ad from 1985 (57,205 bytes)
    		Puch ad from 1985 (42,842 bytes)
    		Puch ad from 1985 (62,605 bytes)
    Above: Advertisements for Puch Austro-Daimler bicycles, from 1985 (57,205 and 62,605 bytes)
    Click on images to see enlarged views (94,762 then 59,559 and 87,409 bytes)

    Das Ende of AD In spite of the favorable reviews of the products by 1984 Steyr-Daimler-Puch realized it was becoming more and more difficult to be competitive given their overhead costs. The interest by management in the production of two wheeled vehicles in Austria, even those made for the European market, tapered off as Asian-made products flooded in.

    Ironically the Plaza Accord signed on 22 September 1985 between the governments of France, West Germany, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom, pushed production from Japan to even lower cost countries. The signatories agreed to depreciate the U.S. dollar in relation to the Japanese Yen and the German Deutsche Mark by intervening in currency markets. The exchange rate value of the US dollar versus the Yen for example declined by 51% from 1985 to 1987. The changing world economics and the slowing sales of bicycles overall at this period was making many manufacturers scramble to find less costly sources of the most economically priced bicycles. While Steyr-Daimler-Puch still had relationships with Japanese factories, other makers were scrambling to sources in Taiwan and elsewhere.

    Last Puch bicycle 'Made In Austria', a Steyr-Daimler-Puch management decided to focus foremost on the manufacture of cars and larger motor vehicles. So in a decision that is still controversial among those who recall the times Steyr-Daimler-Puch decided to sell the motorcycle, moped, and bicycle fabrication portions of the company. The Puch Austro-Daimler bicycles remained in production at Graz in Austria until the Puch brand name and products of the company were sold in mid 1987 to Piaggio & C. S.p.A. of Italy. Piaggio is the holding company for a group of companies that manufacture light vehicles most notably two-wheeled motor scooters including the Vespa motor scooter, motorcycles, and bicycles. After 1987 Piaggio's F.I.V. Edoardo Bianchi S.p.A manufacturing operation included Bianchi, Raleigh (formerly of the United Kingdom), and Puch bicycles. Even as this article is written Araya continues to manufacture bicycles in Japan bearing the formerly British-made Raleigh trademarks.

    Right: the last Puch 'Made In Austria', a Royal Force model, is inspected by Steyr employee Josef Benze (51,786 bytes).
    Click on image to see enlarged view (88,056 bytes).

    While Austro-Daimler parts and designs and some staff and marketing people went to Bianchi, the rights to use the name 'Austro-Daimler' were never transferred to Piaggio. Some bicycles bearing the 'Puch' name continued in production at Bianchi through 1995 when the Puch name rights were sold to first a company in the Netherlands, and later to a company in Sweden. By 2003 bicycles bearing the Puch name were again available, some made with aluminum frames coming from Taiwan and components from Asian providers. These could be found being distributed through Cycleurope Deutschland GmbH in Europe for example.

    Austro-Daimler 'Made In Austria' decal The finale for the Steyr Daimler Puch AG conglomerate came about in the 1990's. In the first stage Steyr Tractor was sold to J.I. Case Corporation. By 1998 Steyr's automobile production became combined with Magna International, Inc. as Magna Steyr. In 1998 the production of military vehicles was sold to an Austrian investor company that incorporated it as Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug GmbH (SSF). This in turn was sold in 2003 to the US based General Dynamics, then renamed General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr GmbH. Steyr Mannlicher GmbH remains based at Kleinraming, Austria and independently producing small arms for hunting, law enforcement and defense agencies. All that is left of what Johann Puch might recognize is represented by the Johann Puch Museum in Graz, Austria. It is amazing to see how this consortium evolved and how it all started with Johann Puch making bicycles in 1891! Unfortunately I do not ever again anticipate seeing new Austro-Daimler bicycles coming from a General Dynamics subsidiary - at least not selling for less than $1 million each.

    As I understand it, the rights to the name Austro-Daimler were not conveyed to Bianchi when Puch was sold. Either General Dynamics or Case Corporation would have acquired the rights to the Austro-Daimler trade name and trademarks when that part of Steyr that owned Austro-Daimler was acquired. There is no easy way to know what if any contemporary Austro-Daimler bicycle or clothing gear is legally trademarked or officially licensed. However, since May 2001 IVM Technical Consultants, an Austrian company, has registered the Internet Domain name 'Austro-Daimler.com'; most recently this domain remains basically parked and inactive.

    A US-based, Made in Taiwan AD? In the last months of 2010 and into early 2011 a New England-based bicycle company with an E-Bay store announced they were looking into having new bicycle frames of carbon fiber supposedly made in Taiwan to be sold bearing the Austro-Daimler trademark. The example frames and artwork shown on-line by the American company bear the Austro-Daimler trade name in the Auriol style font, and with a stick-on or painted-on AD head badge logo. These are represented to be MCR-01 carbon road frames manufactured by More Choice Inc. of Taiwan, a company heretofore unknown to the author but with shipments to the USA originating from locations including Yantian, China. In tracing the history of the original company and its trade name it would be interesting to know how or from whom the rights to use the name 'Austro-Daimler' were obtained, if this permission was obtained at all.

    In my opinion, whether or not the bikes are good this practice just goes to show again how some people can miss the point, compromising principles for personal gain or sentiment by essentially 'whoring out' the exclusivity or heritage of a product. Such efforts can never recover whatever values of the past, at least as long as the frames do not bear 'Made In Austria'.

    In addition to the original Austro-Daimler jerseys and other gear that I have seen appear on occasion in the used market, there appear to be some contemporary interpretations of Austro-Daimler apparel being sold today. Among the contemporary third party Austro-Daimler gear I have seen is a jersey shown below (front and back), and the sewn patch:

    third party Austro-Daimler racing jersey 1977 front third party Austro-Daimler racing jersey 1977 rear third party Austro-Daimler patch

    Puch Vent Noir II downtube The Vent Noir Series were among those elegant bicycles made bearing the 'Puch' or 'Austro-Daimler' head badge metal plaque. The original Vent Noir was equipped as a mid level model in the product line, it was distinguished by its matte black painted chrome frame with black anodized components. For any ignoramuses out there Vent Noir is French for 'Black Wind' - OK, I had to look that up.

    Right: This Vent Noir II frame originally sold in Europe bears the 'PUCH' trademark (42,380 bytes)
    Click on image to see enlarged view (168,232 bytes).

    The 'Austro-Daimler' and European market 'Puch' Vent Noir ten speed bicycles were originally provided with Shimano Dura Ace components with parts of these anodized black, Weinmann hubs and wheel rims, and with 'Regina Oro' cassette and chain in gold finish. The Austro-Daimler Vent Noir frames I have seen in the USA have a bit more elegant trim than the Puch models sold here, with the Austro-Daimler having gold pinstripes and with gold detailing of the Lugs (painted by hand) in a manner similar to my own Vent Noir II. Apparently the details and components of the Vent Noir components varied depending on their Puch or Austro-Daimler designation, or where they were to be sold - in Europe or USA for example, or from year to year. I have seen early 1980's factory Puch literature showing an 18 speed version of the Austro-Daimler Vent Noir in black frame and with 'PUCH' vertically engraved on the frame Top Stay tips, and where the components changed to the T/A Cyclo Tourist crank, Duo-Par titanium rear Derailleur, and Weinmann Carrera side pull brakes, 'Regina Oro' cassette and chain in gold finish; this was listed as weighing 22 lbs.

    The original Vent Noir was joined in 1978 with the release of the Vent Noir II which is in fact not finished in black and neither were it's components. Both the Vent Noir and the Vent Noir II frames were assembled in Austria incorporating Reynolds 531 (pronounced "five-three-one") Manganese-Molybdenum alloy tube stock sourced from 'Tubes Investments Reynolds Limited' of Birmingham, England. I have seen the earliest production Vent Noir II with Shimanon tips and drop-outs. The frame of the Vent Noir II were chromed, treated with a process that produced the dark golden green 'smoked chrome' appearance. Even though in 1978 the Vent Noir II was marketed as "The All European Limited Edition" (see the brochure near the end of this article) I find it curious to note the 1978 and 1981 brochures lists it being delivered with Shimano components; the 'all Euro' claim probably was devised by the same fellow who did not know the meaning of 'vent noir'.

    AD Vent Noir II Top Stay Tip and Bocama Lug All forks and frames in the Austro-Daimler and Puch line were silver brazed by hand; the catalogs referred to this and usually featured an image of one of the factory craftsmen working on the frames. On the earlier Vent Noir and Vent Noir II frames the Top Stay Tube Tips are welded onto either side of the Seat Tube Lug, and these Tips have an elliptical flat area that accommodates engraving or pressing of a logo. The Top Stay are are the two frame tubes that rise from the rear axle and are brazed onto either side of the Lug which joins the Seat Tube and the Top Tube just below the Seat. The Vent Noir and Vent Noir II frames may have either the letters 'PUCH' or 'AD' engraved arranged vertically on the Top Stay Tips; this is yet another detail that was provided for only on the better bike frames of this era.

    Left: Austro-Daimler Vent Noir II detail of Top Stay Tip, Professional Series Bocama Lug, and Campagnolo Seat Binder Bolt. Note iridescence of the anodizing, and hand painted gold trim and inlaid stamped lettering (52,688 bytes).
    Click on image to see enlarged view (139,533 bytes).

    later production Puch Vent Noir II Top Stay Tip and Bocama Lug It seems that at least some bicycles sold in Europe bearing the PUCH head badge, in at least 1977-1978, have "AD" stamped Top Stay Tips. I have seen one of these bicycles (6008034) that bears a stick-on PUCH head badge instead of the embossed painted metal version; this was made in 1977 for distribution to the European market.

    On the earlier and later production Puch and Austro-Daimler Vent Noir and Vent Noir II series frames than mine this engraving on the Top Stay Tips may have been omitted, the area left flat. I have seen one Vent Noir, that I can not date, where the 'AD' appears to be a decal applied to the Tips. Austro-Daimler frames made in mid 1980's may have the Top Stay tubes attached to the lug with their tips welded into the rear of the Seat Tube Lug and with no flat area at all.

    Right: Late production Puch Vent Noir II Top Stay Tip, unknown Lug, and unknown make of Seat Binder Bolt. Note flat Stay Top with no lettering, there is none of the hand painted gold trim treatment as was formerly provided, and there is no "MADE IN AUSTRIA" decal as was usual above the Reynolds Decal (52,688 bytes).
    Click on image to see enlarged view (139,533 bytes).

    Another fine touch for many of these frames is the hand painted trim around the upper brazed lug and tube joints, pin striping along parts of the tubes and forks, and paint inlay of the lettering stamped on the Top Stay tube tips. On the Vent Noir II this is a gold tone paint (as seen in the image above left), while on other frames it could be some other contrasting color. On the early production Vent Noir II and on the later production frames the hand painted pin striping accents along some tubes and around the lugs was scaled back, and on later production frames this labor-intensive detailing would eventually be completely omitted. This detailing is absent on the frame shown above right, and is also missing on an earlier production Austro-Daimler Vent Noir II (Serial No. 6019869) than mine for example.

    Early to mid production Puch and Austro-Daimler road frames tended to incorporate either complete Campagnolo or Shimano sets of Dropouts and Fork Tips. The later production Puch and Austro-Daimler frames may incorporate Horizontal Dropouts and Fork Tips or other components made by yet another supplier: Gipiemme S.R.L. Gipiemme (sometimes misread 'Giriemme') is a manufacturer founded in 1964 by Giovanni Bernardi at Milano, Italy. Production is based in Loria near Treviso, Italy. Their offices are in Vicenza, not far from Campagnolo headquarters. Gipiemme developed their own products, mostly as a less costly alternative to the top line Campagnolo. Gipiemme was at times subcontracted by Campagnolo to manufacture parts for Campagnolo's lower tier Gruppo's. However, in terms of performance Gipiemme's best 'Special' components Gruppo competed directly against the best made by Campagnolo. They showed signs of being an innovator as late as in 1984 when they became the first company to offer Rims made of carbon fiber. Gipiemme S.R.L. was sold in 1989 and since then have pared down their offerings to focus on the production of Saddles, Rims and Wheels.

    I have seen some Puch branded frames made in Austria after 1981 that incorporate a mix of components, one for example with Gipiemme Dropouts and yet with Campagnolo Fork Tips. I do not understand why this would have occurred; could it be there was simply a shortage of one component set at a supplier, or a mix-up of frame and forks during assembly? Or, was this indicative of a problem with the procurement or inventory process at Stery-Daimler-Puch?

    Author's bicycle Lock Sock (70,772 bytes)

    Another item that dates my Vent-Noir II is the "Lock Sock", a lock holder made of a durable synthetic. The Lock Sock appealed to me as a way of protecting my Citadel lock while also providing a convenient space to store folded documents or other small items. This is attached to the Top Tube by a Velco flap and is suspended just forward of the Seat Post. A smaller flap near the bottom of the Lock Sock is strapped to the Seat Tube to reduce lateral sway of the loaded Lock Sock. This accessory was made to fit the then recently introduced high security "D" shaped metal bicycle frame locks. Being made of fabric and keeping the lock away from the frame the Lock Sock, even with the lock stored within it, ever scarred the frame of my bicycle.

    I am not sure who made this Lock Sock but around 1980 Sojourn Designs of Boulder, Colorado (marketed as "Velocipac Fox") was among the few companies that made frame bags that fit between the top, seat and downtubes. They may have offered this accessory.

    Right: close up of author's bicycle showing Lock Sock strapped onto the frame (70,772 bytes).
    Click on image to see enlarged view (207,521 bytes).

    In the days before compact CO2 inflators bikes were equipped with an air pump that was usually attached to the frame. In hindsight I realize a mistake was made in choosing a pump that compressed in length to span from the bottom bracket up to a metal slit ring bracket clamped around the Seat Tube. The length of the pump necessitated placing the clip so that it damaged the "TI Reynolds 531" decal. But more about that later.

    The bike survived the years and environments well because it was stored covered in a garage, and needed only occasionally washed and lubricated. It is free of rust even in the area of the Bottom Bracket. Over time my only concerns have involved wear and tear issues to the bike decals, the minor scuffing of the Avocet seat and of the Almarc handlebar leather coverings. It also remained on my mind that my bike was not "All Euro" but it was instead a mishmash of European and Japanese components dictated by my original budget.

    Since seeing him in 1981 Larry Black had become quite successful at making many people happy so that he opened a second store Mt. Airy Bikes in Maryland. In April 1997 I purchased a Giant Cadex CF-1 carbon fiber bike, again from Larry Black at Mt. Airy Bikes. This is a very comfortable frame and is outfitted with 'Rock Shock' titanium suspension fork system and other components that are better suited for riding primitive trails. So I retired my Austro-Daimler from day to day use. By 2006 I treated the Cadex to some technology upgrades including top line Shimano Deore XT components. By the Summer and Fall of 2006 I tried to build what I thought would be my dream road bike, this was to have been based on the Colnago C-50 carbon fiber frame also with first rate components, and all weighing in at under 15 lbs. But this effort crashed and burned so badly that I wrote an article about the experience My Colnago Misadventure: A C-50 FLR Bicycle Frame Nightmare; let's call this my attempt at catharsis after that episode. In 2007 a new distributor took over for Colnago in the USA and in April 2007 I again placed an order for the C-50 FLR with a promised delivery in a matter of weeks, but months later with no C-50 FLR in sight I cancelled that order.

    Making This Vent Noir II My Vent Noir

    After the Colnago C-50 FLR experience I decided to revisit the Austro-Daimler to see if I could make it more like what I wish it had been when I bought it. The bike company had such a long history, and the Vent Noir II was so distinctive and classy that I decided to have it overhauled and upgraded while attempting to employ the best components that would have been found in the early 1980's. So after something more than 25 years, in October 2006 my Vent Noir II was again in the capable hands of the man who sold it to me. I explained to Larry my primary concerns and hopes for the Vent Noir II:

      1. Change the components over to something that is beautiful, that was more representative of the state of the art in the early 1980's.
      2. The components would be appropriate to the time this bike was made.
      3. Replace the inner tubes and tires.
      4. Recondition the Leather Covers on the handlebar.

    It turned out the Almarc Leather covering on the handlebars were essentially in very good condition with only some mild scuffing of the sides that could be made to disappear with a little leather conditioning creme. Since I could find no other company in the bike world that seemed to make a durable leather wrap with flush seams such as these, I decided to leave this original aspect of the bike as it is and periodically apply Brooks brand Leather Conditioning Cream.

    Campagnolo 50th Anniversary Group cased set (71,413 bytes The only components Gruppo that could be equal to the beauty of a Vent Noir II is the "Campagnolo 50th Anniversary Group" (Gruppo del Cinquantenario) introduced in 1983 to honor the 50th anniversary of the company's founding. This is a limited edition of 15,000 planned cased sets of hardware based on Campagnolo's then current 'Super Record', 'Nuovo Super Record' and 'Cobalto' lines. An optional Campagnolo 50th Anniversary Freewheel was also available but sold separately. The components set features a unique commemorative design engraved on several of the components and a Serial Number. But the 50th gruppo is most easily distinguished by the presence of a number of gold-plated accents on the crank dust caps, pedal dust caps, brake caliper and lever pivots, and the lower Derailleur pivot. Set No. 00001 was retained by Campagnolo while set No. 00002 was presented to Pope John Paul II on 15 June 1983.

    Right: complete Campagnolo 50th Anniversary Gruppo in presentation case. Note the Brakes and Shifting Cables set are stored at top, behind placard (71,413 bytes).
    Click on image to see enlarged view (192,271 bytes).

    A complete 50th Anniversary Set is accompanied by a card listing the components included in that set. The set consist of: serialized Registration Card and documents, Brake Calipers, Brake Levers with Gum Rubber Hood, Front Derailleur, Rear Derailleur, Shifters, Cables, Seat Post (25, 26.6, 26.8, or 27.2mm diameter), Headset, Front and Rear Wheel Hubs (to fit 36 spokes or to fit 32 spokes), Bottom Bracket (British, French or Italian threading), Crankset (170, 172.5, or 175mm), Front Derailleur Changer (either a braze-on or a clip-on), Crank Arm Dust Cover Pin Tool, Pedals, Pedal Toe Clips (medium or large), hard shell fitted Case with fabric cover.

    Between the Fall of 2006 into early 2007 I found it was not terribly difficult to find a complete Campagnolo 50th Anniversary set for sale, although now they were selling for several times the original typical $650 price of the early 1980s. These were often unused sets for sale by vintage bicycle specialty shops, and at on line sales sites including eBay. In time I acquired one complete like-new 50th Anniversary cased set that includes the correct Bottom Bracket in British Threading (1.370 in x 24 TPI) for my Austro-Daimler. But I developed some sense of guilt at the thought of buying a like new never used set and then essentially violating it by installing it onto a bike to ride casually. I also wondered why should I pay premium dollars for a set in the custom fitted carrying case, registration card, etc.? So I stored the first set, for what or when I still do not know but cannot bring myself to part with it. Then I rejoined the hunt and soon found another 50th Anniversary Set with 170mm long Crank Arms, and with two 36-spoke hubs being offered for sale; this set was not cased but represented as having come from a display model bicycle. I delivered these components to Larry Black for installation on my bike.

    But back to "The Project". Larry Black suggested that since I am changing the Wheel Hubs from Shimano to the Campy 50th we might as well upgrade the Wheel Rims and Spokes also to something that would be the equal of the Campy Hubs. I considered using the lightweight Fiamme Ergal polished 7075 aluminum 700c tubular racing rims (averaging 296 g each), as were provided with the top line Ultima models of the period, but these lightweight rims are more at home on competitive circuits than on the roads and trails I frequent. So I selected to ride on Weinmann A129 "Super" Concave 36 spoke 700c (622mm) clincher Wheel Rims. These Weinmann rims were made in Schoten, Belgium and are generally regarded as excellent in manufacturing precision and finish, durable and hard wearing. These natural finished aluminum alloy (hard anodized) rims are seam welded, 22mm wide with a nice concave groove to their inner radius, and incorporate single eyelets for the spokes. Their Effective Rim Diameter is 619mm, this is the wheel rim diameter measured at the nipple seats in the spoke holes plus the thickness of the two nipple heads. The ERD is needed for calculating the correct spoke length. The rims weigh 580 grams each. They bear low profile engravings on the inner radius (remember the days before labels were plastered everywhere?): "WEINMANN PATENT" and "MADE IN BELGIUM 700C", with no stick-on label or decals. Well regarded among those in the know and recommended for my restoration/upgrade by Larry Black, if Weinmann were not so common a name in rims provided with many bicycles of this era then they might command even more respect than they do. Finding these in good condition proved to be the most time consuming aspect of the project, delaying the final reassembly of the bike until June 2007.

    In a last minute attempt to upgrade the appearance from the pretty badly worn original Avocet Saddle, I purchased a lightweight Carbon Fiber Saddle. But this carbon saddle appeared inappropriate (and not so comfortable as my original Avocet), and so in short order I replaced that with a like new vintage Cinelli Saddle.

    Brooks Challenge tool pouch The last touch on this visit to Mt. Airy Bikes was to buy a Tool Pouch to replace the old now tattered and rusted Schwinn pouch that I'd had since buying a Schwinn Le Tour 10 speed bicycle the early 1970's. This would be a just about the same size, a traditional leather model made by hand at the historic Brooks company in the United Kingdom. This Brooks 'Challenge' model (shown at left) is 7 inch wide x 3 inch tall x 2 inch deep, of complete black leather construction with a leather fastening strap. Since the Brooks is an exact replica of an early 1900's Brooks design, it suits the goal of keeping the Austro-Daimler appearing appropriate to its time and origins.

    The Brooks pouch attaches onto loops built into most Brooks Saddles, but I simply wrap the provided leather straps around the Saddle Mounting rails. This is not the easiest thing to do, then adjust balance so that the pouch rests horizontal instead of tilted. But it was worth the cost and effort to do this.

    • The Campagnolo 50th Anniversary Group demo set I bought was missing the Cables for the Brake and Derailleurs. This set was also missing the Toe Clips that attach to the furnished Pedals. Other items (Brake and Downtube Clamp with Derailleur Cable Guide, etc.) were used from the original installation or sourced as we progressed. But Larry Black had most of what we needed of that vintage on hand and he provided black leather Toe Clip straps by Cinelli, these appear to be of better quality and appearance than the Campagnolo straps.

    There were still some last items that I was determined to find in order to make the bike a true complete 50th Anniversary Group. And minor add ons just to make me feel better. I found the other missing parts could with some perseverance be found, often advertised as used but like new or as "New Old Stock":

    • The demo 50th Anniversary set included a Bottom Bracket, but one that was threaded to fit the Italian pattern and therefore not compatible with my Vent Noir II frame. So there I went again, negotiating to find a compatible 50th Bottom Bracket with the correct British threading.

    • And when I did find what was represented to be correct Bottom Bracket set for sale on eBay, the Bearings were a mismatch to the Spindle! The seller in the U.K. provided Super Record Bearings with the 50th Anniversary Group "Nuovo Record" Spindle. After I came to suspect a mismatch I E-Mailed him and he reassured me the set provided had just been removed from another bike intact. This glitch caused me some distress since I could not complete or ride the bicycle until this could be sorted out and the proper bearings procured. In retrospect, I might have been better off to simply pay the extra to acquire a complete Campagnolo 50th Anniversary set, but in some ways the hunt for the parts needed to complete my 50th demo set was entertaining and the costs were notably less than what it cost to buy a complete boxed set. And this qpproach allowed me to keep my first complete Campagnolo 50th Anniversary cased set intact.

    And during my scavenging, and just for the fun of it, I also bought a rather good looking Campagnolo 50th Anniversary 39 x 27 inch poster (shown above) just in case I ever own a home with too much open wall space.

    On my own I found the last upgrade bits that made the bike what is is today:

    • Saddle:

      The new state of the art carbon saddle that I bought recently just did not look right on a bicycle of this class and vintage. And that light weight saddle was not as comfortable as the old worn and scuffed Avocet saddle that I had on this bicycle when the entire upgrade process began late in 2006. So, again I monitored eBay until I found a and acquired the Cinelli "UNICANITOR", a matt black Buffalo leather saddle. This Saddle arrived new in the bag just as these were sold from the 1970's to early 1980's. The Cinelli name in bold capital letters is embossed in yellow across the back of the black leather seat, while the UNICANITOR is on the sides. This Saddle went nicely with the date of my bike, and it blends nicely with the Black leather covered Cinelli Handlebar and Stem.

      Cinelli Unicanitor Saddle right side view     Cinelli Unicanitor Saddle top side view     Cinelli Unicanitor Saddle view from below

      There are several interesting aspects of this vintage Saddle. For one, it is a hell of a lot more comfortable to ride than most of the modern, arguably overpriced new Saddles. Cinelli made four (4) versions of this Saddle, and quite by accident I may have acquired the best one for me; this is a Unicanitor Model 4 Saddle and this indicates it is provided with extra padding from the factory.

    • Reynolds Ltd. '531' Frame Decals:

      This Austro-Daimler frame was assembled in Austria with Reynolds 531 double-butted tubing.

      TI Reynolds Booklet cover These tube sets were provided with decals that were applied by the bicycle frame preparer after the frame was joined together and painted (or in this case chromed). The decals indicate the material and their origin: "TI" (Tubes Investments Reynolds Ltd - after 1977) is the version of the Reynolds '531' tubing sticker on my Austro-Daimler and the set consists of a rectangular decal on the downtube with '531' in green at a 45 degree angle, and triangular decals with 'REYNOLDS 531 FORK' on both sides of the fork tines.

      The original decals have taken some wear and tear. And so in order to truly complete the restoration of my Vent Noir II I was able to locate sources for all the decals. Some are represented to be original, unused (New Old Stock), while some are excellent reproductions.

      I was able to locate the set of three exact Reynolds 531 TI decals on eBay from seller "gts753" (gtsoftley@ozemail.com.au), his eBay Store is "Cyclomondo". He is a specialist source for decals and other labels who supplies restoration shops and will also sell directly. He offers an incredible selection of decals for almost every bike make, for almost every type of metal, and choices of other decals that are appropriate to the time period. For example, he offered so many Reynolds 531 decal sets that I had to take pictures of mine and compare these against his catalog on eBay. The transaction of buying the decals from him went smoothly and quickly, and at a moderate cost including shipping from Australia. He was also very helpful and quick to answer E-Mail when I had any questions. His decals look very good, and are often very close to the originals so that most people would not notice the differences - and they would certainly be better than having nothing on the frame.

      However, as was pointed out to me by Mr. Gillies in 2009, the replacement set do differ in several ways from the original:

      Reynolds decals reproduction 172,434 bytes Reynolds 531 butted decal original

      Above: the reproduction decal set scanned in and color adjusted to show their real appearance as much as possible.
      The same for an original set at right. The original set's coloration is balanced after comparing the image to the original
      decals still on my bicycle, the bronze colored areas are in reality a bit more sparkly than how they appear here.
      Click on the image above right to see enlarged view.

      I have yet to go through the effort of removing replacing the original decals since after thinking about it I decided these are in good enough condition to remain.

    • Austro-Daimler Decals:

      The bicycle frame has decals applied that explain the Make and Model of the bike, as well as its origin.

      The 'Made in Austria' decal is wrapped around the front of the Seat Tube (parallel to the Frame Pump). This decal has the worst damage since the original Zefal Frame Pump that I bought is provided with a metal clamp that marred the fragile decal. Fortunately there is a source for these decals, CyclArt, Inc., 2590 "A" Pioneer Avenue, Vista, CA 92081-8427. Their telephone: 760-599-1015, and E-Mail . But there is a hitch with this as Susan Cunningham informed me they use their decal stock primarily after they have repaired and or repainted bike frames, they do not routinely sell decals alone and without inspecting the bicycle on which it is to be applied out of several justifiable concerns.

      And so my pursuit of replacing all the remaining decals pretty much came to a halt when I decided the originals are overall in good condition. And I did not think it justified the risks involved with shipping "Old Faithful" to California. I will go ahead and accept their offer to sell to me the 'Made in Austria' decals soon.

    • Frame Pump:

      I was aggravated to come to the understanding that in my youthful ignorance in 1981 the Zefal Frame Pump metal clamp had marred the 'Made in Austria' decal. And on the opposite side of this is the yellow 'College Park Bicycles' decal which was likewise marred by the clamp, though not too badly. So I was determined to either dispense with the Frame Pump or come to an alternative solution that would compliment the class of this bike.

      Silca Frame Pump     Silca Logos     Silca Frame Pump

      After some research I learned about the 'Impero' frame pumps made by 'Silca s.r.l.' in Italy. Felice Sacchi founded the Silca company in 1917 in what was then post World War I Italy. The company survived and has prospered. Currently Claudio Sacchi, the grandson of Felice continues a tradition that retains for Silca the title of oldest company in the cycling industry to be continuously operated by a single family. This sense of history gave Silca another edge up against alternatives in my quest for something that would be interesting, beautiful and traditional installed on my Austro-Daimler. The Silca 'Impero' model features a mounting arrangement where spring tension holds it in place standing in front of the Seat Tube (between the Top and downtubes); the model was made in various lengths to suit the numerous frame geometries. It can be installed under the Top Tube as well.

      To my surprise on eBay I was able to find one in brand new condition, still in its box and sealed wrapper. I bid and won this for a price that seemed less than what I might have paid for it in the 1980's. It is the perfect solution, elegant in appearance and perfect in function as you may have noted in the pictures of the bike at the top of this article. It just so happens the 'Lock Sock' has a Velcro fastener that wraps around the Seat Tube and the Frame Pump and this provides additional reassurance that the Silca Pump will not slip off and disappear while I am riding.

      But I should confess, that my days of using a Frame Pump are behind me and I now carry a CO2 cartridge based tire tube inflator in the 'Brooks' black leather Saddle Pouch. Anyway, why would anyone wish to violate the sanctity of a new Silca Impero?

    • Regina Extra "Record" Bicycle Chain:

      While I was at it I decided to upgrade another component the chain. The original Regina 50 Extra Oro chain glowed gold but over time it had darkened. As I explored the possibility of replacing the original chain I learned Regina made an upgrade "Record" model chain. The links are with factory drilled to lighten them but without reducing their strength. This is a 1/2 x 3/32 inch chain provided as a set of 116 links (390 g weight) when new in the box. I came upon a complete 'new old stock' (NOS) set still in its original box and installed it too:

      Regina 50 Record Bicycle Chain Regina Oro Record Chain with Campagnolo 50th Anniversary Group rear Derailleur on my ADVNII
      Above: Boxed Regina 50 "Record" Bicycle Chain (90,862 bytes), and installed with Campagnolo 50th Anniversary Group rear Derailleur (184,081 bytes)
      Click on images to see enlarged views (left 177,833 and right 521,132 bytes).

      I will have to see how many links are used after the new chain replaced the original to be sure, but the original Regina Extra 50 Oro chain listed a weight of 415 grams so I may have shaved off as much as 25 grams by upgrading to the Record chain, while adding a little bit more panache. Watch out Lance Armstrong - my bicycle, now at about 23 lbs, is fast closing in on your 15 lb. bikes.

    Austro-Daimler Font While restoring my Austo-Daimler I came to learn some facts that were helpful to know. The 'Vent Noir' font style is "Auriol", this is is a registered trademark of Linotype-Hell AG and/or its subsidiaries. Georges Auriol designed this display typeface in 1901 for the Parisian type foundry Deberny & Peignot. Auriol has a stylized stencil/brush look that reflects the Art Nouveau period. Most notable about Auriol is the unusual winged 'M', the large capitals, the short ascenders and descenders, and the white gaps appearing in the middle of some letter strokes. Use Auriol for display settings evocative of turn-of-the-century design and style. The Auriol font and Auriol Flowers was the basis for the lettering used by Hector Guimard for the entrance signs to the Paris Metro. It was re-released by Deberny & Peignot in 1979 with a new bold face, designed by Matthew Carter.

    Austro-Daimler Logo

    Austro-Daimler Vent Noir II Brochures

    The Internet continues to evolve and bring the world closer than ever, among the benefits are all the resources that helped me to not only find the rare parts to make my Vent Noir II what it is today, but also literature. Here are Austro-Daimler brochures scanned by Manfred Fratzl, and a TI Reynolds booklet scanned by the host of this site:

    Austro-Daimler Vent Noir II 1978 pamphlet
    Austro-Daimler Vent Noir II 1978 pamphlet     describes the VNII Frame and the bike's 'all Euro' Components (293 k bytes)     		Vent Noir II and Force XII 1981 Pamphlet
    Vent Noir II and Force XII     1981 Brochure describing these bicycles (6.3 Mb)     		Steyr Daimler Puch of America Corp warranty card front (19,197 bytes
    Steyr Daimler Puch of America Corp     warranty card of my Vent Noir II bicycle (1.7 Mb .pdf file)
    Campangolo 1981 Catalog Cover
    c. 1981 Campangolo Catalog No. 18
    72 page catalog describes all Gruppos and components (2.9 Mb)         		Campangolo 50th Anniversary brochure cover
    1983 Campagnolo 50th Anniversary Gruppo     Color illustrated 6 page brochure (1.6 Mb)     		TI Reynolds Booklet cover
    TI Reynolds     1978 16 page booklet describing the company history, tubes production, and decals (1.0 Mb)     		Sales Receipt (32,083 bytes)
    College Park Bicycles sale receipt     of my Vent Noir II bicycle, dated 7 May 1981 (237,258 bytes)

    Postscript

    Last year (2006) I began my quest to build the state of the art high technology bike. That drove me to consider the most modern and esoteric bike frames and components made and this culminated in the abortive effort to persuade Colnago of Italy to make a C-50 frame that would meet all my expectations. As I conveyed in My Colnago Misadventure: A C-50 FLR Bicycle Frame Nightmare:

      "one nice aspect of being an amateur pursuing this for my own riding experience and for my interest in the technology is that this would be my "Über Bike" - the state of the art, ultra lightweight demonstration of the best performance technology of 2006 - and all without having to comply with competitive weight minimums."

      And:

      "even as I researched the best technology for 2006 it seemed that my "state of the art bicycle" would be obsolete within weeks. I read for example that Campagnolo would soon introduce an improved line of "Record" series components...I read about electronically controlled Derailleurs that were already showing up on the racing scene and nearing the consumer market. And I wondered how long before I would find myself again wanting to upgrade my old "state of the art" mechanical components to keep my bike where I wanted it to be - in the forefront of bike tech."

    I find it a ironic and somewhat enlightening how over time I came to realize the bike that appealed to my sense of beauty and high tech was sitting in my garage all those years, just awaiting its Renaissance. This Vent Noir II revives my satisfaction and my appreciation of materials and traditions of craftsmanship from days gone by. This effort has been a complete technical success too and the truth is told during the ride: it has shed some weight, the shifting is quicker and more precise, the ride is much quieter, and the Cinelli seat is more comfortable. An elegant machine; this Vent Noir II is compliant, rides smoothly and in near silence, and in all its years it has never let me down.

    And yes, it was worth the twenty six years wait and effort to get it right!

I thank those who have contributed information and images for this article including F. Manfred. Contact the author of this site.


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