Lambert Grand Prix Professional

Absolutely fantastic! This bike truly belongs in a museum; or one of our members collection. Located in California? Amazing!

I am speechless
Jim

The ad sheet is not to be missed.

"Lambert Cycle, Viking Cycle and Reg Harris Cycle."

i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MfAAAOSwFdtXyRFz/s-l1600.jpg

Bicycling magazine with 12/72 scribbled at the bottom.

Hello, My name is Albert Reichmuth.  I am joining the Forum because I have been encouraged to join to talk a little about my current listing on ebay regarding the Lambert Grand Prix Professional that I have for auction. It is a pre-production model, I assume because of the unique factory color.

Lambert Bicycle ebay add Item Id: 282158409296:


This Lambert Manufactured Bicycle offered for sale is new in the original shipping BOX, and is a Grand Prix Professional model, noted as such on the shipping box and is a pre-production model that is painted white with purple accents on the head tube and the seat tube. This particular color is unique and was not offered in the production models. This bicycle is exactly as shipped from the Lambert Factory for USA Introduction and testing. It has not ever been assembled or displayed anywhere before. It is estimated to have been built in the Lambert Factory sometime in October or November of 1972. Frame Size is 24 ½ inch.
This ultra-rare bicycle has several pre-production variations. The rear derailleur is a Simplex model instead of the Lambert built light weight derailleur. The tubular rims are Mavic alloy units with Italian Hutchinson Supersprint tubular tires instead of the Lambert alloy sprint rims and English tubular tires. The chain ring assembly is the Lambert made 10 speed unit with a 52 tooth and 42 tooth chain rings with circular cutouts in the large chain ring (it’s stamped with “LAMBERT”), instead of the 15 speed triple TA style chain ring assembly, with 32, 42, and 52 tooth ratios. This bike also does not have a quick release at the seat post clamp, it has a bolt and nut. All other frame, fork, and components are the same as advertised in December of 1972 (see photo with details).
This bicycle should not be ridden as built. If the buyer decides to ride this bicycle the forks and the bottom bracket spindle should be replaced. As this was a pre-production unit other flaws may be present. It is suggested that this bicycle should be used by the collector for display only. You will not find another Lambert bicycle that is 44 years old that is new in the box.


I will be posting additional information on one of the other forum locations down below. Thanks, Albert

Lambert and Viscount Bicycles
An elaborately advertised and promoted brand name introduction was made in 1972. The USA directed portion of the enterprise was reputed to be well-financed by a member of the Marriott family (hotels, airline catering, etc.)
The bikes were an incredible value in their time - the standard model Super Sports sold for $124.95 which featured the same frame as the more expensive models, that being of a seamless "aircraft" tubing. The next model Professional Grand Prix was $134.95, sharing features with the base model except with having "sew up" 700c tires & wheels rather than the 27" clinchers.
The gold plated top model (of which, I’ve only seen one!) Professional Grand Prix 24 ct was with the addition of "Genuine" gold plating. It sold for $259.95! I couldn't say how many of the gold model really existed....it is said that only 100 were made.
It was also understood that the frames were originally made by the old Viking factory in south London. The first batch were lugged frames and quite nicely made. Later they became filet brazed (i.e. lug less.)
The Lambert components were all pretty special. The company really went way out on a limb, rather than buying all the various pieces from the normal sub-suppliers, they made or had made for them, parts of their own design and markings.
No bicycle manufacturer had made grand attempt in the post war cycling scene except possibly the huge Raleigh Company, and in that case not with the sporting emphasis as in Lambert's case. These special parts included sealed hubs, sealed bottom bracket (although the first batches had conventional cup & cone bearings), crank sets, front and rear derailleur, brakes and brake levers, handlebar and stem, seat posts, sealed bearing pedals and a special cast aluminum front fork (more on that later.......!) The headsets, rims, chain and tires were the only off-the-shelf items!
Alas, all the Lambert labeled components were not top grade, but also not so bad either, considering the era & the newness of the designs! The problem areas were as follows:

- The 2nd generation sealed bearing bottom brackets were troublesome; there was no taper on the spindle flats, the cranks slid on & butted against a washer and then began to work loose, and the flats were machined with sharp corners that would become a high stress failure point and snap off.
- The handlebars became loose from their riveted center sleeve (gold anodizing or not!)
- The rear derailleur (a single parallelogram similar to a Huret Svelto) did not work awfully well, and was allegedly retired from production due to a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Suntour/Maeda Ind.
- The front fork ("Death Fork") started to break at inopportune moments!
After a few years, Lambert became insolvent and thereafter became "Viscount" cycles, which in turn became heavily invested by the Yamaha Motorcycle Co. A new burst of life arose for the marque, but rapidly all the special parts went away and "normal" pieces appeared, i.e. Suntour and Shimano derailleurs, etc. Then the frames became Japanese and Taiwanese (which wasn't too cool in those days) Yamaha finally de alone (the Trusty Co. had in fact been the behind-the-scenes manufacturer for some time)" and staggered on for a year or so before disappearing forever!
There was the great hubbub about the aluminum fork... At some point, a certain number had failed and the eventual owner company (Yamaha) recalled all the aluminum forks... I sold many Lamberts and never saw a broken fork, although I'm quite sure some broke. I would not advise heavy use or high speed descents with one...if your breaks, there is no Lambert Viscount Company left in existence to sue. Look at the method of joining the steer tube to the cast lower portion! Scary! Lambert fork details
What are they worth? To be seen as "collectable", people need to know about a maker, and care about it....That puts the Lambert in trouble. Maybe someday they will be discovered.
Nonetheless, Lambert is a fascinating piece of cycling history and this marque may hold some promise of being seen as truly a collectors item in the years to come.
from the web

Viscount Frame & Parts Inventory
All Frames have original paint and decals. Some may have some additional slight damage other than noted below. Some also may have Bottom Bracket Bearings or Head Set Bearing Races.
I also have one Lambert 10 Speed Chain Ring Set that has been custom drilled by the factory. Left and Right arms, no spindle. It looks really trick. I will sell it for $100 US. The spindles are not any good anyway. I replaced the spindle with a Phil Wood spindle after I crashed my personal Viscount commuter bike when the Viscount Spindle broke off on the non-chain ring side (ouch). It gave me a huge gash in my left chin, 10 stiches. I also replaced the Cast Aluminum fork with a Swiss Cilo Reynolds 531 Steel Fork that came from my Cilo Bike when I broke the seat tube and bottom bracket out of it. It was pretty much unrepairable, but the fork works really well in the Viscount frame.
I also have some Center Pull Brakes that are similar to the Lambert/Viscount units, and one Universal Center Pull Brake set. I also have a couple pairs of period brake levers (Weinmann & Dia-Compe). Let me know if there is any interest.


21” Grand Prix, Dark Blue, English Threaded Bottom Bracket
21” Grand Touring, Yellow, English Threaded Bottom Bracket
21” Grand Touring, Light Blue, English Threaded Bottom Bracket, Damaged Seat Tube @ Seat Post
22” Aerospace Pro, Silver/Black Accents, Sealed Bearing Bottom Bracket
22” Aerospace G.P., White/Light Blue Accents, Sealed Bearing Bottom Bracket, Includes Headset Races
23” Aerospace G.P., White/Red Accents, Sealed Bearing Bottom Bracket
23” Aerospace G.P., White/Light Blue Accents, Sealed Bearing Bottom Bracket, Includes Headset Races
23” Grand Touring, Light Blue, English Threaded Bottom Bracket, Damaged Right Dropout
23.25” Aerospace Pro, Silver/Black Accents, Sealed Bearing Bottom Bracket, Includes Headset Races
23.5” Grand Prix, Red, Sealed Bearing Bottom Bracket
24” Aerospace Pro, Silver/Blue Accents, Sealed Bearing Bottom Bracket, with Steel Fork & Head Set
24” Grand Prix, Dark Blue, English Threaded Bottom Bracket

      Lambert 10 Speed Crank Set, Drilled Out $100US

      Bare Frames are $50US to $100US depending on condition of Paint and Decals. Frame with Fork is $150US.


A Little Personal History as to the pre-Production Lambert Grand Prix Professional Bicycle
In the Mid-1970’s I became a very avid cyclist. I started off riding a 24” Volkscycle, which was an all steel frame, with fairly nice lug work on the frame. As I got more into the cycling craze in the US at the time, I started looking for a better European frame that was lighter than my Volkscycle. I was at a flea market one Saturday, and I found a French bike for sale with only the headset & fork and a Stronglight crankset installed, the price $25US. Now, I knew that this was a very special racing frame, due to its lightness. I bought it on the spot, and took it home. After a little research I found out that it was a top of the line, at the time, Mercier Reynolds 531 racing frame with 75 degree head tube angle and 72 degree seat tube angle. These angles led me to believe that it was used for criterium racing.
I built it up using the Stronglight Crankset (175MM arms), Cinelli Bars and Stem, Durace Brakes, Levers and Pedals and Huret Shifters and Derailleurs. I used Normandy Hubs and Mavic rims at the time. I painted the bicycle myself with Black Lacquer Paint and outlined the lugs by hand with Red Paint. It looked like $1000 Bike at the time for $300 in parts. It was very fast especially on the down hills.
So, at this time I was active in the Valley Spokesmen Bicycle Club located in Dublin, California near the San Francisco Bay Area. The Valley Spokesmen were very active doing touring rides all around Northern California. It was here that I met a fellow named Larry Burke. Now, Mr. Burke happened to be a writer for Bicycling Magazine, and he would at times ride new Bicycles as they came on the market and give a review of the bicycles.
As happenstance would have it, the new Lambert Bicycles, manufactured by Trusty of England were imported into California in December of 1972 and were Headquartered in San Jose, California as Lambert of England (USA) Inc. Lambert contacted Bicycling Magazine about someone to do a review of their new Lambert Bicycles. Well Larry Burke was notified to do the review. Mr. Burke was sent a new pre-production Lambert bicycle. It took some time to arrive for unknown reasons, but Mr. Burke did not get it in time to do a proper review. At this same time Lambert Bicycles became insolvent, and a new buyer came along and Trusty switched production over to a renamed Lambert called Viscount now. Timing here was at the beginning of 1973. So from here forward, Lamberts were known as Viscounts.
Mr. Burke did do a review on the new Viscounts in early 1973 I believe, unsure of exact date or month that the review appeared in Bicycling Magazine. Mr. Burke had a lot of knowledge of Viscounts. He was connected to several area bicycle shops. Some of these shops were selling new Viscounts and sometimes new bikes would come into the shops with damaged frames from shipping or warranty work, which at times included replacing the frame. Mr. Burke acquired a number of frames that he thought he might repair.
About 1976 I spoke with Mr. Burke to buy about a dozen of the damage frames to build a Tandem for my wife and I. Well I never did use these frames as I used some Schwinn frames instead to build a tandem. I think I paid $100US for the 12 frames. I think Mr. Burke must have thought that maybe he took advantage of me for paying $100 for frames he got for free. So one day arriving at home at the front door was the Lambert Grand Prix Professional that he never tested, and I have had it since that day. It was not until recently that I decided to take a good look at it and discovered that it was a pre-production bicycle with a color combination and components that were not what the production bikes ended up looking like. And now it is up for auction to find a new owner who appreciates such a rare bicycle with an interesting and storied past with all its triumphs and failures.

Albert Reichmuth, Auburn, California

Thanks Albert! After seeing the ad for the pre-production bike, I was very curious as to the bike's history. Your' list of items is interesting as well.

All the Best
Jim

I have merged these couple of threads together, where Albert introduces himself in the 'Welcome' area, and then the one where we spoke about the bicycle. I have taken some liberties and edited a couple just to make them all fit together, I hope no one takes offence at the tidy up? I have done it just for future reference purposes and to keep it as simple as possible.
Regards
Admin

And a very warm welcome to Albert and many thanks for sharing your knowledge, stories and for listing those frames/bikes - we really appreciate it!