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Post by kickstandman on Nov 11, 2015 5:03:37 GMT
I get it now, sometimes we can live a good portion of our life and we don't get the obvious.  The Viscount logo that adorns all of these webpages at the top, really is much like the plane in the background here, you can see the similarities, I may have noted it subconsciously but consciously, never really associated the rider with a plane per se. And what a fabulously nice looking bike, Lambert, looks like a Simplex Prestige derailleur a bit, So, here is a bit from a "Dallas (Tx) History" forum and it is a Lambert brochure posted, I'm so accustomed to seeing Viscount and the red V and not the blue L of Lambert. dallashistory.freeforums.org/my-own-time-machine-lambert-viscount-bicycle-t3691.htmlNote, he/she says they worked in a bike shop and the fork broke on the bossman. But now, I'm a bit confused, the brochure has Yamaha on them but these are, seem to be, Lambert bikes. Though these are at Bulgier, so I guess most of us have seen that website:  So when Yamaha bought the company, they called them Lamberts again? Or were some just called Lamberts? (Nice Mixtes btw above). I know there have existed more than one company called Lambert, I even saw a Lambert Canada. This shifter below is interesting:  I don't think this logo is our Lambert.  Looks like these are the Canadians: "This exclusive distribution partnership will enable Cycles Lambert to provide and service the entire spectrum of Race Face products, from British Columbia to Newfoundland.muddbunnies.wordpress.com " I think I'll stop there before I post the photos of that may be of folks here. |
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Post by kickstandman on Nov 11, 2015 5:05:38 GMT
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Post by kickstandman on Nov 11, 2015 5:07:28 GMT
The blue "L".  |
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Post by kickstandman on Nov 11, 2015 5:22:34 GMT
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Post by cusqueno on Nov 11, 2015 11:58:07 GMT
The Lambert /Viscount story runs something like this: Lambert launched in 1972. Early frames were lugged, with semi-wrap-around seat stays. Who made those seems to be unknown, but quite soon they went over to the fillet brazed frame, made by Trusty in England, that we all know and love. At some point Yamaha became the US distributer. However, Lambert went bust within about two years. Quite quickly (1974/5) Viscount was set up as a company and took over all Lambert's assets, including jigs and remaining components. This seems to have been done with the encouragement of Yamaha (US), but Viscount was UK based and never owned by Yamaha. The frames continued to be supplied by Trusty but I think Trusty and Viscount were always separate companies, even though Viscount, initially based at Bilston, moved at some point to the same London suburb in which Trusty were based (Potters Bar, near Enfield, North London). In 1980 Viscount went over to lugged frames, still using 'Aerospace' tubing for the top of the range bikes. These were apparently built by Viscount - or perhaps the relationship with Trusty had grown much closer? In I think 1983, after a management buy-out, Viscount went under and never re-surfaced. This was hastened by the end of the 10-speed bike boom and probably by Yamaha (US) deciding it din't want to sell the bikes anymore.
Some good pictures / scans. Thanks Kickstand! I'd love one of those 'ladies' bikes with the mixte frames, but I have never seen them apart from in these ads. And, yes, the Canadian Lambert is nothing to do with ours. It makes (?) and distributes bike accessories to this day I believe. Cool logo though.
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Post by kickstandman on Nov 11, 2015 16:51:07 GMT
The Lambert /Viscount story runs something like this: Lambert launched in 1972. Early frames were lugged, with semi-wrap-around seat stays. Who made those seems to be unknown, but quite soon they went over to the fillet brazed frame, made by Trusty in England, that we all know and love. At some point Yamaha became the US distributer. However, Lambert went bust within about two years. Quite quickly (1974/5) Viscount was set up as a company and took over all Lambert's assets, including jigs and remaining components. This seems to have been done with the encouragement of Yamaha (US), but Viscount was UK based and never owned by Yamaha. The frames continued to be supplied by Trusty but I think Trusty and Viscount were always separate companies, even though Viscount, initially based at Bilston, moved at some point to the same London suburb in which Trusty were based (Potters Bar, near Enfield, North London). In 1980 Viscount went over to lugged frames, still using 'Aerospace' tubing for the top of the range bikes. These were apparently built by Viscount - or perhaps the relationship with Trusty had grown much closer? In I think 1983, after a management buy-out, Viscount went under and never re-surfaced. This was hastened by the end of the 10-speed bike boom and probably by Yamaha (US) deciding it din't want to sell the bikes anymore. Some good pictures / scans. Thanks Kickstand! I'd love one of those 'ladies' bikes with the mixte frames, but I have never seen them apart from in these ads. And, yes, the Canadian Lambert is nothing to do with ours. It makes (?) and distributes bike accessories to this day I believe. Cool logo though. Thank you for the response, it is helpful. |
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bendo
Viscount
Posts: 538 
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Post by bendo on Nov 12, 2015 9:08:31 GMT
Thanks Cusqueno, that's a great precis of the very convoluted history! And those pics are superb kickstandguy.
b
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,389
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Post by Jem on Nov 12, 2015 12:10:22 GMT
Yes, great round up - this could be the basis of a Wiki entry? ( with pics)
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Post by bicyclebits on Nov 12, 2015 20:50:10 GMT
kickstandman -
Right about Cycles Lambert. (Pronounced Cycles Lamb-bear, French style). They are a major Canadian parts and bike distributor (Look, for example) headquartered in Montreal, Quebec.They also have interests in a US distributor as well. No connection to Lambert of England/Trusty that I am aware of.
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Post by bicyclebits on Nov 12, 2015 21:07:24 GMT
cusqueno-
Cycling magazine ran a special Viscount edition on Oct. 17, 1981. I have it and would be willing to try scanning it if it would be deemed useful. It has photos of the Potters Bar location as well as a section on assembly and the racing program. They were British distributors of Koga-Miyata, which I had forgotten, and there are road tests of K-M Full Pro and the Viscount Grand Prix (lugged).
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Post by velocipete on Nov 12, 2015 21:54:02 GMT
I for one would appreciate a look if you could scan it. Info like this helps everyone with an interest in bikes in general.
Thanks in hope.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Post by bicyclebits on Nov 13, 2015 3:14:57 GMT
Hi, Pete-
I'll give it a try over the next day or two. The newsprint is yellowing so I may have to fiddle with the scans. I will try and place them in the section for Adverts, Brochures etc.
Jim
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Post by kickstandman on Nov 13, 2015 4:11:22 GMT
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Post by kickstandman on Nov 13, 2015 4:28:16 GMT
We have bicycling at the library, not cycling magazine though. Interesting.
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,389
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Post by Jem on Nov 13, 2015 6:03:10 GMT
Sorry to say this link doesn't want to work. Maybe you are logged in on Velo-pages and that is why the link won't work? Edit -maybe Velo-Pages is down at the moment ? I can't even get it with a regular search. I only just realised it's a play on 'yellow pages'! |
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Post by kickstandman on Nov 13, 2015 15:41:28 GMT
Sorry to say this link doesn't want to work. Maybe you are logged in on Velo-pages and that is why the link won't work? Edit -maybe Velo-Pages is down at the moment ? I can't even get it with a regular search. I only just realised it's a play on 'yellow pages'! All of us can probably asses Velo-Pages at least and do our own searches of Viscount and Lambert and get a number of hits. |
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bendo
Viscount
Posts: 538
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Post by bendo on Nov 15, 2015 8:42:30 GMT
cusqueno- Cycling magazine ran a special Viscount edition on Oct. 17, 1981. I have it and would be willing to try scanning it if it would be deemed useful. It has photos of the Potters Bar location as well as a section on assembly and the racing program. They were British distributors of Koga-Miyata, which I had forgotten, and there are road tests of K-M Full Pro and the Viscount Grand Prix (lugged). I for one would love to see scans of this magazine, thanks! b |
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