Philippe no.37 Adjustable track stem
Heavy chrome plated steel with very long forward reach. This came with my Helyett Speciale - a bike which my best friend had originally purchased new in 1965. The handlebar is also by Philippe (model 14 "Sprinter") in chromed steel with a deep track bend. Clamp diameter 25.0 mm.
Photo is from the early 1970s. As seen here, the stem had been raised an additional 2 inches... because I had been using the bike for my daily commute to work during that period. Because the forward reach of the stem is round, I also could have easily reversed the handlebar clamp to set the bar on top... I was too lazy to adjust it at the time these photos were taken but did so later. Because the headset was very smoothly spinning and the top-heavy steel bar and stem were VERY heavy the bar would easily spin around whenever the bike was carried. This had left a distinct dent in the top tube long before I had bought the bike, but it was of no structural concern and this is actually quite commonly seen on brake-less bikes.
Philippe no.37 Adjustable track stem
Heavy chrome plated steel with very long forward reach. This came with my Helyett Speciale - a bike which my best friend had originally purchased new in 1965. The handlebar is also by Philippe (model 14 "Sprinter") in chromed steel with a deep track bend. Clamp diameter 25.0 mm.
Photo is from the early 1970s. As seen here, the stem had been raised an additional 2 inches... because I had been using the bike for my daily commute to work during that period. Because the forward reach of the stem is round, I also could have easily reversed the handlebar clamp to set the bar on top... I was too lazy to adjust it at the time these photos were taken but did so later. Because the headset was very smoothly spinning and the top-heavy steel bar and stem were VERY heavy the bar would easily spin around whenever the bike was carried. This had left a distinct dent in the top tube long before I had bought the bike, but it was of no structural concern and this is actually quite commonly seen on brake-less bikes.