Soudures et Mesures Garanties (SMG)
~
Jean Frelat
Pavillons-sous-Bois, France
|
"...
SMG was the brand name of the frames made by Jean Frelat,
a constructeur, based at Pavillons-sous-Bois, just to
the east of Paris. He was very well known in the late
1970s and early 80s, a time when he built quite a lot of
frames for leading French amateur riders, on both road
and track, who were from that general region of France.
He also sponsored several French lady champions such as
Isabelle Nicoloso and Valerie Simonet, both of them
track riders. Valerie was the French sprint champion in
1981. Jean was quite an innovative builder, being well
known for bronze-welded lugless frames and internal
routing of all cables.... "
"Jean Frelat who was
the brains behind the firm SMG, ran two brands within
the one - the SMG brand tended nearly always to be
lugged frames whereas he reserved the other name SASEBO
... for his bronze-welded ones."
"I have never seen an explanation
of the abbreviation SMG but Sur Mesure Garanti seems
very likely as the firm had a reputation for custom
frames, particularly very small ones ie 46 and 47 cms
with 700 wheels. Frelat was a very good marketing man,
and for a few years in the late 70s and early 80s, his
frames were seldom out of the columns of the French
cycling press. He came up with quite a few ingenious
designs particularly for track frames - a discipline in
which he sponsored quite a few French champions."
"Frelat was very loyal to French
suppliers using either Vitus or Camus tubes, rarely
Reynolds, and sometimes Columbus as this firm had a
greater choice. "
Norris Lockley |
|
