Jean-Baptiste Louvet was a champion sprinter who raced from 1900 to 1902. The J.B. Louvet Bicycle Company was created in 1903 in Puteaux, France. Like many other brands, Louvet established a racing team that competed successfully in several Tours de France from 1909 to 1955, and is ranked 66 among the all time best. Louvet riders included the famous brothers Henri and Francis Pelissier, and the first man to wear the yellow jersey, Eugene Christophe.
The rare truss frame J.B. Louvet presented here was introduced to France by our own Major Taylor. The truss quickly became so popular that several French companies began building their own versions of this elegant design.
The evocative photo of the J.B. Louvet racing team below dates to 1910. Mounted on the head tube of my bike is the early version of the Louvet badge, featuring a wolf. The last photo is of America's first Cyclocross champion, Tyger Johnson, giving the Louvet an imaginary burst of speed in the 1910 Tour.
The rare truss frame J.B. Louvet presented here was introduced to France by our own Major Taylor. The truss quickly became so popular that several French companies began building their own versions of this elegant design.
The evocative photo of the J.B. Louvet racing team below dates to 1910. Mounted on the head tube of my bike is the early version of the Louvet badge, featuring a wolf. The last photo is of America's first Cyclocross champion, Tyger Johnson, giving the Louvet an imaginary burst of speed in the 1910 Tour.