In the mid ‘90s, I bought this frame from a local racer and, separately, these forks, although I’m somewhat foggy on their origin. The racer won the frame in a local crit and would have preferred cash. Most of the parts I transferred from Steve’s bike. Hmm, didn't it have a radially-laced front wheel?
In any case, Steve was a work friend who one day was desperate for cash (I didn’t ask). He begged me to buy his bike. I didn’t want it so I offered, and apologized for, a low-ball price. He took it saying I was helping him out.
After I transferred the parts, I gave the bike to my brother-in-law so he could ride with us. Last week, Jon gave it back. He is selling his condo and downsizing his belongings prepping for a move but that’s a different story.
This story is about the Didier Louis carbon monocoque racing bik.
In 1973 Louis was an amateur French racer. Two years later, he opened a shop in Le Fiers, Normandy and by the early 90’s he had moved to Montreuil taking over the workshop of renowned builder Bernard Carre. Louis also opened a large retail shop at 10 Place de la Fraternite and sponsored a French racing team using only Russian amateurs. In addition, Louis supplied frames to better known riders, such as Marc Madiot, Thierry Marie, and Charlie Moffettt.
In ‘92 Louis bought a carbon bicycle frame factory in Maine. So claims Louis. Despite a “successful” stint as sports manager of his own cycling team, Louis sold the business in ‘95 and went into horse racing. In ‘92 Louis bought a carbon bicycle frame factory in Maine. So claims Louis. Despite a “successful” stint as sports manager of his own cycling team, Louis sold the business in ‘95 and went into horse racing.
Aegis
The carbon bike frame company in question was Aegis, located in Van Buren, Maine, a town of less than 3,000 people north of Quebec City on the St John River, the border with New Brunswick.
The forerunner of Aegis was Graphite Technologies. Founded in 1971 by Levite and Delano Duplessis of Van Buren, GTI produced hollow graphite tennis rackets. Rossignol Ski Corp contracted with them to manage a tennis racket division but by the mid-80s GTI had lost market share to cheaper Asian-made rackets and split off to focus on the cycling market. Initially, GTI produced carbon fiber bike tubes, which it sold exclusively to Trek. As GTI improved the design of their carbon frame, they ended their relationship with Trek and began producing a line of frames for Basso, Profile, Peugeot, Iron Horse, and likely Didier Louis.
In 1993, the Duplessises introduced the Aegis line, changed the company’s name and committed themselves to exclusively producing and marketing their own products. In 1995 the brothers sold the company to Boothbay businessman and cycling enthusiast Keith Baum, who operated the business until he sold it to Camden businessman Peter Orne in 2000.
As more cycling companies started jumping on the carbon fiber bandwagon, Aegis kept one step ahead for a while by developing a “monocoque” frame that was molded in a single piece as opposed to separate sections that then had to be glued together.
Poor business practices kept the company from being profitable. By the early 2000s, 80 to 90 bicycle dealers with whom Aegis had been dealing with started looking elsewhere for carbon-framed bicycles. Sales continued to dwindle until 2010, when the company shuttered for good.
One reason Aegis was no longer competitive was the weight of their frames. This bike clocks in at a hefty...wait for it…
It’s a beast by today’s standards. And the ride is harsh. I had two problems tearing down the bike: the brake cables that I installed 25 years ago were now welded into the levers and somehow I had forgotten how to remove the seat binder bolt.
Overall, the alu forks and stiff front wheel made for a harsh ride but it was a tasty-looking bike.
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