The Delcroix bicycle factory was founded in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, not far from the city of Valenciennes, by Fernand Delcroix (1914-1977).
Its first location was in the former Beaurepaire furniture store in Rue d’Orchies. It was later moved to Rue du Wacq, then Ruelle Raviart (behind the post office today).
This was a family-owned business taken over by Fernand Delcroix’ son on his death in 1977. At its peak the company had 90 employees.
The company produced a full range of bicycles. According to Norris Lockley “However Delcroix produced quite an extensive range of higher quality bikes including track, cyclo-cross, touring etc. In the mid-80s they maintained an excellent bike shop in Valenciennes, but like many other companies in France, disappeared in the late-80s …., not being a large enough company to diversify quickly enough into mountain-bikes, or to be able to produce them at Taiwanese prices”.
As evidenced by the example here, they evidently outsourced some of their high-end production to Bernard Carré, who operated a significant artisan frame workshop in the Paris area.
According to Norris Lockley “The company also had close connections with that old “hard man of the North” Jean Stablinski and some of the company’s bikes bore his transfers”.
The manufacture of Delcroix bicycles ceased in 1986.
Bicycles:
Early 1970s Delcroix Racing Bicycle
References:
L’Historial Amandinois – http://historial.amandinois.over-blog.com/article-38-le-velo-a-st-amand-les-eaux-103516738.html
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