The phrase ‘Objet de vertu’ perfectly befits this Nicola Barra ‘Barralumin’ bicycle from 1954/55. This evocative term, used to describe an item prized for its artistic merit, fine craftsmanship, and rarity, reflects the relentless drive of Parisian constructeur Barra to push bicycle innovation to the extreme, both structurally and aesthetically.
Active from the late 1930s to the mid-1950s, this aluminium frame builder par excellence coincided with a period when French club riders were obsessed with the art of randonneuring. While their British counterparts enjoyed jolly japes in the West Country on their heavy touring bikes, the French cover
