gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Owner Gallery » 1984 Criterium    View previous topic :: View next topic  1984 Criterium   Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 10:51 am trois tubes Joined: 16 Apr 2010 Posts: 136 Here are some before and after pics of an '84 Criterium frame I picked up. Nice Job !!!   Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 12:47 pm smilingroadrunner Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 278 Location: Salina, Ks. I LIKE IT !!!! Amazing what some cleaner, polish and a lot of patience and elbow grease does. Nice work, to preserve the original patina. I Like Steel !!! _________________ C.A. Salina, Ks. Criterium Blue Color   Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 1:06 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Nice bike! Is the blue paint on your Criterium a solid color or are there some small particles of metallic specs in the paint. I've never seen a Criterium other than in pictures but I've always liked the color. In 1984 these bikes had the the same frame geometry as the 1984 Team Pro, Super Corsa and Tour de France models. http://www.gitaneusa.com/images/catalog/1984/Page_02-b.jpg The blue on my 1984 Super Corsa has some tiny metallic flecks in the paint. The color looks "dirty" except in direct sunlight. Same thing with the redish orange on my two 1984 TdFs. The Criterium had the same Super Vitus 983 tubing in the main tubes as the Super Corsa and Tour de France models but used slightly heavier Vitus 181 chrome moly tubing for the forks and stays. Anyway, it should be a super nice riding bike. My 1984 Super Corsa is my all time favorite riding and handling bike. My two 1984 TdFs have the same frame as the SC but they're painted red instead of blue. They ride a little different because of the wheels and skinny 19mm-20mm tires. Time to go riding on the SC! _________________ Chas. SF Bay Area, CA USA ============== 1984 Criterium 1969 TdF 1971 TdF 1974 TdF 1984 TdF x 2 Bikes 1970 SC 1971 SC 1972 SC 1984 SC 1984 Team Pro 1985 Professional 1990s Team Replica   Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 4:43 pm trois tubes Joined: 16 Apr 2010 Posts: 136 I took her out for a spin yesterday and was thrilled by the feel of the ride. It reminded me of the way the bikes I had (lugged steel) felt when I was younger. Personally, I think the trade-off between lightness vs. performance for the sake of "improvement" has gone overboard on the side of lightness. The performance of newer bikes is minimal in comparison to the days of even TIG welded steel. They are certainly lighter - no argument there. The original paint is/was non-metallic. It took a bit of searching to match almost exactly the same tint of blue. I have a 1980 'Tri-Colore' on the way with earlier graphics and metallic blue paint. It's hard to tell by the pictures I have received so far, but I don't think I'll have as much work to do on that frame as I will on the components.   Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 3:03 pm superstorm Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Where Eagles Only Dare Go. Pretty. Simple and Elegant. Just a stunner! _________________ Founding Member of The Fat Farts Cycling Club   Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:13 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area trois tubes wrote: Personally, I think the trade-off between lightness vs. performance for the sake of "improvement" has gone overboard on the side of lightness. The performance of newer bikes is minimal in comparison to the days of even TIG welded steel. They are certainly lighter - no argument there. In cycling, the vanity factor probably has way more of an effect than in say skiing, golf or tennis! This seems to be much more of an influence the US cycling market than in Europe. In the 1970s among the amateur raceur set, anything that Eddy Merckx or fill in the blank ___________ used, the poseurs had to have! We often suggested how much weight they could save if they took off their saddles! Retro grouch Chas. Disclaimer: Intended to be offensive to the slavish fashionistas! _________________ Chas. SF Bay Area, CA USA ============== 1984 Criterium 1969 TdF 1971 TdF 1974 TdF 1984 TdF x 2 Bikes 1970 SC 1971 SC 1972 SC 1984 SC 1984 Team Pro 1985 Professional 1990s Team Replica   Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 4:59 pm sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California Sorry to disagree with y'all. You know I love the classics, but seriously NOTHING is better performance-wise than my brand new all carbon Gitane. I will not argue "feel"...that is purely subjective, and there certainly is something (a lot of things) great about steel bikes. But in no way do they compare with a well made/designed carbon frame, both for stiffness, responsiveness, cornering, acceleration, etc. Lightness is another bonus. ...oh...and no offense taken (re: "fashionistas"). _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com   Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:40 pm trois tubes Joined: 16 Apr 2010 Posts: 136 Started making the Criterium more period correct and eventually a french thoroughbred - no italian parts!!! 1984 Criterium     gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Owner Gallery You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours   Page 1 of 1   All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First  Select a forum Gitane USA----------------Vintage GitaneGitane RacingModern GitanePro Racing - Classics/Giro/Tour....Owner Gallery   Powered by phpBB © 2001-2004 phpBB Group Designed for Trushkin.net | Themes Database.