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My New Super Corsa Adventure 
PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 1:27 am Reply with quote
smilingroadrunner
Joined: 10 Aug 2007
Posts: 278
Location: Salina, Ks.
During the growing bike boom of the early 1970's my previous interest in cycling and riding with the local Salina Wheelmen bicycle club expanded into the road racing aspects of the hobby / sport. As noted in my original post from September 2007; my first entry level racing bike was my white '71 Interclub. I rode several Schwinn models from 6th grade through my senior year in high school. Progressing from my 1965 Campus Green Varsity, to the Red 1969 Continental, to the Orange 1971 Sports Tourer. A new summer job income and selling the new Sports Tourer to a friend allowed me to purchase my first Gitane and introduced me to the "Sew Up" tubular wheelsets in the spring of 1972. With the Interclub and a new found freedom and responsibility that my parents had granted to this recent 19 yr old and his '57 Chevy 4 door station wagon I was able to get "on the road" to different rides in Wichita, Lawrence, Kansas City and other 'Sanctioned' rides in the region. In reality, I never did get that serious about being competitive. College and later on Dental School studies kept me pretty busy for most of the decade. My riding was good exercise and stress relief. I did have a lot of fun and my love for time in the saddle on the road and my bikes continues. I feel blessed that my sons have also been "bitten by the bug" and the healthy lifestyle it affords. Many of my Gitanes have been restored for usage by the boys and most recently the small red '73 T de F frame was built up for my new daughter-in-law to ride with my youngest son. (Rex purchased a Trek Madonne 5.2 a couple years ago; but I don't hold that against him--as he goes on rides with his wife using the '72 Interclub that I built up for him). NOTE: in earlier posts I may have described the "Bigger and Younger" white Interclub as "73, it may be '72 or '73 I think Doug (the original owner) got it in the summer of "73.

Burgess Schwinn Cyclery was a multi-generation family business established in Salina in the early 1900's. John and his family had supplied all of my Schwinn bikes from this 8yr old's first Radiant Red 3speed Boys Schwinn Racer to my White P13-9 '74 Schwinn Paramount thirteen years later. John was a principal supplier for Gitanes in the Salina area. Carlie Jones opened a second bicyle shop in Salina "The Bicycle Haus" about mid 1971 responding to the wave of interest in bicycling. Carlie sold Fuji, Gitane, Raleigh, and Takara bikes.

My '71 white Interclub and my white "Bigger and Younger" '72 Interclub were sold by Burgess. My green '72 Interclub was sold by The Bicycle Haus.

And now my 4th Salina Gitane. A Record Red '72 or possibly '73 Super Corsa. I have mentioned this bike as part of my stable or my hope that it would one day enter my stable of Gitanes. I am the 4th owner of this bike. This bike was sold by Burgess Cyclery to a family member of a local mortuary business. As often happened, this owner did ride; but the Super Corsa did not see a great deal of usage. The owner did take good mechanical care of it to my later fortune.





Approximately 23-24 years ago that owner traded his low milage Super Corsa to Rod at "Bike Tek" our current LBS to purchase a mountain bike with its more relaxed frameset layout. I have been in pursuit of this bike since that time. As the previous owner of Bike Tek, Rod had displayed the bike but really did not have an interest in selling----I let him know on many occasions that my offer would always be there.

The current owner of Bike Tek, Shawn had obtained the Super Corsa in the business transaction of buying the shop from the previous owner about 10-12 years ago. Same deal---I have continually "Bugged" Shawn about not selling the bike without giving my offer a consideration. Shawn had planned to display the bike with some other vintage rides for many years---BUT until the last year it hung from the rafters in the back of the shop.

GOOD KARMA!!! Last April I got a phone call from Shawn that he had some business to discuss. He said that after all the years we had talked about this bike and my interest in the Super Corsa that I had to be the next owner.

The white '72 Interclub has the most pristine original paint finish of any of my Gitanes. The decals on that bike were used to help create images when Chas and I were working with Greg Softly to get the early '70's Gitane foil decal project completed. The finish on this Super Corsa as can be seen has its share of battle scars---but from a distance it looks great for a 41-42 year old bike.













I was impressed with the care and maintenance the original owner had given it when I first discovered it 24+ years ago. The components are exemplary. My plans: cleaning - servicing of mechanicals and new set of Campy brake hoods. Building a 700c Mavic tubular rim - large Campy flange hub wheelset to bring to factory specs. BUT THE PATINA AND SCARS WILL REMAIN.









It is pretty clean. These images are presented as I brought it home. As weather and health issues have allowed; I probably have ridden 90-120 miles since bringing it home 3-4 weeks ago. Probably 1/2 oz. of corrosion-oxidation on the spokes of the Weinmann 27 x1 1/4 clincer wheelset. I really have not dialed in the fit, just close enough that I can ride and enjoy. So these images are before any cleaning or service. The bottom bracket and wheel hub bearings seem a little on the "loose" compared to my typical adjustment "feel" with my set ups.





I think the wheelset was changed from tubulars to clinchers when it was originally purchased---whether it came that way or more likely Mr. Burgess changed it for the first owner. The Campy long reach brakeset may also have been added by Burgess. (I recall Chas suggesting that most of the Super Corsa came with Mavic brakesets--due to the shortage of Campy) unfortunately the original owner is deceased so I really was not able to confirm. I'm pretty sure that Rod put some new handlebar wrap on when the bike was traded in towards the mountain bike. But otherwise as far as I know the bike is presented with the original components.

It's late---I have more thoughts --but will post more and some more close-ups.

I Like Steel !!!
_________________
C.A.
Salina, Ks.

'70 T de F
'71 Interclub
'72 Interclub x 2
'72 T de F
'73 T de F
'72 --'73 Super Corsa (finally !!!)
'86 Performance
'87 Victoire

HOPING to score another early '70s S.C. and more importantly '85 Professionel that I have been pursuing from a Salina owner--probably 20+ years now ---hope the GOOD KARMA comes my way again before I get too old to enjoy that Professionel.

Thanks Stephan for this great site, Wishing Good Health to all for the Christmas New Year !!
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 7:01 am Reply with quote
sandranian
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Posts: 2701
Location: Southern California
Wow. That is REALLY PRETTY.

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Stephan Andranian
Costa Mesa, CA
www.gitaneusa.com
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 9:22 pm Reply with quote
mountaindave
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
Posts: 75
Location: Flathead Valley, MT
Way to stick to it - a 24 year quest!!!
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 10:12 pm Reply with quote
017hnoor
Joined: 11 Apr 2015
Posts: 1
College and later on Dental School studies kept me pretty busy for most of the decade. My riding was good exercise and stress relief. I did have a lot of fun and my love for time in the saddle on the road and my bikes continues. I feel blessed that my sons have also been "bitten by the bug" and the healthy lifestyle it affords. Many of my Gitanes have been restored for usage by the boys and most recently the small red '73 T de F frame was built up for my new daughter-in-law to ride with my youngest son. (Rex purchased a Trek Madonne 5.2 a couple years ago; but I don't hold that against him--as he goes on rides with his wife using the '72 Interclub that I built up for him).

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:36 am Reply with quote
mountaindave
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
Posts: 75
Location: Flathead Valley, MT
017hnoor wrote:
...Many of my Gitanes have been restored for usage by the boys and most recently the small red '73 T de F frame was built up for my new daughter-in-law to ride with my youngest son.

That's exactly what im doing, except I'm the oldest son. Wink
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Thanks. 
PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 4:01 pm Reply with quote
smilingroadrunner
Joined: 10 Aug 2007
Posts: 278
Location: Salina, Ks.
Thanks fellows for the earlier comments.

I just recently acquired a Campy Nuovo Record High Flange hubset to build up the 700c tubular wheelset. So hopefully in the near future the disassembly and clean up and assembly will happen. I don't mind the 27 inch clinchers ---I'll continue to ride both wheelsets. As noted the clincher wheelset probably was a replacement for the original sew-up. I just feel like the Tubular wheelset brings the bike to factory set-up.

I think a future 700C clincher wheelset may be in the works also--but probably will have to use one of my Campy small flange hubsets with some newer Mavic Open Pro rims. Not original equipment but the Mavic wheelset will definitely have a lighter rotational mass and should make acceleration (as if this aging body isn't a greater handicap) easier for day to day rides.

Still riding the bike as noted in my original post w/o having it dialed in--But it has been great fun to date.

More Later. Off to Scouts for the time being.

I Like Steel !!!!
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C.A.
Salina, KS.
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My New Super Corsa Adventure 
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