gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane » Nice 40 year bicycle    View previous topic :: View next topic  Nice 40 year bicycle   Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 9:17 am gitane15 Joined: 11 May 2015 Posts: 22 Location: Paris, France Hello everyone. I bought recently, in France, what looks like a 1974 Champion du Monde, in the not-so-common dark red color (is it Vigorelli?). It's all Reynolds 531 and size is 57cm. It has some problems, but it rides. Very nervous and fun! Attached are some mediocre photos. I'll take more as I clean this up. Huret all-around, derrailleur Challenger Stronglight Triple (don't know the model) Mafac Racer (missing the original levers) Stem BF (missing the original handlebar) Mavic Module E 700c w/ Maillard hubs. Not sure of the model, but they're stamped 25 84 and 08 85. It seems that one previous owner replaced the hubs and possibly the rims in the mid-80s. The rest of the gear seems original, although I'm not sure about the triple crankset since most of the bikes of that era have 10 speeds. I want to ride this bike, and restore it slowly with French parts. First, it'll be the rear hub and rim which is bent. It rides, but is annoying and not easily repairable according to my local bike shop. I was thinking of Normandy hubs with similar Module E rims, if I can find a nice pair. Then, it'll be the handlebar with perforated brake levers (and maybe a more streamlined stem). Cosmetically is in average shape. The rear fork with the fabulous dropouts has some rust and looks like it was covered in some places with gray paint. la potence est trop élevé   Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 10:24 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area la potence est trop élevé The stem is dangerously too high! It can break off at the bottom or cause the threads in the fork to crack! It should be inserted at least 75mm (3") into the steerer tube! _________________ 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: Tue May 12, 2015 3:16 am gitane15 Joined: 11 May 2015 Posts: 22 Location: Paris, France You are right. I have to push the stem deeper. If I wanted to replace that BF stem with a more modern one with an allen bolt, what would you recommend? In the catalogs I often see Cinelli, but I prefer to stay all-French for the components. Regarding the crankset, do you guys think that Stronglight triple is original? Do you know the model?   Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 9:47 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area gitane15 wrote: You are right. I have to push the stem deeper. If I wanted to replace that BF stem with a more modern one with an allen bolt, what would you recommend? In the catalogs I often see Cinelli, but I prefer to stay all-French for the components. Forged aluminum Phillippe and cast aluminum ATAX stems with 22mm metric quills allen head expander bolts frequently show up on eBay (other French brands too). (They're made by the same company) gitane15 wrote: Regarding the crankset, do you guys think that Stronglight triple is original? Do you know the model? NO... Gitane rarely used triple cranks on their bikes. Very few European production model bikes came with triples. They became more popular in the 1980s. That's a mid 70s Stronglight Model 99 crank. You can use chainrings as small as 28T. Stronglight made a later model in the late 70s - early 80s that was anodized. The BCD (bolt center diameter) is 86mm, the same as a knock off crank made by SR. The chainrings interchange. _________________ 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: Wed May 13, 2015 12:50 am gitane15 Joined: 11 May 2015 Posts: 22 Location: Paris, France Thank you Chas. Indeed it's a Stronglight 99 as seen in the 1974 catalog. And in the front I seem to have a Stronglight P3 steering. 1976 Tour de France   Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 1:39 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area gitane15, I'm guessing that your bike is a 1976 (maybe late 1975) Tour de France frame that someone has built up with a mixture of parts. The Stronglight P3 headset may be the only original component. Review from the July, 1976 Bicycling Magazine: Clean it up, service the bearings, replace the stem, bars, brake levers and brake pads and you'll have a great classic bike. Maybe not all original but it should be enjoyable to ride. _________________ 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: Thu May 14, 2015 9:35 am gitane15 Joined: 11 May 2015 Posts: 22 Location: Paris, France Chas, what makes you think the frame is from a 75/76 European Tdf as opposed to a 74/75 Champion du Monde? I read again some posts and now I notice that the all-Reynolds decal on my bike seems square, like in the older models. The lugs are long point Bocama Pro with cutouts and reinforcing rings, and there is a shift lever stop at the bottom of the tube. And Nervex DuBois fork crowns. -- Unfortunately I don't have the experience and tools to service the bike myself, so I'll probably take it to someone. If a member has a recommendation.. Champion du Monde   Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 12:13 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area I couldn't tell from the pictures. If it has a square Reynolds 531 frame decal then it's most likely a Champion du Monde which was a European model. Reynolds changed decals in 1974 from this: To this: In 1974 Gitane used this head tube decal: In 1975-76 they used this one: There could have been some overlap between 1974 and 1975 where Gitane used what ever decals they had on hand, that's why it's hard to say an exact year of manufacture. I had a 1974 Champion du Monde frame. It was made of lighter gage Reynolds tubing than was used on most of the other Gitane Reynolds tubing bikes from that era. Unfortunately it was too big for me and I sold it. In 1976 Gitane used these leaf shaped brazed on seat stay caps with or without the stamped in logo on many of their top models: From 1970-71 until 1976 they used these swagged seat stay tops: The 1974-75 Tour de France frames did not use Reynolds 531 tubing throughout, only the 3 main tubes. The forks and rear triangles were made of carbon steel. Last edited by verktyg on Fri May 15, 2015 9:26 pm; edited 3 times in total _________________ 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 May 15, 2015 3:00 am gitane15 Joined: 11 May 2015 Posts: 22 Location: Paris, France Here's some more closeup pictures: Judging from the old Reynolds decal, newer head tube decal, and swagged seat stay tops, it could be a 1975 Champion du Monde. 1974-75 Champoine du Monde   Posted: Fri May 15, 2015 9:27 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Looks about right... _________________ 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 Nice 40 year bicycle     gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane 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.