gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Owner Gallery » 1971 Gitane Professional Super Corsa    View previous topic :: View next topic  1971 Gitane Professional Super Corsa   Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:51 pm Stevie B Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 14 Hi Gitane Fans, I'm posting a few photos of what I believe to be a 1971 model. It is new to me and not cleaned up yet. It should polish up well. It looks like it has few miles on it and it has not been "ridden hard and hung up wet." Thank you, Stevie B _________________ Stevie B   Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:39 pm sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California Wow. An original Super Corsa. Very nice! What date stamp does the derailleur have? That will give you a clue as to the year of manufacture. _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com Derailleur date   Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:11 pm Stevie B Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 14 Hi, The derailleur is marked 71 (1971). I will check the hub locknuts next. Stevie _________________ Stevie B   Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:40 am Wisey Joined: 19 May 2009 Posts: 631 Location: Brisbane, Australia sandranian wrote: Wow. An original Super Corsa. Very nice! What date stamp does the derailleur have? That will give you a clue as to the year of manufacture. Yes.......... that clue being that this bike was probably manufactured somewhere between 1930 and 2009 given the reputation that gitane has for building bikes up with whatever was lying on the shop floor at the time . Want to trade?   Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 7:26 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Stevie, Want to trade your frame for a nice light blue 1972 57cm Super Corsa frame? From the early 70s on I'd been longing for an orange 57cm Super Corsa. At the end of 1973 I bought my first pro bike, a new white 1971 60cm Super Corsa for $150. Unfortunately it was too big for me. In early 1974 I got lucky and found a new 1972 or 73 gold 57cm Super Corsa frame. I was able to trade frames for $100. I keep kicking myself for selling the gold SC in the mid 70s. After searching for all these years, back in January I found an almost all original 1971 orange 57cm Tour de France on eBay. A week later I found the light blue 1972 SC pictured above. It never rains but it pours. About the same time I bought this 54cm gold SC frame from a forum member. Anyway, nice bike ...and welcome to the forum. BTW, the original saddle would have been an Ideale 90 rather than a Brooks Pro. You have the better saddle as the black grease that was soaked into the Ideale would still be rubbing off to this day! Hint: a little 3xxx steel wool will clean up the rust on the chrome. One important suggestion, lower the stem. It's a least an inch too high and could result in a broken steering tube or broken stem. Chas. Last edited by verktyg on Thu Jun 11, 2009 7:47 pm; edited 3 times in total   Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 7:37 pm vanhelmont Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 242 Location: Florida Fantastic! It really does look very lightly used. Not many of them have all the stickers and paint in such good shape. I love the shifter combined with the pump clamp. I got the one that was "rode hard and put up wet." My goal is to ride it on Sunday. Tomorrow afternoon my wife is working and I'm not, so I'll put on the last coat of paint and clear coat instead of yard work! Dave Re: Want to trade?   Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 8:59 pm Stevie B Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 14 [quote="verktyg"]Stevie, Want to trade your frame for a nice light blue 1972 57cm Super Corsa frame? From the early 70s on I'd been longing for an orange 57cm Super Corsa. At the end of 1973 I bought my first pro bike, a new white 1971 60cm Super Corsa for $150. Unfortunately it was too big for me. In early 1974 I got lucky and found a new 1972 or 73 gold 57cm Super Corsa frame. I was able to trade frames for $100. I keep kicking myself for selling the gold SC in the mid 70s. Hi Chas, Thanks for your offer and all the information. From your post it seems like you already have an orange 1971 Super Corsa?? I am kind of partial to the orange myself, but I haven't seen the blue in person. Do you live in the Bay Area? My friend Eric has a pretty purple SC. From reading the archives, I know you are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Gitanes. Thanks for the advice on the stem. I literally have not done anything to the bike yet. It is in its original, unrestored condition. The stem is probably a bit short for me so I may have to change it out. Thanks I will try the XXX steel wool. I have had pretty good success with bronze wool, too. I understand it does not scratch the chrome as steel wool can. I will lookout for the correct Ideale saddle. The Brooks is rock hard and pretty dry at this point. I put some Proofhide on it but it hasn't softened as far as I can tell. Thanks again for the help, Stevie _________________ Stevie B   Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:02 pm Stevie B Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 14 vanhelmont wrote: Fantastic! It really does look very lightly used. Not many of them have all the stickers and paint in such good shape. I love the shifter combined with the pump clamp. I got the one that was "rode hard and put up wet." My goal is to ride it on Sunday. Tomorrow afternoon my wife is working and I'm not, so I'll put on the last coat of paint and clear coat instead of yard work! Dave Thanks for your kind words Dave! I'm looking forward to cleaning, waxing and riding the Gitane. Stevie _________________ Stevie B TdF vs. SC   Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:00 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Stevie, My orange Gitane is a Tour de France which was the model below the Super Corsa. The TdFs originally came with all French components. Later they switched to Campy Nuovo Tipo hubs and then Gitane changed from Stronglight cranks to Sugino Mighty Compe cranks. The Super Corsas were equipped with Campy components except for Mafac brakes. Campy brakes were optional (long story). Leather saddles aren't supposed to be "soft" only slightly flexible. Profhide helps soften the leather a little plus it makes it makes it a little water repellent. If the leather is real dried out it will take some time for the Profhide to soak in. I put it on the top and bottom with an old tooth brush then heat it up a little bit with a hair dryer so it soaks in faster. A well broken in leather saddle should support you comfortably at 2 points in the rear where you pelvic bones ride. The Campy seatpost on your bike will allow you to micro adjust the height, angle and front/rear location of your seat. Sometime a change as little as 1/8" or 1° can make a big difference in comfort. BTW, I was out riding with Eric last weekend. Check out the pictures on his website. Chas. Re: TdF vs. SC   Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:08 am Stevie B Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 14 verktyg wrote: Stevie, My orange Gitane is a Tour de France which was the model below the Super Corsa. The TdFs originally came with all French components. Later they switched to Campy Nuovo Tipo hubs and then Gitane changed from Stronglight cranks to Sugino Mighty Compe cranks. The Super Corsas were equipped with Campy components except for Mafac brakes. Campy brakes were optional (long story). Leather saddles aren't supposed to be "soft" only slightly flexible. Profhide helps soften the leather a little plus it makes it makes it a little water repellent. If the leather is real dried out it will take some time for the Profhide to soak in. I put it on the top and bottom with an old tooth brush then heat it up a little bit with a hair dryer so it soaks in faster. A well broken in leather saddle should support you comfortably at 2 points in the rear where you pelvic bones ride. The Campy seatpost on your bike will allow you to micro adjust the height, angle and front/rear location of your seat. Sometime a change as little as 1/8" or 1° can make a big difference in comfort. BTW, I was out riding with Eric last weekend. Check out the pictures on his website. Chas. Thanks again for all the info Chas. I was just thinking about taking the hair dryer to the Brooks--so thanks for the tip. I would like to find an original Ideale saddle for the bike. Do you know what the original bar/stem combo were? Since I have the day off, I'm going to do some light cleaning on the Gitane. Stevie _________________ Stevie B Re: TdF vs. SC   Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 9:20 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Stevie B wrote: ...I would like to find an original Ideale saddle for the bike. Do you know what the original bar/stem combo were?... Stevie Ideale 90 saddles frequently show up on eBay. Be warned though, Japanese collectors can drive the prices up to $300 for a nice example. Gitane Super Corsas originally came with Pivo cast aluminum stems - also known as "Death Stems" because some of them produced during the Bike Boom of the early 70s were so poorly cast that they should have never made it out of the foundry! Most Pivo stems like the one on my TdF below weren't over 90mm in length. I've seen a few longer Pivo cast aluminum stems (100-115mm) but I wouldn't trust one. Here's one of the poorly made Pivo cast aluminum stems. Note the dings and voids in the casting plus the crack developing at the expander split. A stem like this example should definitely not be used. The quill was supposed to be 21.9-22.0mm diameter but this one was well under that size. NOTE TO ALL: If you have a Pivo or any other cast aluminum stem on your bike, I suggest removing it to inspect the expander split or splits at the bottom of the quill for cracks. The broken stem pictured in my first post above is an example of what can happen. You can drill a small hole into the quill at the top of the split or splits to help prevent cracks from developing. If the casting looks funky - voids, air holes or cracks - don't use it! There were many millions of cast aluminum stems produced in Europe that are still safely in use. It was probably only for a few years during the height of the Bike Boom in the early 70s that the dangerous poorly cast so called "Death Stems" made it onto bikes. So, if you have a good one that you've inspected, it's probably still safe to use for light riding. YMWV The original aluminum alloy bars were also made by Pivo and had a tendency to droop. I just noticed in this picture that the bars on my 71 TdF are starting to droop too! This an example of something bad waiting to happen! The 3TTT forged stem on your bike is a period correct upgrade. Many Super Corsa (and TdF) owners changed to 3TTT or Cinelli bars and stems as replacements for the original Pivos. I wouldn't change it for the sake of restoration if you have any plans for riding the bike. It's a classic in it's own right, especially with the 3TTT decal on top. Additionally, your bike takes a 22.0mm stem. These are no longer produced. The standard today is a 22.2mm stem. Removing .2mm off of an aluminum stem sounds easy but the last one that I did took several hours. If you have an unmarked set of bars, measure them at the center. If they are 25mm diameter than they are probably the original Pivo bars and I'd inspect them for drooping or cracking. If they are 3TTT bars then they were much better quality. 3TTT bars are 26mm diameter at the center which is the correct size for your stem. Chas. Re: TdF vs. SC   Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:49 am Stevie B Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 14 verktyg wrote: Stevie B wrote: ...I would like to find an original Ideale saddle for the bike. Do you know what the original bar/stem combo were?... Stevie Ideale 90 saddles frequently show up on eBay. Be warned though, Japanese collectors can drive the prices up to $300 for a nice example. Gitane Super Corsas originally came with Pivo cast aluminum stems - also known as "Death Stems" because some of them produced during the Bike Boom of the early 70s were so poorly cast that they should have never made it out of the foundry! Most Pivo stems like the one on my TdF below weren't over 90mm in length. I've seen a few longer Pivo cast aluminum stems (100-115mm) but I wouldn't trust one. Here's one of the poorly made Pivo cast aluminum stems. Note the dings and voids in the casting plus the crack developing at the expander split. A stem like this example should definitely not be used. The quill was supposed to be 21.9-22.0mm diameter but this one was well under that size. NOTE TO ALL: If you have a Pivo or any other cast aluminum stem on your bike, I suggest removing it to inspect the expander split or splits at the bottom of the quill for cracks. The broken stem pictured in my first post above is an example of what can happen. You can drill a small hole into the quill at the top of the split or splits to help prevent cracks from developing. If the casting looks funky - voids, air holes or cracks - don't use it! There were many millions of cast aluminum stems produced in Europe that are still safely in use. It was probably only for a few years during the height of the Bike Boom in the early 70s that the dangerous poorly cast so called "Death Stems" made it onto bikes. So, if you have a good one that you've inspected, it's probably still safe to use for light riding. YMWV The original aluminum alloy bars were also made by Pivo and had a tendency to droop. I just noticed in this picture that the bars on my 71 TdF are starting to droop too! This an example of something bad waiting to happen! The 3TTT forged stem on your bike is a period correct upgrade. Many Super Corsa (and TdF) owners changed to 3TTT or Cinelli bars and stems as replacements for the original Pivos. I wouldn't change it for the sake of restoration if you have any plans for riding the bike. It's a classic in it's own right, especially with the 3TTT decal on top. Additionally, your bike takes a 22.0mm stem. These are no longer produced. The standard today is a 22.2mm stem. Removing .2mm off of an aluminum stem sounds easy but the last one that I did took several hours. If you have an unmarked set of bars, measure them at the center. If they are 25mm diameter than they are probably the original Pivo bars and I'd inspect them for drooping or cracking. If they are 3TTT bars then they were much better quality. 3TTT bars are 26mm diameter at the center which is the correct size for your stem. Chas. Thanks again Chas. You are a wealth of info and a all-around good egg! The stem on the Git seems to be 22.2 mm diam that someone jammed into the smaller orifice That is why it is not fully inserted! I have heard of the AVA and Pivo Death Stems and will definitely not use one of them. I like life too much. The bars are GB Tour of Britain. I am working on extracting the TTT stem now. Wish me luck! Stevie _________________ Stevie B Re: TdF vs. SC   Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:21 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Stevie B wrote: The bars are GB Tour of Britain. I am working on extracting the TTT stem now. Wish me luck! GB bars were generally good quality. Bars from that era were usually a lot narrower than today's bars - 36cm to 40cm center to center vs. 42cm to 46cm. Ideally the bars should be as wide as your hands held straight out from your shoulders but that's a personal thing. I have very wide shoulders and can ride with 46cm bars but 44cm bars feel better (plus 46cm bars look like a set of bull horns on the hood of a pimpmobile ) If you can't get the stem out easily, DON'T try forcing it by heavy twisting as you could damage the threaded portion of the fork. Remove the front brake, loosen the expander, knock the expander wedge loose and remove it from the bottom of the steering tube. Next get a long punch or similar tool that will fit inside the stem from the bottom but not damage the expander bolt hole. Try gently tapping the stem out. Your stem is probably inserted only about an inch or so. If all else fails, here's some drastic actions that can be taken as a last resort: http://yarchive.net/bike/frozen_stem_remove.html Before resorting to the above suggestions get in touch with me locally. After you get the stem out you can file and sand the quill down to 22.0mm for about 2 1/2" to 3" but be prepared as it's a lot of hand work. Before reassembling smooth out the bore of the steering tube. I prefer a brake cylinder hone or brush hone which you should be able to find at an auto parts store for $10-$15. I use these in the seat tube to smooth out the bore too. Use some waterproof grease like Phil Wood Grease. Put a light coat on the expander bolt threads, the expander wedge, the outside of the stem and inside the steerer. Same thing for seat tubes. It eliminates a lot of problems. Chas.   Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:51 am greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA Stevie, As Chas. stated, the 3ttt Gran Prix stem on your bike is period correct. I actually replaced the Pivo on my TdF with a Gran Prix shortly after buying it in 1972. The early 70's Super Corsas with ALL Campagnolo (including Brakes) came with 3ttt 'Record' stems. Here's a photo of a 1971 SC that is all original showing the Stem that it came with. The early 3tt Record stem (1960's - early 70's) has a Hex nut for the Handlebar clamp and shows more clearly in this photo. Slightly later versions have a Knurled Nut. A 22.2 Stem can be sanded down with Emery Paper to 22 mm if need be. It's not much to take off. It will depend on how "Period Correct" you want to be as to what you replace the Pivo with. There really are no wrong choices. It's about comfort first. Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching.   Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 12:21 pm Stevie B Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 14 greyhundguy wrote: Stevie, As Chas. stated, the 3ttt Gran Prix stem on your bike is period correct. I actually replaced the Pivo on my TdF with a Gran Prix shortly after buying it in 1972. The early 70's Super Corsas with ALL Campagnolo (including Brakes) came with 3ttt 'Record' stems. Here's a photo of a 1971 SC that is all original showing the Stem that it came with. The early 3tt Record stem (1960's - early 70's) has a Hex nut for the Handlebar clamp and shows more clearly in this photo. Thank you for the stem info. I successfully extracted the Grand Prix model. Coincidentally, I gave a TTT Record stem to my brother a while back. Maybe I can retrieve it. As I recall it was about the right length for me--11 or 12 cm extension. Thanks again, Stevie Slightly later versions have a Knurled Nut. A 22.2 Stem can be sanded down with Emery Paper to 22 mm if need be. It's not much to take off. It will depend on how "Period Correct" you want to be as to what you replace the Pivo with. There really are no wrong choices. It's about comfort first. Jay _________________ Stevie B 1971 Gitane Professional Super Corsa     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.