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PostPosted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:03 pm Reply with quote
Peter S. Horn
Joined: 15 Oct 2007
Posts: 144
Cool
This 653:
The main differential for this bike viz-a-viz the 1989 Replica ll: Campagnolo Croce D' Aune was, apparently, phased out with Chorus being upgraded to replace it. I chose this option although, in retrospect, I probably could have obtained an example of the discontinued gruppo, or opted for C-Record. At the time, I felt that such would deviate from the original specification.

Frameset: As the 1989 Replica ll; 57cm.: Gruppo: Campagnolo Chorus Downtube Synchro: Brakes: Campagnolo Chorus sidepulls: Handlebar and stem: TTT Competizione: White tape originally; Cinelli (black) subsequently: Chainrings: Campagnolo Chorus; 53/39: Freewheel: Campagnolo Chorus; 8 12-24: Hubs: Front; Campagnolo Chorus; Rear; Campagnolo C-Record: Wheels and tires; Mavic Pro/Michelin Pro Race 3 (c): Saddle: Selle Italia Turbo- Black: Frame angles: n/a: Pedals: Campagnolo Chorus quill type, including clips and straps; Subsequently; Look clipless: Pump: Silica: Water bottle: Campagnolo: Front (Cateye) and rear lights: Total original price: $2,070.00
Bienvenue,
Peter H.
Sacramento
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:44 am Reply with quote
Gtane
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 681
Location: UK
Peter,

Great to know that you purchased the machine from new. That's always great to hear.

Even now, 653 is reasonably rare. I must say that you've kept it in superb condition.

I'm always amused by original specs of out and out racing machines of that time and earlier. They always seemed to give them with single tooth increment blocks where they would be extremely difficult to ride enjoyably in reality, even for the pros up a mountain. I have a feeling that the racing machines were supplied with these tight ratios more to define them as racers. Most would swap out the rear block when delivered, or at the time of ordering. Having said that, I did ride a 5 speed 14 to 18 (1 tooth increment) block for a while in the early 1980s as a trial to see what it was like, but swapped it for a wider ratio 6 speed after a few weeks.

Thanks for the specs.

Tim


Last edited by Gtane on Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:11 am; edited 1 time in total

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:50 am Reply with quote
Gtane
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 681
Location: UK
Wisey wrote:
Gtane wrote:
Lovely bike Peter and super condition. You've done a great job with the build. Have you had it from new?

Nice team shot find, Wisey. Thanks for that.

Thanks for posting.

Tim


Have a dig through the Delta threads, there is a pic of Madiot in Toshiba colours riding a Delta in Paris-Nice I think it was.

Funny how they stuck with the yellow/black scheme even though they had finished with System U in 88, and were sponsoring the Toshiba team with it's "la vie claire" carry-over design.



Wisey,

The livery then was very nice indeed. I also very much liked the later Vitus Gitanes with the yellow fan styling - similar to Systeme U.

I would love to see an original Delta today in team spec. I hope we will at some point.

Tim

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Gitane Catalogs 
PostPosted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:02 pm Reply with quote
verktyg
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2814
Location: SF Bay Area
Peter,

Nice bit of work. How does the bike ride?

It would be great if someone were able to come up with 1989 through 1995 Gitane catalogs for the collection.

Chas. (clean and sober) Laughing
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Re: Gitane Catalogs 
PostPosted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:17 pm Reply with quote
Wisey
Joined: 19 May 2009
Posts: 631
Location: Brisbane, Australia
verktyg wrote:
Peter,
Chas. (clean and sober) Laughing


....and shaved? Laughing
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:26 am Reply with quote
Peter S. Horn
Joined: 15 Oct 2007
Posts: 144
Tim, Wisey, Chas.,
Hoping that all is well in the U.K., Australia, Bay Area, etc.,
What can one say about Gitane's color scheme that has not already been said? It seems that the team bikes (and replicas) were blue until about 1988 when the Systeme U bikes were abruptly switched to team white. Apparently the black and yellow accents go back to the early 1980's, if not earlier. My 1983 S/C and Renault Elf Gitane Maillot had the black and yellow accents. As Stephan points out, Gitane seldom, if ever, clear coated even its' premium frames. With the team bikes being team white, per the last years with Systeme U (I'm just surmising) Gitane could have merely changed the decals somewhat (while keeping the same white frames) for the incoming team (Toshiba), perhaps for pragmatic reasons.

I also stuck (for a time) with some tight rear cluster ratios on my first two bikes (12-18 7 on my 1983 S/C, 13-21 6 on a 1987 Inter-Campag. 531C), as though I was another "Badger")! Soon (very soon) realizing that I was nothing of the kind, I switched to wider ratios on both bikes.

Chas.; Truthfully, I did not intend this velo to be a real collectible, or "Team Replica" as the 1984, 1986-88 Team Professional/Replicas, etc. My next one might be, if I can work out a deal on a Definitive/Super Record model with Jean Pierre! However, its' a nice bike. I would say that it rides like a typical Gitane/Reynolds 531 model; firm enough for a racer but with that good dampening feel of fine steel, accented by Gitane's typical stamp; relaxed main frame, tight rear triangle. Not super light as my earlier Super Vitus 971 framed '83 S/C. It is more of a tourer today. Otherwise, I'd change the wheelset to Mavic or Campag/Wolber, etc. tubulars!

Wisey/Tim,
I thind that I noted Madio's Delta somewhere. Yes, I do wish that we had more catalogues. I do have some assorted material to be posted asap.

One pint of lager please!
Bienvenue,
Peter H.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:23 pm Reply with quote
Wisey
Joined: 19 May 2009
Posts: 631
Location: Brisbane, Australia
[quote="Peter S. Horn"]One pint of lager please!

.... but what sort of Lager? Rolling Eyes Here we go again......... Twisted Evil

For your viewing pleasure:




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PostPosted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:30 pm Reply with quote
sandranian
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Posts: 2701
Location: Southern California
Who is that in yellow?

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Stephan Andranian
Costa Mesa, CA
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:40 pm Reply with quote
Peter S. Horn
Joined: 15 Oct 2007
Posts: 144
Embarassed
Wisey,
Now that it has become established that I can't spell......
Thanks much for the fine Delta images! Re Stephan's query; That's not Madiot in yellow, is it?

Lager? Various. I recall that the last good one that I had was a St. Pauli, out of Munich, I believe.
Bienvenue,
Peter H.
(Not necessarily clean and sober).
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:46 pm Reply with quote
sandranian
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Posts: 2701
Location: Southern California
That appears to be a different model Delta than was used in 1984, with a sloped top tube.

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Stephan Andranian
Costa Mesa, CA
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:40 pm Reply with quote
Wisey
Joined: 19 May 2009
Posts: 631
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Yep, Marc Madiot it is. Stephan, I think it's just an optical illusion in the photo with regard to the sloping top tube. The level of the bars is below the level of the top tube. The 2nd photo shows Deltas with horizontal top tubes in the same year.
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 6:55 am Reply with quote
Gtane
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 681
Location: UK
Wisey,

Nice shots, thanks for those. Always good to see historical information.


Peter,

Thanks for your further information. I have the 1988 Replica and the transfers are most definitely not clear coated. They're actually quite thick in comparision to water based and similar transfers of old, almost crude in type and application. They're knocked and bashed in various places and where the edges have lifted one can see they they have some pretty sticky adhesive to keep them in place.

I think many change from 'corn cob' ratios to something less struggling and more terrain friendly. I still have my old 5 speed straight through block and also have a 7 speed straight through for the Replica.

As Chas says, It would be good to fill the catalogue gaps but they're pretty elusive. As are the ones for the early '80s.

Tim

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PostPosted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 10:33 am Reply with quote
verktyg
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2814
Location: SF Bay Area
Wisey wrote:
.... but what sort of Lager? Rolling Eyes Here we go again......... Twisted Evil


Fawstas mate! Laughing Do they have any other kind of lager in OZ?

Years ago I used to like Stienlagers from NZ. It went down great at 32°F (0°C) in the hot New Mexican summers... but then I heard it was produced for export only! Shocked

BTW, is ocker a disparaging term or just archaic?

Chas. Laughing
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:10 pm Reply with quote
cooltech
Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Posts: 27
Location: U.S. Pennsylvania
Nice bike! tks. for sharing it.

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Tks. for th op. to be here. glad I found the Gitane site
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:50 am Reply with quote
Peter S. Horn
Joined: 15 Oct 2007
Posts: 144
Stephan, Chas., Wisey, Tim, Cooltech,
Yes, we love "Fawstas" out here! I (probably mistakenly) thought that it was an ale, rather than a lager, mateys!
Cooltech: Welcome! I'm glad that you decided to become a part of this fine site!
Incidentally, I thought that I noted another Gitane headed the other way on a ride over the past weekend. I should have turned around and chased him down. I just got a quick look. It was white, with red and blue accents; sloping top tube, the tubes being the typical, thicker, later type. What does this tell me? My guess: 2001-02 Gitane Airplane. We will probably see it again.
Bienvenue,
Peter H.
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1990 Gitane 653 
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