gitaneusa.com :: View topic

bykrydr65

I just picked up this cyclocross model and if anyone has any info about this bike I would appreciate it. There are no rack or bottle braze ons. True cyclocross frame. it does have an non stock fork, this I know.

verktyg · Last edited by verktyg on Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:38 am; edited 1 time in total

Welcome to the Forum.

That's an interesting bike. Judging from the decals, probably from the early 90s.

Here's a link to a website that talks about your's or a similar model:

http://ari-fixed-gear-pages.blogspot.com/2007/03/gitane-vitus-xo-cyclocross.html

Vitus XO was very good quality chrome-moly steel tubing. It's not the model name as suggested in the site above.

I stand corrected... While Vitus XO was a type of tubing like Reynolds 531, Columbus SL, Chromor and so on, it appears that it was also the model of that bike too.

BTW, that super padded saddle is OK for off road stuff, especially if you are in and out of the saddle a lot. For riding on the road you might find that it gets uncomfortable after 5 miles or so because you sink into the padding and it causes pressure in areas where it shouldn't.

Chas.

bykrydr65

Oh that seat was put on it so I could test ride the bike before I bought it. I plan on refinishing the frame and building it with a mixture suntour surperb and xc pro parts. As far as saddles go I only ride one kind and that is a brooks b17. Have them on all my bikes. I was wondering if this was sold as a complete bike or just a frame set.

Peter S. Horn

Bykrydr65,
Welcome to the forum. This example looks to be either virtually identical, or very similar to the red Vitus XO sold in the U.S. by Gitane, U.S.A. from 1991 to as late as 1997. While not absolutely sure about your model, the red XO was sold (at least in the U.S.) as a frameset only.
Bienvenue,
Peter H.

bykrydr65

I looked throught the catalogs that are posted but haven't seen 89-93, the earlier and later cats don't show a cyclocross model. looking for a original fork (probably too much to ask) . Most likely going to have to settle for a fork from a different brand. I want to stay with a quill stem and at least 8/1/2 " steerer tube. The white paint is original. Are decals available?

verktyg

As far as I know, those decals aren't available anywhere in the US. They're a pretty simple design and there are several decal makers who could reproduce them for a price.

Fork? If you could find a picture of what it looked like it would help a lot.

The fork on the frame pictured on the site below doesn't look right. It looks like a fork from an aluminum frame or something. I don't know, maybe that's what came on this model???

http://ari-fixed-gear-pages.blogspot.com/2007/03/gitane-vitus-xo-cyclocross.html

You may have to have some frame builder make you a fork ($150-$200).

Chas.

bykrydr65

This bike looks like a gitane also, I am wondering if this is the right fork

http://www.gitaneusa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=754

vws1971

Did you find decals? I have this exact same bike, I have been racing it for 2 cross seasons now. I would like to restore it, and continue racing it.