gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane » Hi, here is my bike...    View previous topic :: View next topic  Hi, here is my bike...   Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:10 am irimi Joined: 18 Mar 2010 Posts: 4 Location: Edern, Finistère, Brittany, France Hello from France (Brittany, home of Bernard Hinault !), this is my first post here. What a surprise to see a "www.gitaneusa.com" ! As far as I know, there isn't such a ressource in France ! So here is my bike, I saved it as it was driven to rubbish, and now I proudly ride it. http://www.velotaf.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=8214 I hope someone will tell me more about it, as I know barely nothing about bikes. But now it's my main vehicle to go to work, and I wanted to upgrade it a bit. Is it a good bike ? Where can I find some info about it ? Where can I find spare parts ? I looked at the catalogs on www.gitaneusa.com, and it wasn't able to recognize it. The colors are the same as the 1984 "junior Challenge 3810", but my frame size is 54 cm ! The look is a bit like the "Turbo 12 2866". Clues : The saddle is a San Marco Rolls, natural leather (very nice, don't know if it's the original one). Mavic rims, Aerotub steel, ... Thanks.   Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 10:57 am vanhelmont Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 242 Location: Florida Welcome irimi. We have several French members here. We in the US envy you all the great free bikes that seem to be available in France. It looks like a medium quality frame with straight gauge tubes. The best frame tubes are butted, or in French "Tubes Renforces'" that can make a frame that is a little stiffer and stronger for its weight. But Gitane is known for good frames even from the less expensive tubes. It looks like it's in really good shape, and good components. Should be a very nice bike. But you can tell us if it's good, because you are riding it! We don't have a complete set of catalogs, but I can't find anything closer than the "Turbo 12 2866" you suggest.   Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 12:08 pm greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA irimi, Welcome. The decals seem to indicate a 1983 model. Kindly provide details of the Derailleurs, Brakes and Crank set. That may help to identify the bike model. Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching.   Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 1:34 pm irimi Joined: 18 Mar 2010 Posts: 4 Location: Edern, Finistère, Brittany, France Thanks for the replies. I have some descriptions for you. Can I use french terms ? I don't know very well how to describe a bicycle in french, so in english it's almost impossible for me Cadre (frame) : aerotub 102. Fourche (fork) : interesting point, the bike is painted in light grey (metallic), but the fork is chromed. I didn't notice that since now, because the bike is quite dirty, I have to clean it, shame on me ! Pédales : LYOTARD, I couldn't find any more. Manivelles (???) : "NERVAR" Dérailleur arrière : "SACHS HURET" dérailleur avant : "HURET" Freins (brakes) : brakes & levers "CLB", aluminium levers with nice frame of holes. Potence : there's a sticker "F - BELLERI" on it. Jantes (rims) : MAVIC "Module E" Moyeux, roue libre (free wheel) : "Maillard" (14 - 24 dents) If necessary, I can take some pictures to show you details. I have a question, one of the seat stays is slightly twisted (barely noticeable). I heard that a twisted steel frame = trash, but I can't do that. Is there a way to fix it ?   Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:25 pm vanhelmont Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 242 Location: Florida Quote: I have a question, one of the seat stays is slightly twisted (barely noticeable). I heard that a twisted steel frame = trash, but I can't do that. Is there a way to fix it ? A carbon bike will break instead of twisting, and it will be trash. A twisted aluminum frame = trash, But one of the nice things about steel frames is they can be straightened if they are bent. First, the twisted seat stay might not even matter. Can you ride the bike without using your hands? If it still goes straight, then I think the frame must be pretty straight. If it needs to be fixed, there are two things you can check and straighten. The first thing is to align the rear dropouts. Here are some pictures: http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=40 I did this with two pieced of threaded rod. I put one piece on each dropout, with a washer and nut on each side, so you have four washers and four nuts. Then I took off the threaded rod on the side that needed to be bent, and straightened it with an adjustable wrench, then put the threaded rod back on to check. You also need to get the right distance between the dropouts, which is 126 mm if it is a 6 speed freewheel. If this distance is different than the size of your rear hub, do the next step so you know which side to bend. To check the alignment of the stays, I run a string from one rear dropout, around the head tube, to the other rear dropout. Then I measure from the string to the seat tube. It should be the same on both sides. If it isn't, you have to figure out which side to bend to make these measurements the same and the distance between the dropouts right.   Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 4:29 am irimi Joined: 18 Mar 2010 Posts: 4 Location: Edern, Finistère, Brittany, France Thanks vanhelmont, good news, and very good link ! I was pretty sure that a steel frame could not be killed so easily ! Well, the bike behaves well when I ride it without hands, so I think there's no need to touch anything. I feared that the twisted seat stay would have been weaker, that's why I wanted to fix it. Well, now I know it's possible, so if I have some time and courage I'll try. But my frame isn't dead, that's the main thing. Thanks again. Any ideas about the year/type ? I think it's from 1982, but there's no exact match in the online catalogs... Another request : where can I find some spare parts to upgrade it or to replace some damaged parts ? For example, the front "plateau" is twisted too (it drives me mad each time I want to change gears, and it's dangerous !), and I wanted to have indexed gears... Ideally, I want to change the entire transmission one day, for a more reliable one (not necessarly a modern one). Is it possible ? How much would it be ? Is there some dealers in France, or shipping to france ?   Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:32 am irimi Joined: 18 Mar 2010 Posts: 4 Location: Edern, Finistère, Brittany, France Well, I have an important question : My frame is quite rusty, and I want to repaint it (avoiding the chromed fork !) to protect and highlight it (by the way I'm wondering if I stay close to the original colors, or if I choose an custom color, even a "non-Gitane" one). Big problem : the stickers ! Is there any site where I can buy new stickers like mine ? At least the genuine "G" logo in front of the frame, and the "aerotub 102" sticker to identify the frame quality. Little bump to my topic : if there's any references to change the levers for indexed ones, they're welcome !   Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:38 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California That particular design of Gitane sticker has not been reproduced by anyone yet (to my knowledge). On Ebay, there is a seller known as "cyclomondo" who makes reproduction decals, and he has several Gitane designs, but not that one. You could always repaint and add a different decal. Several people have done so, and as long as you inform people if you sell the bike, I don't think anyone would fault you for it. Here is a link to the seller's site, and just search "Gitane": http://stores.ebay.com/Cyclomondo I don't know of any source for the Aerotub decals, unfortunately. _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com Gitane Decals   Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 4:53 am plchin014 Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 17 Location: Massachusetts, USA Cyclomondo has the newer 80's generation sets for the Gitane Team Pro. However, he (Greg Softley) has offered to consider producing other decals, if you can supply him with closeup photos or other detailed images of the decals that you'd like for him to produce. I'm still hoping for French Columbus SL decals. Mine got smudged, can't find replacements in FRENCH!   Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 8:28 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California I sent greg a PERFECT scan of a French Columbus decal...so he has the art...just needs to get it into production! _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com French Columbus Decals   Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:13 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Greg already has them made up. I have a set and they look good. He doesn't have them listed. You will have to email him and request them or go through his eBay connection. If you need his email address, I'll PM you with it. He told me that he has lots of decals that he hasn't listed on eBay. _________________ 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 Mar 26, 2010 10:44 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California Cool! _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com Hi, here is my bike...     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.