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chill

Hope anybody is able to help me identifying year and model of this nice old cycle.

http://www.radbasteln.de/gitane/
for further detail pics.

The parts seem to be not original as it is a interesting mix. headset is a
campagnolo (can anyone see which one?), group is an Suntour VX, Crank is a Suntour Super Maxi, Seatpost SR, saddle Selle Italia Sprint. Stem is
unmarked as far I can see, the touringbar is a Philippe, Brakelevers
Weinmann and Brakes Suntour Superbe 4700 (does that fit the VX?). Hubs and Freewheel are DuraAce Highflange, the Rims Mavic Module 'E'. Frame is Durifort 888 8/10.

sandranian · Site Admin

I looked up some information on the tubing, and here is what I found:

"Durifort continued as a set well into the 1970s by which time Ateliers de la Rive had introduced Vitus 171, a series of double-butted tubes in chrome-molybdenum steel, with wall thickness generally of 1.00 / 0.7mm. This was a quality tubing subjected to special drawing treatment to improve the structure of the steel and to reduce possibilities of fatigue cracks. Companies such as Peugeot used huge quantities of this tubing. Later in the 70s/early 80s, the company introduced alongside Vitus 172 - slightly lighter than 171 - an extra-light series called Super Vitus 971. This used the same type of steel but was drawn into finer tubes with 0.9/0.6mm gauge walls. The steel type was called XC 35.

The base set at this time became known as Durifort-Rubis 888."

From Norris Lockey's History of Vitus:
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/France/Vitus_history.htm

This would seem to indicate that it is, as we thought before, from the early 1980's. My best guess is 1981/82. It would be interesting if someone could positively identify it. We really need those catalogues!!!

verktyg · Last edited by verktyg on Thu May 08, 2008 12:09 pm; edited 1 time in total

Norris Lockey's History of Vitus has some "probable" errors. For example Vitus tubing was used on quality bike frames in France from the 1930s on. At the time it was competitive against Reynolds 531.

Ateliers de la Rive used many different steel alloys during it's lifetime of producing bicycle tubing.

In the 1960s and 70s Ateliers de la Rive was producing bicycle tubing made from 3 different quality levels of steel alloys: Rubis/Durifort, Vitus 172 and Super Vitus 971. (from DeLong's Guide to Bicycles & Bicycling, 1974, 1978)

Durifort tubing was made from a seamed low alloy steel that had strength halfway between plain carbon steels and the higher alloy steels used for Reynolds 531 or Columbus tubing. Durifort tubing was just slightly thicker than Columbus SP and heavy gage Reynolds 531 tubing. The 3 main tubes were butted with 1.1mm/.7mm wall thicknesses.

During this period Rubis 888 tubing was being sold as sets of 3 main tubes with a straight gage wall thickness of .8mm thus the 888 designation. This tubing was being used to build light weight mid price range bikes that had cheap carbon steel forks and stays.

Both Durifort and Rubis main tubes were drawn over mandrels which corrected any weaknesses resulting from the the welded seams.

Vitus 172 had the same wall thicknesses as Durifort but used a stronger alloy steel that was close to Columbus and Reynolds in strength. The steel was a silicon alloy not chrome-molybdenum alloy. It too was made with welded seamed tubing and the 3 main tubes were butted. The forks were the same as used in the Super Vitus 971 tube sets.

Super Vitus 971 was seamless tubing made from another type silicon alloy steel, XC 35, that was slightly stronger than Columbus and Reynolds tubing. The wall thickness was the same as Columbus SL with .9mm/.6mm in the 3 main tubes.

In the early 80s Ateliers de la Rive brought out Durifort 888, Vitus 788, Vitus 888, Vitus 171, Vitus 181, Super Vitus 980, Super Vitus 983 and other types.

I suspect that Durifort 888 and Vitus 888 were tube sets made with the same steel used in standard Durifort tube sets with Rubis 888 straight gage 3 mains tubes. The .8mm wall thickness tubes probably better riding than the the heavier 1.1mm/.7mm butted tubing.

By comparison the tubing used in many standard bikes had wall thicknesses from 1.5mm to over 2mm.

Chas.

chill

Hmmm- the frame is not the heaviest in the world but also no lightweight. Guess 8/10 tells us either that i was butted or that the maintubes are 0.8 and the rest 1 I guess. May be completely wrong at all...

verktyg

On a bike frame with "double butted" tubing only 2 tubes are double butted, the top tube and the down tube. There was some "triple" and "quadruple" butted tubing from several Japanese manufacturers but that was mainly advertising hype. Rolling Eyes

Seat tubes are only butted at the end that goes into the bottom bracket ( there were a few specialty tube sets with double butted seat tubes but they were probably not used on many production model bikes).

The steerer tube for the fork is single butted but many bike manufacturers saved a few Francs or Lira and used a piece of seamed straight gage pipe with a sleeve inside it at the fork crown. Peugeot and Motobecane were notorious for this. Sad

Fork blades, seat stays and chain stays have either straight wall thickness or tapered wall thickness (see below).

I cut this out of a 1980s Reynolds flyer. The wall thicknesses listed were for tubing sets used on very specialized bikes. Most tubing on production bikes built up through the early 80s was much thicker.

8/10 = 0.8mm or 0,8mm wall thickness. The 3 main tubes in an 888 tubing set were all 0.8mm wall thickness. My Vitus 172 bikes have wall thicknesses of 1.1mm/.7mm on the three main tubes. The ends of the top and down tubes and the bottom of the seat tube are 1.1mm thick vs. .8mm thick on your frame.

There are several reasons for using butted main tubes. One is the ends of the tubes where they go into the lugs are stronger because the metal is thicker. There is little or no stress in the middle of the tubes so they can be thinner saving weight.

Another is that thicker tubing is less sensitive to over heating while being brazed. This means that less skilled workers can be employed and they can work faster thus reducing manufacturing costs.

Many better quality production bike frames used 1mm/.7mm or .9mm/.6mm wall thickness on the 3 main tubes. The thicker the tubing the stronger but also the stiffer the ride.

Don't try to compare the weight of a vintage steel framed bike to an aluminum or plastic (carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite) framed bike. Back in the day a bike with clinchers weighing under 25 Lbs. (11.3K) was considered light. Sewups would take another 1.5 to 2 Lbs. (.68K to .91K) off of the bike. A 22 Lb. (10K) bike was flyweight! Cool

The philosophy at our shop was A. get a good frame, B. Get a good set of wheels (sewups or light weight clinchers), C. get a comfortable seat. The rest of the components were not that critical. For example the cheap plastic Simplex Prestige rear derailleurs when new, well lubed and properly adjusted far out performed the sacred cow Campy Nuovo Record derailleurs.

So "LIGHT" is in the eyes of the beholder. Twisted Evil

Looks like a nice bike so get some drop bars and brake levers and enjoy!

Chas.

chill

chill

As this cycle is ready to ride now I just wanted to show some pictures. It is still not identified but I don't care much- it's a fast and stylish touring bike.

I replaced:

Saddle -- ideale 80
Seat post -- Promax
Pedals -- Shimano clipless
Tires -- Pariba Revolution
Grips -- Benotto
Brake Pads -- Ritchey
Cables and housing-- Vintage, manufacturer unknown
and added a Bluemels Shorty as well as a carradice Bagman QR under the seat. Wheels QR's are also replaced by a modern system.

Here a picture of the bike as it was when I got it.

[img][/img]

greyhundguy

...yes. Very nice to see a change of pace Gitane. Looking at it is relaxing. Kudos Richard.

Jay