 |  | | | |  | |  |  | Re: Super Vitus Tubing |  | |  |  | |
 Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:31 pm |
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| garage sale GT |
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| Joined: 08 Apr 2010 |
| Posts: 16 |
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| verktyg wrote: |
| As far as your dropouts are concerned, Gitane was notorious for using whatever dropouts (or other components) they had on hand (or at least it appears that way)... |
Maybe they sourced unmarked dropouts when there was some interruption in their supply and had the SUPER VITUS stamp ready and waiting for such occasions. |
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| | | | | | | | | Re: Super Vitus Tubing | | | | | |
| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 1:58 pm |
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| verktyg |
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| Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
| Posts: 2814 |
| Location: SF Bay Area |
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| garage sale GT wrote: |
| verktyg wrote: |
| As far as your dropouts are concerned, Gitane was notorious for using whatever dropouts (or other components) they had on hand (or at least it appears that way)... |
Maybe they sourced unmarked dropouts when there was some interruption in their supply and had the SUPER VITUS stamp ready and waiting for such occasions. |
For the cost of a set of dropout, they wouldn't waste their time.
Continued... |
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Chas.
SF Bay Area, CA USA
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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 |
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| | | | | | | | | RE: Super Vitus Continued | | | | | |
| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:03 pm |
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| verktyg |
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| Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
| Posts: 2814 |
| Location: SF Bay Area |
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You're lucky to get random serial numbers stamped into the frame!
Most of the millions of "10 speed racing bikes" imported into the US prior to 1975 were $75 to $125 entry level models with stamped steel dropouts. Better quality bikes never amounted to more than 5% of total bikes sales during those years.
After 1975 there was more interest in better quality bikes with improved features and cosmetics. Rear dropouts with integral derailleur hangers was more of an American phenomena than in Europe, just like dropouts without fender eyelets. Up into the late 70s it was common to find mid range bikes with stamped steel dropouts!
It cost us about $6 extra per bike to have frames built with forged dropouts with integral derailleur hangers.
There were maybe 3-4 French and Italian companies that made forged steel dropouts during the 70s and 80s. |
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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 |
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| | | | | | | | | Re: Super Vitus Tubing | | | | | |
| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:17 pm |
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| garage sale GT |
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| Joined: 08 Apr 2010 |
| Posts: 16 |
| Location: none |
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| verktyg wrote: |
| For the cost of a set of dropout, they wouldn't waste their time. |
Thing is, it IS stamped, one way or the other. If you do a close-up of the rear drop you will see that it is stamped SUPER VITUS. I don't think such thin, fine letters could be part of the forging. |
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| Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:36 pm |
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| garage sale GT |
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| Joined: 08 Apr 2010 |
| Posts: 16 |
| Location: none |
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Here's some pics of what I now believe to be a 1980 Tricolor. It is staying as close to stock as I can manage. However, I put in a 26.8 seatpost which should indicate the 26.4 one was bad, and as I've already mentioned, it had the wrong stem clamp for the French handlebars and they gouged each other up rotating, as a chip which got carved off the bars by the corner of the notch in the stem crumpled up and circulated around under there.
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