 |  | | | |  | |  |  | My NOS '85(?) Gitane Track... |  | |  |  | |
 Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:33 am |
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| rogan |
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| Joined: 31 Oct 2012 |
| Posts: 6 |
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Hello all
New member as I've just picked up my Gitane and I have some questions and problems..
So it looks like this..
Eeh sparkly!
Anyway i've run into so much headset trouble I'm lost
I bought the velo-orange french headset, but the stack height is just too large for it to fit, im also having a lot of trouble finding a stem to fit (22mm steerer)
Anyone got any ideas where i can get a stem and headset suitable?
Bottom bracket I've managed to sort, i'm in the UK..
Very excited to get it running hopefully in time for next years track season!
Thanks for reading |
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| | | | | | | | | 1984 Mexico | | | | | |
| Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:18 pm |
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| verktyg |
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| Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
| Posts: 2814 |
| Location: SF Bay Area |
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Greetings and welcome to the Forum.
Nice find. It's probably a 1984 Mexico or equivalent frame - maybe a Kilo.
The 3 main tubes are made of butted Reynolds 531. The remaining tubes are made of lesser quality tubing.
The 1984 Gitane US Gitane catalog lists the Kilo as having Columbus tubing but there were so many variations back then that you need to ignore the specs especially for European models.
By 1984 all of the threads on Gitanes should have been British/ISO standard.
The headset should be 25.4mm BSC threads vs. 25mm French threads.
The bottom bracket is probably 1.375 x 24TPI not French 35x1mm.
It should take a standard 22.2mm inch size stem.
The seatpost is probably going to be 26.4mm.
The metric Velo-Orange headset is .4mm too small in diameter.
The BSC/ISO bottom brackets have left hand threads on the right side fixed cup.
Check out the stack height. Here's how to measure how much of the steerer is sticking out of the frame.
It's probably going to need a headset with about 33mm of stack height.
The Tange Levin CDS headsets are good quality and inexpensive - around $25 USD. They have plastic dust seals too.
You will need to measure the crown race diameter. It could be 26.4mm or 27mm. the Tange headsets are available in either size.
Use Grade 25 Alloy Steel loose ball bearings not the ones in cages.
Hope that this helps. |
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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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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:28 am |
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| rogan |
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| Joined: 31 Oct 2012 |
| Posts: 6 |
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Thanks for your excellent post
However, its definitely french thread headset and bottom bracket, as the VO french threads onto the steerer fine, i just dont have stack height for it
My french thread BB also threads fine
Again the steerer is definitely 22mm as all my stems do not fit! |
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| Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 2:54 am |
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| rogan |
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| Joined: 31 Oct 2012 |
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Hi all again,
Ive hit a brick wall finding a headset (it needs 37mm MAX stack height)
I have no idea why the steerer was cut so short..
So, can i fit an english fork and it'll fit? even though the previous fork was 20mm diameter? |
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| Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:31 am |
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| verktyg |
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| Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
| Posts: 2814 |
| Location: SF Bay Area |
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| rogan wrote: |
Ive hit a brick wall finding a headset (it needs 37mm MAX stack height)
I have no idea why the steerer was cut so short..
So, can i fit an english fork and it'll fit? even though the previous fork was 20mm diameter? |
"Professional" quality headsets like Campagnolo Nuovo Record and Super Record, Zeus, Stronglight S5 Super Competition and Tange top models had stack heights of 40mm to 42mm.
They VeloOrange headsets have a stack height of 41mm.
It's very likely that your frame would have come with a standard Gitane headset with about a 28mm - 30mm stack height. It could have also had a Stronglight P3 or A9 headset.
I'd look for a Stronglight V4 Competition headset. They came of Peugeot PX-10 bikes and are still fairly readily available. They had a stack height of 37mm - 38mm.
I'd try to find a headset that fits your frame rather than thry to find a replacement fork. The rake and/or length is more than likely going to different enough to affect the handling of the bike. |
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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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| Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:48 am |
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| rogan |
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| Joined: 31 Oct 2012 |
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| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 9:48 am |
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| rogan |
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| Joined: 31 Oct 2012 |
| Posts: 6 |
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I ended up getting a chrome track fork while i continue the search for a fitting french headset
looks like this 
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 6:42 am |
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| NebraskaGuy |
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| Joined: 25 Aug 2012 |
| Posts: 23 |
| Location: Lincoln, NE |
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Sweet !!!  |
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_________________
Russ
Ah! To feel the wind in my hair . . . |
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 12:51 pm |
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| sandranian |
| Site Admin |
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| Joined: 27 Feb 2006 |
| Posts: 2701 |
| Location: Southern California |
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| Nice. need that fork though! |
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 1:31 pm |
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| rogan |
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| Joined: 31 Oct 2012 |
| Posts: 6 |
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gosh finding a headset is difficult,
still cant find anything with 38mm or less stack |
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