| gman309905 |
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| Joined: 23 Dec 2012 |
| Posts: 63 |
| Location: Pittsburgh PA. |
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This is the re-incarnation of the first Gitane I owned when I was sixteen, with all the upgrades I would've done if I had known then what I know now. Campagnolo,seatpost, Campy Olympus rear Derailleur and record front derailleur, Suntour stem shifters Record triple crankset, pedals and clips. Velo Orange sealed bearing bottom bracket, Campy record Aero brake levers and calipers Nitto Technomic stem, Soma handlebars with Brooks leather handlebar wrap. Brooks saddle, Samir-Saminox rims laced to Campy Gran Sport hubs. 14-32 five speed Interloc racing design freewheel and a fresh powder coat. Rides beautifully. I know the Olympus is technically a mountain bike derailleur but seeing as how I live in western Pennsylvania the terrain around here is pretty challenging and I'm not getting any younger, I'll take all the mechanical advantage I can get. The Radius cross top brake levers also look and work much better than the old style lever assembly for applying the brakes from the top position of the handlebars
The Gitane I modeled this after was purchased back in 1975. I'm not sure what model it was but it had the same decals, chrome rear triangle and forks with the chromed steel cottered cranks. I don't remember if it had the honeycomb rear dropouts or not. Original wheels were rigida with the checkered braking surface.Large flange Normandy hubs. I'm pretty sure the brakes were weinmann centerpulls and I'm positive the original derailleurs and shifters were simplex which I very promptly upgraded to suntour . I kept that Gitane for a very long time, It went to the Army with me, to Fort Knox Kentucky, Korea and Fort polk Louisiana. I outgrew the frame quite a few years ago and parted the bike out, still have the suntour front derailleur.
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