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kozak

hello,
i'm going to see a frame this weekend.
I was told that its a gitane track frame made of Columbus EL tubing, but the owner didn't know when it was built.
I was wondering if some one could help put a date on it.
does anyone know when Gitane made track frames out of Columbus EL tubing? where were these bikes made?
any info would help

thank you

Paul Wiseman

Hi Kozak

I think Columbus started producing the EL tubeset in the late 80's or early 90's. Someone else may have a better idea??? Try looking in the catalogues in that time frame and see if any other gitanes were built from EL. Aluminium became the material of choice in the 90's, so it will be a pretty small window in which these tubes would have been used.

http://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/columbus/columbuschart.htm

sandranian · Site Admin

It is hard to date only with the tubing. A picture of the bike would really be needed in order to accurately date it. The tubing will get you within a decade, but any closer...and it won't really work.

Peter S. Horn

: :

Kozak, Wisey,
The following might fill in a part of the puzzle. In 1990, with 2 Gitanes under my belt (an '83 Super Vitus/Speidel model and an '87 Reynolds 531C Interclub) and looking for a commuter bike (probably a '91 Vitus 999 model at $385.00), I checked with Torsten at Provelo, USA in that regard. Instead, I ended up with a '90 team white Reynolds frame, later to be configured as a US market Replica 2, but that's irrelevant.

The specification sheet for 1991 (unfortuantely, no catalogue was available) indicated a litany of models, the top one being a Columbus EL/Campagnolo C Record Replica 2. This model remained available in the US (in 1992-3 as a frameset only) at least until 1993, according to Torsten. However, it was supplemented (in 1992, if I am not mistaken) by a TIG welded Columbus Genius frameset. The latter eventually replaced the elegant EL. Noting our catalogue section on the indispensable www.gitaneusa.com site, I noted that the Genius bike was, apparently, available, in one iteration or another, until about 1998. FDJ stalwart Frederic Geuesdon won at Roubaix in 1997 on this velo.

Aluminum, available in the US (we Americans sure are ethnocentric) since approximately 1987 (Gitane-Vitus 989/Speidel Tour de France), soon replaced the Genius model (Mach 2002-3, etc.) at the top of the lineup. That model, as we know, was the Columbus Altec/Shimano Dura Ace FDJ Replica. That seems to narrow the EL models' availability to approximately 1991-93, indeed a short tenure.
Bienvenue,
Peter H.

verktyg

Peter,

I recently acquired this Gitane frame from the UK. It's made of Columbus EL Over Size tubing and has a team number tag under the top tube. Can you venture a guess at what this is?

It's at a local frame builder's to have the alignment adjusted. He commented that there were 2 different versions of Columbus EL tubing and that this frame felt a little heavy.

Chas.

Peter S. Horn

Chas., All,
One factor that complicates the mix would be that of the possibly differing versions for the US versus other markets. Since the 1991 US EL came (that is, the complete bike option) with a Campagnolo C Record gruppo, I would assume (but do not know for sure) that said velo would have come with a Campagnolo headset and dropouts.

We also know that Gitane France was beginning to switch to Shimano for it's top models. If the US and European models were the same, and yours had a Shimano headset and dropouts, I would guess that yours (notice, I'm hedging my bet!) might well be in the 1992-94 range. EL-OS is the oversize tubing version of EL. According to Provelo and the spec. sheet, the 1991 US version was the EL (non-oversize) version. That would be another indicator that this EL, again, might be a 1992-94 model. Without any other information, its' pretty rough to get a more accurate assessment of the year of manufacture for this elegant velo.
Bienvenue,
Peter H.

verktyg

Peter,

Thanks for the opinions. Since this frame came from the UK, I think that it's safe to assume that it's a European model.

It has Shimano dropouts and a Shimano 600 sealed bearing headset (which may not be original).

The guesses from other contributors were that it was an early 90s model and you've dialed that in a little better, 1992-94.

I was wondering if this was a Team or Team Replica model.

Chas.

sandranian · Site Admin

The only team models that I have seen from the era are the RMO (1992) and Toshiba bikes (Toshiba was a bit earlier - 1989 or 1990). I have to look at what the RMO bikes were made with...but they had a completely different paint and decal scheme.

Peter S. Horn

,
Chas., Kozak, Stephan, Wisey, All,
Apologies in advance for any nascent incoherence. Recovering from a run on our Altec 2; breaking in a new set of tires, etc.

I did recheck some handwritten notes on my 1991 spec. sheet and noted that the EL (introduced into the U.S. market in 1991) was avaiable in the U.S. until 1994. The lugless Genius frame was introduced in 1994 and, as with the EL, was available for that year, approximately one year prior to the time when Gitane ceased operations in the U.S. In 1995, Provelo imported two Vitus frames (cyclocross and track), plus an Avia alloy MTB frame, only. Re the EL, the intervening years (1995-96) are a mystery.

The 1991 EL bike was called a Replica ll, at least in the U.S. Although the "Team Colors" were not specified, in my opinion the velo was a replica of a team bike, probably RMO. Except for possible color and trim changes, the 1992-94's were probably, essentially, the same. Personally, I think that both the later EL and Genius bikes (some might carp) should be considered as Team Replicas as the 1991 was meant as such and later noted an RMO Genius steel time trial bike in action in a 1991-92 edition of Velo magazine. A determination that either frame (EL or EL/OS) was "too heavy" would bother me not at all.

Interestingly, Provelo also introduced a Columbus SLX (frameset, only) during this period at $687.00. I have a theory on this one, as well.
Bienvenue,

Peter S. Horn

All,
Correction-Paragraph 2, line 1-"available"-sp.
Bienvenue,
Peter H.

sandranian · Site Admin

Here is the picture of the RMO frameset. It isn't the steel version, but shows the RMO/Gitane paint scheme.

Peter S. Horn

Stephan,
That's the one!
Bienvenue,
Peter H.

verktyg

Peter,

As I mentioned before, I bought the Gitane EL/OS frame from a seller in the UK so I assume that it's a European model.

My frame builder friend said he thought that the frame was a little heavy for Columbus EL tubing (but it's still pretty light weight). He said that he thought there were 2 kinds of EL tubing. Well he may have been confused with EL and EL/OS. Columbus only made EL & EL/OS tubing for a few years and that was over 15 years ago. I'll question him on it the next time I see him.

Any way, EL tubes weigh 1670g and EL/OS (oversize tubes) weigh 1800g. When you add in the extra weight of the oversized lugs and bottom bracket that could make the frame a little heavier than some comparable frames made of standard diameter light weight tubing.

This is a list of specs for Columbus tubing from that time period:

http://equusbicycle.com/bike/columbus/Columbus-tubes.jpg

Anyway thanks again for the tidbits of information.

I've been told by several people that steel bike with oversize frame tubes tend to ride a little harsh, a trade off for increased stiffness. I'll have to wait and see.

Chas.