gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane » Another New Guy - With a New / Old Bike    View previous topic :: View next topic  Another New Guy - With a New / Old Bike   Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:20 am gduke Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 1 Location: Huntington Beach, CA A friend bought this bike for $25 at a yard sale in San Pedro last weekend. He liked the retro look, but decided the 35" stand-over height was cause for (well warranted) concern. He gave the bike to me (I'd been looking for an older steel frame - and I'm several inches taller). I've spent the past few days cleaning and polishing, and am now greatly impressed with his find. From what I can determine, the bike is an early 70's Tour de France. It seems as if everything on the bike is original (even the rather intimidating plastic saddle), in good condition, and functioning properly. I've just inflated the "Swallow High Pressure Nylon" tires, cleaned the chain and ridden around the neighborhood. I'm looking for specific maintenance and repair information (to go through headset, hubs, BB, etc.) and would like to perform the work myself. Are there any repair manuals that would be of help for a bike like this? Or can anyone recommend a Southern California LBS with a mechanic that has this kind of experience? Appreciate any advice or suggestions - Thanks in advance, Grant Duke Huntington Beach, CA [/url] Early 70s Tour de France   Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:47 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Grant, Welcome to the Forum. You found a really nice bike! Lucky you. I'm guessing that it's about a 1971 or 72 Tour de France. This is based on the Prugnat long point "Italian style" lugs, Nervex or Wagner fork crown, swagged seat stay caps, brazed on rear brake cable bridge, Pivo stem with an external expansion bolt, Stronglight 93 cranks and Mafac Competition brakes. These were features that changed between the late 60s and 1974. It looks all original except that someone comshawed the original tubular (sewup) wheels and replaced them with bottom of the line 27" steel rimed clinchers. The original wheels would have had Normandy Luxe Competition or Campagnolo Nuovo Tipo hubs and alloy sewup rims. The steel rims add about 3-4 lbs. to the bike and kill the ride qualities of the wonderful Reynolds 531 frame. But hey, for $25 bucks... I can just picture some slick kid working in a bike shop in 1973 talking the original owner out of the alloy wheels and into the STRONG steel rims. I guarantee that they ended up on someones "racing" bike! BTW, don't even try to stop with those rims when they are wet. Proper sized 700c wheels with alloy rims and modern high pressure tires will make a world of difference in the ride and handling. You can probably find a good set of used wheels for your bike for around $100 - $125. The rear derailleur should work fine with the proper adjustment and lots of light oil lubrication. The front one... well lets just say that it beats using you hand to move the chain! The saddle, that's the device from hell, the Torquemada inquisitional model. Burn it now and save you private areas from much torment! Do a search under Chas. and/or verktyg and you will find a lot of BS but wade through and there will be lots of maintenance points and links to websites where you can get the info that you need. Congratulations Chas.   Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:00 pm sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California Congratulations on the great find.... Nothing I could say would be able to compare with what Chas. has told you already. Chas.: You are seriously hilarious! _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com   Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:17 pm smilingroadrunner Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 278 Location: Salina, Ks. Grant, Nice Score, what a beauty!!!! Welcome to the forum, Wonderful finish & excellent care --foil decals in Great Shape. This bike will give you DECADES of service. Chas makes a wonderful point of how FAST this baby will go or how much quicker it will accelerate and handle if you can come up with hubs rims & sew-ups, even going to alloy rims & hubs & modern clinchers will make a big difference. The High Flange Campy Hubs and Mavic Montlery rims show up on E-bay, just takes time & patience, and occasionally a lucky bid. I'd search for an alloy seat stem and modern saddle for comfort -adjustability, and weight savings. Lots of elbow grease and polish and this pearl will look like it came off the showroom floor. Chas has been a great resource in my refurbish project for my '70 TdeF---lots of caring & informative folks here. A great site with a sense of humor and jockularity. I Like Steel ___________________ C.A. Salina, Ks. Going to the "Dark Side" with my '86 or more likely '87 project more photos later. A "fixie" with a box of mostly unusable original parts---at least the frame had been spared any amputuations when it was rescued. hopefully the edit & repost will get the image displayed. '87 Victoire to add to the stable of early '70's Innerclubs, TdeFs, and a Red ---'71 or '72 Super Corsa project "Oh Boy--been waiting for this project !!!!) waiting in the wings. Last edited by smilingroadrunner on Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:40 am; edited 3 times in total   Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:10 am Paul Wiseman Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 584 Location: Brisbane, Australia Come over to the Dark Side my young apprentice. I will teach you the true nature of gitane. You don't know the power of the systeme. _________________ Wisey Brisbane, Australia 1974 Paris - Nice 1985 Defi 1985 Victoire 1985 Victoire (yes, another one!) 1985 Professionnel   Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:26 am Gtane Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Posts: 681 Location: UK Grant, Welcome to the forum. I can't add anything more to the great info. from the other members, but I will say that you have indeed got yourself a great machine at an incredible price. Well done. What a find! It's great to know that these finds are still waiting to be found. Thanks for letting us know. Tim _________________ Everything has a cycle   Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:47 am dan lenik Joined: 10 Jan 2009 Posts: 34 Location: allentown, pennsylvania CHANGE THE SEAT!!! CHANGE THE SEAT!!!!!! Did I mention CHANGE THE SEAT!!!!!!!!! awesome.   Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:23 pm tosterbe Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 31 Paul Wiseman wrote: Come over to the Dark Side my young apprentice. I will teach you the true nature of gitane. You don't know the power of the systeme. Wisey, that was the funniest thing I've seen in a while. My 7yr old son who digs Star Wars was even impressed. Might need to break out the hold costume box and doctor up the Vader mask. This begs the question, when Luke fights Darth on Degobah, does he see the professor's face in the busted up Vader Mask?   Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:07 am Paul Wiseman Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 584 Location: Brisbane, Australia Yeah, but I'm really disapointed that Nicolas (our resident Star Wars expert) hasn't commented. If you like that....... Have you seen this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv5iEK-IEzw&feature=related (Language warning) _________________ Wisey Brisbane, Australia 1974 Paris - Nice 1985 Defi 1985 Victoire 1985 Victoire (yes, another one!) 1985 Professionnel   Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:23 am greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA Grant, What a great acquisition. You will be pleased with the ride. Actually, I found that after a short time the Freccia 'Rislan composition' saddle was comfortable. If you look in the Owner Gallery you will see my recent post: "Jay's 71-72 TdF Finished" with the before and after. It shows the original wheel set as would have been on your Bike. Also, check the black Delrin clamp section of your front derailleur for hairline cracks. I had to replace mine for that reason. Welcome to the Forum and keep us posted. Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching.   Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:47 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area greyhundguy wrote: Actually, I found that after a short time the Freccia 'Rislan composition' saddle was comfortable. Jay Jay, I believe the operant term here is.... Masochism! Chas. (comfort is everything)   Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:27 am greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA Chas., Guess I should have clarified...comfortable in the day, when I had a firmer Butt. Jay... still riding unpadded and non Gel saddles. _________________ Dance like nobody is watching.   Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:26 pm greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA Grant, Double check the front wheel if you have not done so already. In the photo it appears that the axle may not be fully seated into the fork drop out. Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching. Cilice   Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:32 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area dan lenik wrote: CHANGE THE SEAT!!! CHANGE THE SEAT!!!!!! Did I mention CHANGE THE SEAT!!!!!!!!! So where's my saddle??? I want to feel the pain again! Chas. Mortification of the flesh Another New Guy - With a New / Old Bike     gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours   Page 1 of 1   All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First  Select a forum Gitane USA----------------Vintage GitaneGitane RacingModern GitanePro Racing - Classics/Giro/Tour....Owner Gallery   Powered by phpBB © 2001-2004 phpBB Group Designed for Trushkin.net | Themes Database.