gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Owner Gallery » ~1960 Randonneur    View previous topic :: View next topic  ~1960 Randonneur   Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:03 pm sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California I have finished the first phase of the restoration of this bike. As you may recall, it came to me from France as a single-speed...so it was just begging to be restored to a 3-speed. Of course, I went with Simplex, which is the nicest looking of the old stuff. The single shifter on the top tube is the best, with its brass or copper colored butterfly tightening bolt. Just ahead of the shifter is a clamp on cable stop, as the original cable stop was broken off at some point during the last 50 years. It is a Huret double stop, but I sawed off one side to make it a single. The three-speed freewheel was a hassle to get a hold of, and was finally provided by a classicrendezvous list member (for a trade!). It is NOS and came in its original box...french threaded...manufactured by 'J.Moyenne'. The rear wheel is not an original, but is pretty old nevertheless. I believe the front wheel is original. The rear light was also replaced by an identical one (Catalux 6)...as the top part on the light was smashed when I received it. The reflector is glass, which is cool! I have not yet wired the lights, but that is coming soon. Another addition is the crankset, which is the only "Gitane" specific crankset I have ever seen. From everything I have learned about it, it probably pre-dates this bike by about 10 years or so, but looked so great, that I had to put it on. It was badly pitted, with almost no chrome left on the set, so I removed the rust and then spray painted the set to preserve it. It (along with other parts on the bike) needs to be re-chromed, but that will have to wait.... Of note also is the saddle bag, which I obtained from fellow GitaneUSA listmember Jay (aka 'greyhundguy'), who helped me a lot on this bike...which I really appreciate. It matches the saddle and makes this bike that much more "custom". Original ebay post: Pictures as "restored" to be added soon...just a brief post to pique your interest. Last edited by sandranian on Fri Jun 26, 2009 4:29 pm; edited 1 time in total _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com   Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 4:16 pm greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA Stephan, Thank you for the acknowledgment. Now POST SOME PHOTOS!!! I wanna see it. Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching.   Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 11:59 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California Here it is...click on the thumbnails below for large (and extra large) images. _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com   Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:23 pm greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA Stephan, CONGRATULATIONS!!! Great job! It looks KEWL!!! How many miles have you put on it? Though not period correct, I have a Cateye computer I'll donate if you want to keep up with it Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching.   Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 1:37 pm Gtane Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Posts: 681 Location: UK Lovely bike Stephan, dare I suggest that this will become THE favourite of the collection? Well done to you both on the overall job. Super machine. Tim Last edited by Gtane on Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:37 am; edited 1 time in total _________________ Everything has a cycle   Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 1:58 pm greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA Gtane wrote: Well done to you both on the overall job. Super machine. Tim Tim, Just to clarify, I only sold Stephan the Gitane Satchel. It seemed proper for his project. The finished Bike is all his work. Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching.   Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:22 pm STW Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 20 Congratulations. I see what you mean about the tool bag. Great bike. Who is the lovely gypsy lady on the headbade? Haven't seen that Gitane headbadge before; wonder if it's an older traditional Gitane one that was on race bikes too?   Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:39 pm greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA STW wrote: Who is the lovely gypsy lady on the headbade? I believe that is Fifika (Romanian)...Fifi in French ...one of many lovely Gypsy names. Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching.   Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 6:19 pm smilingroadrunner Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 278 Location: Salina, Ks. Awesome work Stephan. I like everything about this ride---but my eyes are constantly drawn to the "Hand Hammered Fenders" they are too cool. If we could only know the stories this vintage bike could tell. It's in a rightful place with a caring owner now. And I have to tell you, my spouse ( who often questions why I have soooo many bikes in the basement ) Gives this girl 2 thumbs up !!! So thanks for your work, Cheryl may cut me some slack now as I continue to restore the Super Corsa . I Like Steel !!! _________________ C.A. Salina, Ks.   Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:20 am smilingroadrunner Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 278 Location: Salina, Ks. Stephan, How does the rear 3spd derailleur operate. Do the pulley wheels and support mechanism operate on a shaft with a compressed spring--that is drawn in-and-out by the small chain? Again, congratulations on the rare item, and its' fitting refurbishment---The paint finish looks like it cleaned up & polished out wonderfully. Pretty amazing for a 50yr old ride. Maybe your spouse can shoot some evening video when your get the dynamo & lights operating. I Like Steel !!! ___________________ C.A. Salina, Ks. Nice work   Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 10:21 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Stephan, Nice job, I like the color. Personally my taste in bikes runs from the late 60s to late 80s. I prefer the performance improvements that made shifting and braking easier (prior to brifters and all that crap). Chas. the Ludite - I'll ride carbon when they pull my cold dead fingers off of my down tube shifters!   Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:23 pm Wisey Joined: 19 May 2009 Posts: 631 Location: Brisbane, Australia Lovely, Sandman. I think everyone else has said the rest. It's just lovely. It's kind of like having that one pretty girl out on a century ride with all the other meat head bike riders. She might not be strong, fit, or experienced on the bike, but there's 50 guys queued up to ride along side her anyway. It would be great if this old girl could tell her stories. Perhaps one of our grandmothers rode this bike in her prime...... (or one of Chas' old girlfriends . Re: Nice work   Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:24 pm Wisey Joined: 19 May 2009 Posts: 631 Location: Brisbane, Australia verktyg wrote: I'll ride carbon when they pull my cold dead fingers off of my down tube shifters! The quote of the year award goes to Chas! That's great Chas, I'm going to quote you on that one.   Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:08 pm cooltech Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 27 Location: U.S. Pennsylvania Very nice work. Thanks for sharing photos. cooltech _________________ Tks. for th op. to be here. glad I found the Gitane site   Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:08 pm vanhelmont Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 242 Location: Florida Stephan, This is really fantastic. I'm not sure if re-chroming would even be an improvement. It looks like a bike with 50 years of experience. 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