gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane » Someone Needs this Circa 1960 Gitane    View previous topic :: View next topic  Someone Needs this Circa 1960 Gitane   Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:05 pm sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California This has to be one of the older ones that we have seen. Certainly one of the more unique and beautiful. Unfortunately, I am all "biked out" for the moment, so I am urging someone on this site to bid on this bicycle and buy it. It is in the USA...so that isn't a problem (for most on here). It is a decent size (appears to be a 54 or a 56). A "celeste" color, which is really cool. Someone step up and keep this jewel in the family. US Ebay No. 330424053675 http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Gitane-Road-Bike-with-Campagnolo-Derailleurs_W0QQitemZ330424053675QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4ceeceefab _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com   Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 3:10 pm lofter Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 1162 i like the lug work and the wing nuts that hold the wheel on   Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:11 am greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA Stephan, Too small for me so I can't justify buying it. Also, if it truly had green Mafac 1/2 hoods as originals those are going to be really hard to find and expensive if you can. I can't imagine the Mafac green with that frame color. Who knows though? Overall it looks to be in great condition and worthy of a proper restoration with patina, along with a few period part replacements. Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching. Re: Someone Needs this Circa 1960 Gitane   Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:51 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area sandranian wrote: This has to be one of the older ones that we have seen. Certainly one of the more unique and beautiful. Someone step up and keep this jewel in the family. Mi, Mi, Mi.... Hope it stays within my budget. _________________ 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   Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:49 am greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA It must surely predate the bikes shown in the 1964 Catalog. It appears to me that the "Gitane" on the down tube is hand painted, like Stephans old bike, and not a decal. Does anyone know when the riveting of the metal head badge ended to be replaced by a decal? Could this be a French bike brought here before they were imported into the US for sale? I've got white Mafac 1/2 hoods. Guess I could find a long Mountain Bike seat pin. Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching.   Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:01 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California My old bike is a decal on the down tube. I think this one is too. That is a great question regarding the riveted head badges. This one appears identical to mine. Also note that there is no mention of a Tour de France win.... _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com   Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:50 am greyhundguy Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 678 Location: South-Central VIRGINIA sandranian wrote: My old bike is a decal on the down tube. I think this one is too. Oops! Thought I remembered yours being painted. I must be thinking of another bike. Jay _________________ Dance like nobody is watching. Re: Someone Needs this Circa 1960 Gitane   Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:21 am scozim Joined: 26 Sep 2008 Posts: 629 Location: Ellensburg, WA verktyg wrote: Mi, Mi, Mi.... Hope it stays within my budget. Let's see Chas - if it stays in your budget you can make a road trip to central Washington and I'll graciously do a "local pick up" on the bike to save shipping and keep it well cared for. It's only 2 hrs from me. Heck, my local LBS only charges $50 to box a bike. _________________ 1984 Gitane Sprint 1984 Gitane Tour de France mid-1970's Gitane Olympic Plus many more http://eburgcycling.blogspot.com   Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:37 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California I am rooting for you, Chas. I really would like someone here to get this so that we can hear all about it. Looks like a very fun ride! _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com World Champion Stripes   Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 11:34 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area The unique rear dropouts and the Atom hubs with round holes would seem to indicate it's older than 1960 but... The bike has World Champion Stripes in the Gitane decal on the seat tube, so that would probably place it around 1960 or later. World Championships won on a Gitane (from that era): 1960 - Rudi Altig, World Champion (Amateur Pursuit) - Rolf Wolfshohl, World Champion (Cyclocross) 1962 - Jean Stablinski, World Champion All 3 of those wins would qualify Gitane to use the World Champion Stripes. It looks like the rims are 27" because the brake blocks are adjusted to the tops of the calipers. They are chrome plated steel too. The bike probably came with tubulars or 700c clinchers. A previous owner probably switched them to 27" because of tire availability problems. 3 Lbs. worth of rims! _________________ 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   Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 11:38 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California You are forgetting Elsy Jacobs, who set an hour record and won the world championships on a Gitane in 1958. Of course she was a woman. My old Gitane Rando references the "Women's Hour Recordholder", but this one appears to be a generic "hour record holder" or a male one.... Interesting stuff. _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com   Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 12:54 pm sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California It only went for $255. Shocking, really. But then it was a "pick up only" auction, which limits the pool considerably. Hope someone here got it! _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com eBay early 60s Gitane   Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:36 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area I bid on it and then after doing some more research and several online discussions with the seller, decided to let it go. The bike is most likely a mid 60s Gitane Sport model as described in the 1966 price List. I guess if it had originally come with tubulars I would have had more interest in it. I could always find a proper set of sewup wheels for it but... the OEM 27" steel rim clinchers ... The slight damage from a minor front ender wasn't that big of a deal. With sewups, I would have made an exception but the $130 for packing and shipping was a deal breaker for me. Apparently the "Flash" main tubes were pretty good quality. A frame builder friend today mentioned that he thought it might have been private labeled Reynolds tubing. This is the 3rd 1960s vintage Gitane I've seen with Flash tubing. Someone will have themselves a really nice classic bike. _________________ 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   Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:43 pm cooltech Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 27 Location: U.S. Pennsylvania Wow! Those handlebars are like forever long! cooltech _________________ Tks. for th op. to be here. glad I found the Gitane site Someone Needs this Circa 1960 Gitane     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.