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Niels

Hi everyone!

Recently bought this track frame with Benotto decals.
But the components reminds me more of a Gitane.

Lugs: BCM
Fork: Nervor
Bracket/Headset: BSA
Seatpost size: 27.0

Hope you can help me identify the frame Very Happy

Gtane

Niels

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the post.

Components of all types are common among bicycles (unless a manufacturer specifically made components for their own machines) so they would not absolutely identify a frame as being from a specific manufacturer. The frame really needs to be looked at in isolation from its components. Frame detail would be necessary to determine for sure - serial numbers, lugs, dropouts, cable guides, overall design, features, etc. It may well be that your frame is a Benotto and it would be worthwhile seeing what those experts have to say too.

The other scenario is that it may have been resprayed from its original state and rebadged, as sometimes happens. If you have any further details regards frame numbers and identifying marks, that would be helpful to the marque experts.

It's a nice frame though.

Tim

sandranian · Site Admin

Important: What type of threading, Italian, French, or English? If it is Italian, then it is definitely NOT a Gitane. If French or English, then more information is necessary. But first check the threading.

Also: Close up of the lugs. The head tube lugs don't appear to be anything that Gitane would have used, but closeups would be good.

In addition, the seatpost size, while not conclusive, does not appear to be anything Gitane would have manufactured (at least not prior to about 1990).

Niels

Here are some quick Iphone pictures.

Threading: English

Niels

A few more shots.
http://yfrog.com/jkmg5981jx

sandranian · Site Admin

Thanks for the additional shots. I can say with about 99.9% assurance that the bike you have is not a Gitane. The lugs, seatpost size, threading, bottom bracket cutouts, etc. all indicate that what you have there is definitely something special...but not a Gitane!

verktyg

A few weeks ago there was a "Peugeot" track bike listed on eBay. I recognized the bike instantly!

Here's a message I sent the seller:

"I know this bike, or at least I think I do. It's a Gitane Super Pista track bike painted white with Peugeot PX-10 decals.

About 1975-76 a fellow going to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque used to ride around town on a bike identical to this.

We sold Gitanes including the 531 Campy equipped Super Pista model. After a quick once over we got him to tell us the real story.

He'd worked at a big Peugeot dealer in Boston or NY and had access to rare Peugeot PX-10 decals. He painted the frame white with white lugs like a team Peugeot would have had. Even the Peugeot dealer down the street was fooled for a while.

Peugeot frames from that era had short point Nervex lugs not Prugnat long point lugs that Gitane used. A Peugeot track bike would most likely have Stronglight 93 cranks and a Stronglight V4 Competition headset rather than Campagnolo components.

He even had the same Phil Wood track hubs which were pretty rare back then. Also the Weinmann front brake with the lever in an odd place on the bar. The decals are pre 1969 style."

What a small world, I'd been telling people about this bike for years!