| | | | | | | | | Bought an old bike .. ID Required | | | | | |
Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 12:23 pm |
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Kongoken |
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Joined: 04 Aug 2010 |
Posts: 23 |
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Is it an Interclub?
Regards,
Grant |
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| | | | | | | | | Re: Bought an old bike .. ID Required | | | | | |
Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:19 pm |
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verktyg |
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Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
Posts: 2814 |
Location: SF Bay Area |
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"Is it an Interclub?"
Nope, higher up model.
In mid 1974 Gitane made a bunch of changes to their model offering. Biggest change was the decals. They switched from the MylarŪ Foil Decals like on your bike to the yellow or green plastic film style.
Gitane also introduced the Huret honeycomb rear dropouts on all of their road models from Interclub up.
These Huret dropouts were considered (fill in the blank - gag reflex) when they first came out but they had the advantage of being able to work with Campy, Simplex and Huret style derailleur mounts.
They're now considered much more interesting.
Your bike is probably a French or European market model with a full Reynolds 531 frame. Because it has the older style foil decals it could be a very late 1973 or very early 1974 model.
It has Prugnat Type S lugs which by 1972 were only used on the top Gitane models. Around 1972 Gitane changed the lugs on their Tour de France and similar models from Prugnats to Bocama medium point Professionals. After 1974 they switched from medium to long point Super Professional Bocama lugs.
Prugnat Type S
Bocama Professional
Bocama Super Professional
The top 2-3 Gitane models had longer fork steering tubes to fit Campagnolo headsets with a 41mm stack height - like on your bike.
The next models down - Tour de France and so on came with Stronglight P3 headsets with a 33mm stack height and a shorter steering tube.
The top models usually had the rear triangle 1/2 chrome plated.
Someone replaced the original Stronglight 93 chainrings with later model 105bis "drillium" rings. Also, the pedals, brakes, stem, bars and seat are not original.
Nice rare bike! |
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_________________ Chas.
SF Bay Area, CA USA
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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 |
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Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 9:42 pm |
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Kongoken |
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Joined: 04 Aug 2010 |
Posts: 23 |
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Chas,
Thanks for all the information .. so basically I have a higher end frame but the rest of the components are not original .. jeez!
How can I go about finding out exactly what it is / was? Any tips?
We bought the bike in Caen (France) .. and it still has a sticker on it from a bike shop in Caen where I guess it was either originally bought from or maybe took in for maintenance.
Regards,
Grant |
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| | | | | | | | | What model? | | | | | |
Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:27 pm |
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verktyg |
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Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
Posts: 2814 |
Location: SF Bay Area |
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Look in the catalogue section of the website under 1973 French and 1974. Check out the top of the line models.
The frame is the most important component of a bike, wheels are next. They rest of the parts are less important.
Your bike doesn't quite match any of those models but it has a good frame. It's probably a variation of an early Champion Du Monde model. They came with Cinelli bars and stem.
http://www.gitaneusa.com/catalogues01.asp
It was common for owners to upgrade the components on their bikes as parts wore out or just for cosmetics and "vanity"!
The seat looks a little low. If you are riding it that way and it fits your legs, the frame may be a little to big for you. You should be able to comfortably stand over the top tube. |
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_________________ 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 |
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Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:05 pm |
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Kongoken |
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Joined: 04 Aug 2010 |
Posts: 23 |
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Thanks once again Chas ..
I haven't ridden the bike at all as I have just came back to the house from a short break and had a look at the bike that my wife picked up for me. I can stand over the top tube without a problem so will need to raise the saddle as suggested.
Maybe I should get on to the previous owner and ask if they still have the original components!!
Grant |
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| | | | | | | | | Original components | | | | | |
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:02 am |
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verktyg |
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Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
Posts: 2814 |
Location: SF Bay Area |
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It's highly unlikely that the previous owner has the original components for a 35+ year old bike. Frequently upgrades where done by bike shops rather than owners and the old parts were chucked into a junk box or the dust bin.
In general, the components on your bike are better quality and will perform better than the original equipment that came on the bike. They are all "period correct" and sometimes that the best that you could ask for.
Finding the "correct" components may be difficult because your bike doesn't match the specifications of any model listed in the catalogs.
Also 35+ year old parts in good condition can become an expensive proposition, especially since many Japanese collectors pay top dollar for older French parts.
I'd suggest that you clean up the bike and either lubricate and adjusts the cables, derailleurs and brakes or have someone who knows what they are doing perform the work for you.
Then ride the bike to see how you like it before thrying to do a restoration. |
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_________________ 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 |
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Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:25 am |
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Kongoken |
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Joined: 04 Aug 2010 |
Posts: 23 |
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Chas,
Sounds good to me .. thanks again.
I will go through your cleaning tips and see if it comes out nice and shiney
Grant |
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Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 4:26 am |
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sandranian |
Site Admin |
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Joined: 27 Feb 2006 |
Posts: 2701 |
Location: Southern California |
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You sure it isn't a "3 tubes" Reynolds frameset? The stays were usually chromed on the full Reynolds bikes. But then I am just throwing this out there, with little thought! |
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| | | | | | | | | Reynolds 531 Sticker | | | | | |
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:47 pm |
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verktyg |
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Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
Posts: 2814 |
Location: SF Bay Area |
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sandranian wrote: |
You sure it isn't a "3 tubes" Reynolds frameset? The stays were usually chromed on the full Reynolds bikes. But then I am just throwing this out there, with little thought! |
Stephan,
The 3 TUBES RENFORCES frames would not have had Reynolds 531 forks.
Also, if you look at the remnants of the Reynolds decal, you can see that the 53 characters are slanted whereas the 3 Tubes decal would have been straight.
One other thing, in 1974 Reynolds started using decals with a gold address box at the bottom. What left of this decal doesn't have room for the address block which adds to the evidence that its a model change bike - 1973/74.
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_________________ 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 |
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Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:35 pm |
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sandranian |
Site Admin |
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Joined: 27 Feb 2006 |
Posts: 2701 |
Location: Southern California |
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It was early...and I did notice the forks, which were usually paired only with a complete Reynolds frame. But we are talking Gitane here...so the norm is not always the norm!
The slanted vs. straight decal is a good one. Although I swear I received an improperly badged frame direct from GitaneUSA.... |
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:23 am |
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Kongoken |
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Joined: 04 Aug 2010 |
Posts: 23 |
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I took the bike out for a quick test ride yesterday and it's very light and very quick.
Now starts the cleanup operation
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