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dan s

Hi all:
I recently joined and have been reading many earlier posts. I too have what I believe to be a 1971 or 1972 Gitane Super Corsa and have recently been riding it a bit. I raced in the mid 70's so you can probably estimate my age. I am posting a complete description, along with photos to help people comment. I also have a number of extra components that are listed/photographed. You'll see I was prolific with the photos. I'd like to sell this all as a package. It would be great if someone who appreciates the brand would be interested, which is why I wanted to discuss it here before I just go post on Craig's List. The worst part about the bike is the crummy paint job it had received before it became mine and the lack of any Gitane decals (except the Reynolds 531). But that doesn't affect the ride. I am thinking $500 for all is reasonable price. Kindly share your opinions with me on that and let me know if there is any interest. I live in Portland, Oregon and note several active members in the area.

Dan

Early 70’s Gitane Super Corsa

Campagnola Dropouts, Front and rear
Campagnola Brev Headset
Cinelli Mon Campione DelMondo bars
Cinelli Stem
Suntour Superbe Brakes and levers
Zeus Bottom Bracket
Sugino 171 mm Crank with 52/43 sprockets
Campagnolo front derailleur
Campagnolo Nuovo Record Rear derailleur
Campagnolo Seat post
Campagnola Record Rear hub
Pro-Compe 14-28 rear cluster
Campagnola front hub
Rigida Rims
Bontrager Saddle

Can/will include
Iberia Pedals with Christopher toe clips and Avocet leather straps
3 additional rear clusters (one is 14-18 from my more adventurous days)
Record ttt stem (125mm, the bike’s original I believe)
Stronglight bottom bracket axle
Stronglight sprocket (54 t)
No-Brand sprocket (45 t)
Mavic bars
A second wheel set:
Sunshine hi-flange hubs
14-22 Pro-Compe Freewheel
Old sew ups that hold air (but I wouldn’t trust)
Martano rim (front)
Deposee Record rim (rear)

verktyg · Last edited by verktyg on Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:20 pm; edited 2 times in total

Greetings, welcome to the forum.

There was a time back in the early 70s when bike shops bought "all Campy" bikes like the Gitane Super Corsa (also Italian made Atala, Bottecchia and other brands) just for the Campagnolo components. A bike shop could buy one of these bikes complete for around $300 wholesale including freight!

In the early 1970s "all Campy" usually meant all Campagnolo components except for the brakes which were MAFAC or Universal Mod. 61 depending on the bike brand.

Campagnolo components were hard to get during the early 70s Bike Boom. A gruppo sans brakes could cost ~$300 wholesale! So for $300 a shop could get a gruppo with a complete set of wheels plus all the misc. parts and a frame they could sell for $75-$100.

The parted out components were used to build up better name British and Italian bare frames which sold for a premium or they were sold individually for retail prices.

Now to answer your questions, early 1970s Gitane Super Corsa bikes in good condition with original paint and decals plus all of the correct Campy components have been selling for $500 to $800. Campy brakes add a little more to the median price.

Your Super Corsa is pretty much a "frankenbike" as in Frankenstein - pieced together plus it's been repainted which usually detracts from the value.

It may have been parted out when new or sometime later after it had been ridden hard.

The headset, derailleurs and seatpost are the only "original" Campy parts. Super Corsas came with high flange Campy hubs. Also, Gitanes from that era came with Pivo cast aluminum "death stems". Cinelli and 3TTT repacement stems were a common modification to these bikes.

The other component while functional and reasonable quality appear to have been pieced together by a bike shop or someone with access to those kinds of parts usually at a low cost.

With all of the extras, $500 seems like a fair price for this bike.

Good luck...

LeicaLad

Interesting build.

You don't actually say, but I'm guessing that is a 56-57cm frame?

I'm pretty much waaaay beyond my budget right now, but I certain wish you luck.

dan s

Thanks very much for the comments. I knew it was a compilation of components when I got it. I remember some sort of a frame swap with another racer, the result of which, we both ended up with frames that fit better. I measure the frame as a 57cm, with a 32.5" standover height.

Dan

verktyg

57cm looks about right. Gitane and most others back in the day measured the seat tube from center to top - top of the tube at the low point of the ellipse in the side of the lug (which was the top of the top tube).

The sizes were "nominal"...

Super Corsas and TdFs came in 50cm, 54cm, 57cm, 60cm, 62cm and 64cm.

The very nominal inch size equivalents were 19 1/2", 21 1/2", 22 1/2", 23 1/2" 24 1/2" and 25 1/2".

Gitane Super Corsas and TdFs had the classic road racing frame dimensions that French bikes were known for. They had that "Je ne sais quoi" for riding an all day stage race on rough roads.