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Kinst VonSterga

Hello gents,

I need some assistance in identifying this model ... at first I thought it to be a 66' competition, but the lugs are all wrong (as they're the beautiful prof. Nervex variety) and the tubing/forks are full Reynolds 531 (thinner gauge 531), rather than a Reynolds/Durifort combination. I was told that it may be a Gitane Professional or Superbe, based on the parts. Frame Dimensions: Seat tube: 60cm c-c, Top tube: 58.5 c-c.
Cheers,

Pics updated - see renovation thread below.

http://www.gitaneusa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2663

smilingroadrunner

G'day Kinst, I like large frames !!!

I'm sure other detectives will chime in, but you might want to go back and take a look at some of the forum comments related and posted by member Holger Particularly his posts:

June 28 2008, "60's Gitane
Dec 23 2008 "60's Gitane
Feb 8 2009 reply to "1957 Gitane on Ebay"

The Anquetil photo on the seat-tube may help an "era" for this frame---and given the Reynolds tubing & chrome socks my guess would be possibly a Competition or more likely with the headset a TdeF model
seems like the comments from these earlier posts would place this as a late 60's frameset --- possibly '65---'67.

The Catalog section for '66--shows a frame with the integrated pump holders on the upper frame tube---but the downtube decals don't match.

Anyhow ---an excellent looking frame & finish given its' 40+ years. Smile

I Like Steel !!!!!!!
______________

C.A.
Salina, Ks.

P.S. Sorry fellows, I'm sure there is a way to " put a 'link' " to the above mentioned posts-----I was short of time this morning ---and possibly one of our more computer savy members can explain to us "Noobs" the process to set up a short cut with a link

smilingroadrunner

Sorry, another comment:

I really like the Hand Painted accents with the Gold pinstriping---"steady hands" on the rear stay caps

Possibly any more close-up photos ??? (edit___sorry went back and read your post, as the frame is in transit ) Are those Campy front & rear drop outs ???

C.A.

Kinst VonSterga

Thanks for the post-hints to lookup next.

60-62cm frames (c-t) are perfect for me, so I'm happy to find this one as anything over 62cm is too big due to the top-tube/reach dimensions (and I don't like stubby little handlebar stems).

The fork-ends and drop-outs are Campagnolo and the decals do not look to be foiled (except for a small part of the head tube decal), like my other Gitanes that are from the very early 70s.

LeicaLad

I'll be very eager to hear from the other experts, too. I've never seen a Gitane with what look to be Nervex lugs. It has to be pre-70's. If those photos are anything to go by, it appears to be in fabulous condition.

So, did I miss the size? Is it a 62?

Lucky boy! I love my project bike, but this is a true beauty!

Owen

vanhelmont

Fantastic frame, Kinst. Like most everybody else I love Nervex professional lugs.

Since you are in a humid place, although maybe not as bad as here in Florida, you might want to treat the bare spots with a rust converter. You can dab it on with a q-tip, and it converts surface rust into iron phosphate with some organic that stops further rust, and paint sticks to it well if you decide to follow up by touching up the spots. Since it's a liquid it can work its way in and convert rust under the paint next to the chip, so you don't have to sand and scrape. Auto parts stores sell it. The one I got is called "Right Stuff."

I even poured it inside my frame and let it work on the little bit of rust that was there.

Don't get it on alloy or galvanized parts because it's a bit acidic.

Dave

Holger

Fantastic Frame! Love this handpainted french flag.

best wishes ,
Holger

by the way, there is a nice Mixte bike on ebay germany also from the 60`s

http://cgi.ebay.de/Gitane-Franzosisches-Touren-Sport-Rad-60er-J-/220624846205?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Sport_Radsport_Fahrr%C3%A4der&hash=item335e43fd7d

Kinst VonSterga

Seatpost:I have all the parts to put back on the frame as the only thing I don't have is a 26.6 seatpost. Help needed w/the Headset: [/b]

greyhundguy

Are you sure the seat post was 26.6 and not 26.4? I don't know about the 60's. In the early 70's, Gitane 531 frames were 26.4. I have three of them. Either way you are correct, it will be hard to locate a Campy seat post if that is what you want to use.

Jay

Kinst VonSterga

Hi Jay,

Unlike my other 70's gitanes which are all 26.4 (which I have spare seatposts for), the tubing on this Gitane is definitely 26.6 I.D. until its begins to "butt" towards the bottom end of the seattube. I could put the 26.4 into it, but I would have to overtighten the seat-clamp to keep it in place and am afraid to do so for fear of damaging the seatclamp/lug as its in such nice condition now.

greyhundguy

greyhundguy

P.S.
The two currently listed on eBay are waaaaaaaaaaaay over priced.

Jay

LeicaLad

Depends on how long you can wait. I have a spare 26.6 Campy Record post with the twin adjusters. It's period correct. It's in Va, and I'm in Ks. I'll be back by end of the month.

Owen

verktyg

Back in the pre-bike boom era of the 60s, many French bikes used lighter gage tubing with thinner wall thickness than was used in the 70s.

Most of the larger European bike manufacturers produced all Campy "show case' models but they were out of the price range most buyers could afford or were willing to spend.

WHAT! $300 for a bicycle! You gotta be out of your mind!

You could buy a 1966 VW new for $1352.00 USD! ...and in France, a Citroën 2CV for a lot less NFs (nouveau franc)!

You could also use the 2CV to plow the back 40 plus still take the family to town on a few centimes of gas!

In the US in the 60s, bikes were still considered "kid's toys". Better quality ten speeds were were usually found only around college campuses: egghead nerds brought them back from Europe.

Getting back to your bike, it very well could take a 26.6mm seatpost. Standard metric diameter 1mm/0.7mm wall thickness Reynolds 531 seat tubes used a 26.4mm seatpost. The next lighter gage of tubing - 0.9mm/0.6mm would take a 26.6mm post.

The heavier gage Reynolds 531 was used on production bikes for many reasons (especially after the bike boom got rolling):

Less skilled employees could be used to braze the frames because there was a lower chance of overheating the tubing. They could work faster with thicker tubing too.

The heavier tubes were less likely to get dented during handling in production and assembly.

Then there were lawyer or safety issues... Heavier gage tubing was less likely to fail even with abuse!

Since your frame was a rare model, much more care would have been used during assembly

It's hard to get an accurate measurement of the inside of a seat tube without a bore gage. The lugs are frequently oval shaped out of round from heat warpage during brazing plus overtightening on an undersize seatpost. A 26.4mm seatpost may fit fine or be too loose depending on the shape of the seat tube.

I recommend getting a small brake cylinder brush hone at an auto parts store and clean up the inside on the seat tube. Use it with an electric drill. Also if you get a small enough hone ~ 27mm, you can use it to polish the inside of the fork steerer too.

You want to remove excess paint overspray, dirt and corrosion so that the seatpost and stem can be easily inserted. For $10 bucks it's well worth it!

I have some special tools that I use to round out seat tube lugs (some old 1/2" drive sockets attached to some 1/2" all thread). After getting the lug reasonably round, I use an adjustable reamer to size the seat tube and then hone it to smooth out the inside.

Most importantly, I use a small file to remove any burrs inside the seat tube around the slot in the rear and the air hole in the front. Those are what cause the snake skin pattern of scratches on aluminum seatposts.

Campy headsets (and similar sized models) have a 41mm stack height, that is the combined thickness of all of the components including the ball bearings. Stronglight P3 headsets are 33mm and V4 competitions are 38mm high.

Measure the amount of steering tube sticking out of the head tube. It should be at least 41mm plus 2-3mm for the Mafac center pull brake cable hanger.

A bike like this is worthy of doing a proper restoration including the correct Campy components. Many French bikes from that era came with Campy derailleurs but Stronglight or TA cranks.

Note: all threads are going to be standard French metric.

verktyg

Here's some picture that I lifted off the web a long time ago of a restored 1962 Gitane Competition. Apologies to the original poster!

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?286513-1962-gitane-competition-bike