| | | | | | | | | New Member, New bike! 1984 Gitane | | | | | |
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:12 pm |
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dancheet |
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010 |
Posts: 5 |
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Hello all!
My nishiki, which I restored, was stolen after I left it overnight infront of my office building. After looking on craigslist I stumbled across this gem.
Rode 15 miles today and this thing is light and quick!
From what I am told, it is a 1984 Gitane Tour De France 58cm. (Although under the crank housing it is stamped "Modele VITUS Depose". I bought it from a bike mechanic who was the second owner. Original owner evidently had it on an indoor trainer for over 10 years! It was taken down to bare metal and professionally repainted in a metallic burgandy. It is made of Super Vitus tubing 983. The bike weighs 21lbs as it sits. Everything that's old on it has either been replaced or rebuilt and polished. It has first generation Shimano Durace Cranks, Platform pedals, Mavic Open CXP Hoops, Brand new Hutchison Tires, Shimano Durace 8spd rear hub, Shimano 600 Groupo(ultegra), Durace brakes front and rear.
I will post more detailed photos very soon! Happy to learn more about this bike and the community!
- Cheetham
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:55 am |
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scozim |
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Joined: 26 Sep 2008 |
Posts: 629 |
Location: Ellensburg, WA |
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Welcome. Very nice bike - you'll love the ride. I like the white saddle/bar tape combination. I've done that on one of mine and it really stands out. |
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:25 pm |
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dancheet |
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010 |
Posts: 5 |
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Thanks! yeah the white helps out alot, especially here in Arizona where the sun can heat things up pretty quick.
Also, I know most of the people here like bikes that are original as possible, so thanks for putting up with this modernized set of wheels!
Here are some better frame pictures...tell you anything new? Does it look right?
Thanks!
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:48 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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The forks are not original. They appear to be aluminum, and that bike should have come with steel forks.
The "Vitus" stamp that you were referring to is a removable plastic cable-guide. Most Gitane's included those in the 1980s, so that would make sense. The serial numbers are pretty feint. If you remove the cable guide, you might see the original color underneath(?). It appears that it was left on the bike when it was resprayed, which is an oddity.
Can you take a picture of:
(1) The seat tube cluster, including the seatpost binder bolt;
(2) The rear dropouts.
Interesting bike. |
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 2:20 pm |
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Wisey |
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Joined: 19 May 2009 |
Posts: 631 |
Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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The mid 80s 'bubble' decals would look nice on that deep red, I think. Like the 1984 TdF, but with a nicer red. |
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_________________ Kind Regards,
Wisey
Delta Dreamin' |
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:56 pm |
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dancheet |
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010 |
Posts: 5 |
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Here is an image of the rear dropouts...
and seat post...
I there is a set of white Gitane decals that would look killer...40 bucks tho |
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 7:44 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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The frameset appears to be a Gitane...with the "fastback" binder bolt, lugs etc. The fork is not original though, but as long as it doesn't affect the ride, then more power to you! I agree that the bubble decals would look great...but the white ones would too...so whichever you choose I support! |
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| | | | | | | | | Tour de france | | | | | |
Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 11:16 pm |
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verktyg |
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Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
Posts: 2814 |
Location: SF Bay Area |
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The frame is most likely a 1983 or 84 Tour de France model. You can probably confirm that by looking at the overspray in the seat tube, head tube or bottom bracket shell.
A 1983 TdF may be a solid fire engine red. I've never seen one, just judging from the color in the 1983 catalog. In 1984 the color was an orangish slightly metallic color red.
If there is overspray and it's blue, it could be a Super Corsa, Criterium or even a Sprint model frame.
The fork is not original. It's an aluminum fork from a Vitus aluminum frame bike.
The original fork on a Tour de France or Super Corsa from those years would have been chrome plated steel.
Tour de France and Super Corsa frames were the same during those years only the paint color and components differed. |
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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: Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:10 am |
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dancheet |
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010 |
Posts: 5 |
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Wow!
Thanks a ton guys! The more I research Gitane, the more excited I am to own one. I will post more pictures as the "Red Baron" continues to evolve.
Sunday I will have pictures from the bike shop whigh show before/after of the bike, including it's original paint, taking it down to bare metal, etc. |
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Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 2:35 pm |
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Wisey |
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Joined: 19 May 2009 |
Posts: 631 |
Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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_________________ Kind Regards,
Wisey
Delta Dreamin' |
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| | | | | | | | | Re: Tour de france | | | | | |
Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:55 am |
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logarto |
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Joined: 18 Feb 2008 |
Posts: 56 |
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verktyg wrote: |
The frame is most likely a 1983 or 84 Tour de France model. You can probably confirm that by looking at the overspray in the seat tube, head tube or bottom bracket shell.
A 1983 TdF may be a solid fire engine red. I've never seen one, just judging from the color in the 1983 catalog. |
Sure you have!
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pq1BuRSi
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pq1BuWRA
My camera sucks so bad indoors that it looks like the 1984 orange one.
I'll see if I can get home early enough tonight to use natural light.
This bike with the vitus aluminum fork is definitely a respray no way the 1983 Gitane Red was that metallic. The easiest way to tell 1983 vs 1984 is whether it is a 61 or 62 cm center to top. Which in turn will tell you whether it was Vitus 980 or Vitus 983 tubing.
I'm becoming very fond of this generation of Shimano 600/Ultegra shifting parts too. At one point I had four of those first generation Dura-Ace cranks but I've sold my way down to just the Gold-Anodized BMX one, which regretabbly doesn't have the same cachet today as the Anodized Campy BMX parts from the same era.
Both of them were dirt cheap as the BMX market rejected "three piece" crank technology in the late 1980s but the Campy stuff pulls absolutely absurd money in the "collectable" market now.
I've never seen one longer than 170 mm and I'm curious if this one might be? |
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