gitaneusa.com :: View topic - Help me identify Gitane made Cybreta frame

jomhod

Hi all!
Sorry in advance for any bad spelling. I live in Sweden and because of the lack of Gitane-expertise over here I turn to american expertise Smile

I recently bought an Cybreta track frame from Nantes, France. Cybretas bikes in the upper segments were made in the shop/factory in Nantes. Others were made at the Gitane factory, which apparently is the deal with my frame according to the guys at Pignonfixe.com.
Although, no one can tell me what tubing my frame is made by. Therefore I turn to you, experts in the fine arts of Gitane, for help.

The frame is 62 cm. It has a Spidel BB and due to a rather crappy paintjob, I suspect that it's probably been resprayed at some point. According to the former owner it has been used by a local cycle blub on the velodrom in Nantes since new. My plan is to restore it to what I think it looked like as new, that is with Campa or Stronglight cranks, Campa/Mavic wheels and 3T stem+bars.

I'm very thankful for any input you can give me. As I said, in Sweden there are not many Gitane-experts, and probably even fewer Cybreta-experts. Thanks in advance!

More pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/69327333@N02/6303482745/in/photostream/

lofter

look inside the bottom bracket and see if the original color hides inside there. my track frame ,the profile s ,was repainted and when i took the bb out the original blue color was still inside it. as for tubing , tough one there. could be reynolds, could be vitus ,could be columbus. ive never heard of this brand before. doesnt mean it wasnt made by gitane , just never heard much of gitane making bikes for others . not that it hasn't happened . has anybody else hear ever hear of other gitane made rebranded bikes?

jomhod

Thanks for the fast answer. According to the seller the frame was painted in the cycling clubs colors by Cybreta before it was sold. If that is true, the frame probably was'nt made by Gitane. However, a guy at pignonfixe, who has a frame that looks almost the same, is fairly sure of the Gitane origin. Who knows whats right or wrong in this story Smile

Any one else have an idea what tubing it may be?

scozim

Do you have some close ups of the lugs and fork

Christophe

Hi jomhold, Cybreta stands for Cycles Bretagne : bicycles from Brittany . It's the name of the store located in Nantes, and Nantes is considered located in Britanny ( long story ... ). The store was owned by a local racer, Pierre Matignon, then later by his son Pierrick who won some races in mountain biking. It seems they rode Gitane frames. Maybe they sold gitane frames branded Cybreta, or maybe they made them by themselves. I think it's possible to try to contact them by mail , either the store or directly Pierre Matignon. You bought the frame by yourself in Nantes, so your french should be fine. If necessary, I can translate your question and contact them for you, feel free to ask.
Regards.

jomhod

S: yes, I have posted a couple on my Flickr. Link is in my first post.

C: wow, that's some intel youv'e got there Smile

thanks! Unfourtanly my french is really bad. I was lucky enough to find a guy at leboncoin.fr that was really good at english.
Mailing the cybreta-guys, smart move. I guess i'll get my girlfriend to write them in french. But if you could help me find their adresses it would be great! Then maby we'll find out if Gitane made frames for other brands.

verktyg

Christophe posted some good info about Cybreta.

A number of French bike shops rebadged Gitane frames and bikes in late 70s and 1980s (they removed the Gitane decals and put their own labels on the frames).

The better quality Gitane track frames usually had Campy dropouts. Campy track dropouts were quite a bit oversize so builders frequently ground them down.

These dropouts are a lot thicker than the standard stamped steel dropouts found on lower priced Gitane track frames. You may be able to see the Campagnolo logo stamped in the dropouts.

Tubing? The frame could be made of any kind of tubing from "gas pipe" carbon steel to one of the better alloy steel tubing brands.