gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane » Gitane surfaced in Denmark.    View previous topic :: View next topic  Gitane surfaced in Denmark.   Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 1:17 pm Jeremy Joined: 11 May 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Slaglille, Denmark I´ve just been given a Gitane and I am hoping that someone will be able to tell me what model it is. I think that the forks and handlebars are unoriginal. The wheels definately are. The hubs although Maillard are date stamped 1981. From the frame number I can see the frame at least is from 1977.   Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:02 pm auchencrow Joined: 09 Oct 2011 Posts: 53 Location: Detroit Have a look at the Aubisque GS listed in the '78 Frencch catalog - http://www.gitaneusa.com/catalogues01.asp Yours looks markedly similar to me, with the cottered crank and chain-guard, as well as those fenders and lighting not commonly seen on this side of the pond. As you say, the bars are unoriginal. It is hard to tell from your small photo's, but the fork looks as if it has unpolished chrome up top - in which case my guess would be that it IS an original fork, that someone "improved" by stripping the paint. It is a cool looking bike. _________________ Auchen 1975 or 76 bike   Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:37 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Looks like a 1975 or 76 model based on the head tube decal. It would be the equivalent to a US Gran Sport model. The fenders and lighting could be after market, that is someone added them when or after the bike was sold. The European makers offered different models for specific markets. For example bikes going to The Netherlands (plus Denmark and Germany) would be more likely to have fenders and lighting. In the US, derailleur bikes were marketed as "10 Speed Racing Bikes" even if they were department store gas pipe junk! What aspiring young racer would want fenders and lights on a "racing" bike! The fork is a replacement, probably made by Tange. They came in gray primer or chrome plated. That style crown was usually only found on higher end bikes in the late 70s and into the 80s. _________________ 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 Re: 1975 or 76 bike   Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:49 pm auchencrow Joined: 09 Oct 2011 Posts: 53 Location: Detroit verktyg wrote: ... The fork is a replacement, probably made by Tange. They came in gray primer or chrome plated. That style crown was usually only found on higher end bikes in the late 70s and into the 80s. ^ Chas - With that fork crown, are you saying it is an authentic Gitane service part? I noted that crown was unique. (Most all-chromed service forks I've seen are cheesy high-ten numbers, but are polished all the way up.) _________________ Auchen Re: 1975 or 76 bike   Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 8:15 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area auchencrow wrote: verktyg wrote: ... The fork is a replacement, probably made by Tange. They came in gray primer or chrome plated. That style crown was usually only found on higher end bikes in the late 70s and into the 80s. ^ Chas - With that fork crown, are you saying it is an authentic Gitane service part? I noted that crown was unique. (Most all-chromed service forks I've seen are cheesy high-ten numbers, but are polished all the way up.) No, I've never heard of Gitane service parts as such. In the US from the mid 60s until 1974 Gitanes were imported by Mel Pinto Imports and you could usually get OEM replacement forks from them. From 1974 until the late 70s Gitane Pacific was the importer/distributor. You might have been able to get forks from them too. Another point, in a front end collision severe enough to require a replacement fork, the frame was usually damaged too! When you see a replacement fork on a frame or bike, you should always feel under the top tube and down tube lugs to see if there are any bulges indicating a bent frame. Same thing with buying a frame without a fork. The fork in question is almost certainly a Tange replacement fork. They used to come with either French or British threads. The British thread versions are still available. http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=48482&category=1640 Some Tange replacement forks came with either Chrome-Moly or the cheaper Mangaloy steel tubing. They also came with gray primer or chrome plated. The chrome plated chro-mo forks probably cost ~$50-60 USD back in the day. A number of well known bike makers bought their forks ready made from Tange! They were/are top quality. _________________ 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   Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:14 am auchencrow Joined: 09 Oct 2011 Posts: 53 Location: Detroit Thanks Chas. _________________ Auchen Gitne surfaced in Denmark.   Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 1:54 am Jeremy Joined: 11 May 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Slaglille, Denmark Thanks for the input. Luckilly the bike hasn´t been in a front end collision so I don´t know why the forks were changed. The word LUNGHI is stamped into the fork stem but no other signs of make or origin. The mudguards and lamps are original Gitane. The front lamp bracket is made so the mudguard stay/luggage rack can fit from the fork brackets between the mudguard and the lamp. The top tube is fitted with pump holders which I can´t see on any of the models from 1977. I´m sure the bike is a 1977 model both because of the frame number and also the front and rear changers are date stamped with 1977. I still need help trying to identify the model. Cheers Jeremy. Dating Gitane   Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 1:25 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Gitane used the style of decals on your bike in 1975-76. The head tube decal was different 1974. It wasn't uncommon for Gitane to use up a previous year decals on the next year's bikes. So it's probably a 1977 especially with the date code on the Huret derailleurs. Lunghi was a name that appears in Italian cycle racing. Perhaps your fork came off of an Italian bike. One quick way of telling, measure the steerer: 25mm is French, 25.4mm is Italian and British. Gitane used the same basic low carbon steel frames on bikes like yours from the late 60s throughout the 1970s. They had different model names depending on components and the countries where they were being sold. In the US they were called Apache, Gypsy, Gran Sport, Gran Sport Deluxe and Gitane 600. So finding your exact model is going to be difficult. It's basically the same bike as Gitane sold as their lower priced models with a few extra components. These bikes came with Simplex, Huret or Suntour derailleurs (except the 600 had Shimano components). They came with MAFAC, Weinmann or DiaCompe brakes. Three or four different makes of steel cranks, Pivo stems, steel bars, Lyotard pedals and Normandy hubs. _________________ 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 Gitane surfaced in Demark.   Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 5:24 am Jeremy Joined: 11 May 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Slaglille, Denmark Ok. thanks for all the information. The next problem is decals for the bike. The paint is so bad that the bike is going to need a respray. Do you know if it´s possible to buy the same decals anywhere, in either the US or Europe. Danish Gitane (Aubisque Gs 1332).   Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 9:41 am Jeremy Joined: 11 May 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Slaglille, Denmark I posted back in March 2012 about a Gitane I´de been given. I´ve finally got going with refurbishing the bike and a few numbers have appeared from under the grime. Maybe these numbers could help getting a final identification of the bike. Frame number: WSG 34 73 P. The letter W shows that the bike is imported to Denmark and the letter P shows that the bike is from 1977. On the outer of the left hand side rear dropout there are also two numbers. On the top side of the aksel slot is the number 5677. On the bottom side of the aksel slot is the number 247. The rear changer is a Huret Eco but of course the two gear wheels are completely worn out. Is it possible to buy replacment Huret gearwheels or any other make that fits. On the Shimano gearwheels I´ve tried the hole in the middle is too small. Re: Danish Gitane (Aubisque Gs 1332).   Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 5:32 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Jeremy wrote: .Maybe these numbers could help getting a final identification of the bike. Frame number: WSG 34 73 P. The letter W shows that the bike is imported to Denmark and the letter P shows that the bike is from 1977. On the outer of the left hand side rear dropout there are also two numbers. On the top side of the aksel slot is the number 5677. On the bottom side of the aksel slot is the number 247. Where did you get this information about Gitane serial numbers? We determined several years ago that the supposed serial numbers were random and were probably manufacturing procsess numbers. Jeremy wrote: Is it possible to buy replacement Huret gearwheels or any other make that fits. On the Shimano gearwheels Ive tried the hole in the middle is too small. Sound's like you are taking about the freewheel. back then, most Gitanes came with Atom or Maillard/Normandy freewheels. Replacement cogs can be found but are not readily available. Usually the whole freewheel is replaced instead. Atom freewheels look like this except they usually have black teeth. They use a special splined tool to remove them for the hub. Rear view: The Maillard/Normandy had much larger removal splines. It's highly likely that your bike has a metric (French) threaded freewheel. Sometimes the thread is marked on the back. For example, Atom and Maillard/Normandy freewheels have a rectangular stamp like the one shown indicating that they are British thread. Metric generally has no marking. You can find metric freewheels on eBay. _________________ 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 Re: Danish Aubisque.   Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 5:51 am Jeremy Joined: 11 May 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Slaglille, Denmark If a bike is imported into Denmark the frame number always starts with W and the last letter of the frame number indicates the YEAR OF IMPORT. As this is a circular system P can be for 1955, 1977 or 1998 which dates my bike as a 1977 model even though it could have been produced in 1976. As for the numbers on the rear drop out I don´t know what they stand for. The `gear wheels´I refer to are the jockey wheels in the rear changer not the freewheel.   Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 8:03 pm livcyxingfoe Joined: 30 Mar 2013 Posts: 3 If a bike is imported into Denmark the frame _________________ Runescape Gold|Rs Gold _________________ DSFG df Gitane surfaced in Denmark.     gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours   Page 1 of 1   All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First  Select a forum Gitane USA----------------Vintage GitaneGitane RacingModern GitanePro Racing - Classics/Giro/Tour....Owner Gallery   Powered by phpBB © 2001-2004 phpBB Group Designed for Trushkin.net | Themes Database.