gitaneusa.com :: View topic

Blacktopdisciple

Hi folks

Here is my recent acquisition

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16704837@N08/8599289246/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16704837@N08/8599298824/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16704837@N08/8598203443/in/photostream/

It has Durifort tubing, Bocama lugs with ring reinforcements (according to info gleaned from this site) and what I believe to be Huret dropouts. I think they are Huret as they resemble the pictures on Velobase and have the adjusters with the half moon ends. It takes a 26.2mm seatpost. The only braze ons are the mudguard eyelets and the deraileur cable guide brazed directly to the dropout. The fork crown has pantographed symbols like OgO on the top of each side. It was sold by Gattaut et Fils Cycles et Cyclos, 77 Melun to P Brossier according to the license plate and dealer decal.

It has Atom alloy small flange front hub with P 1001 skewer, New Star steel rear hub with P 1001 skewer, galvanised spokes, Rigida steel Supercromix rims, Michelin 700 by 25 c tyres. The 5 speed block is by Cyclo, front and rear deraileurs and levers are Huret Svelto. The downtube gear cable guide is by Simplex. The cottered bottom bracket is by Stronglight. The triple chainset has 50, 45 and 36 tooth rings, all detachable. Pedal look like Loytard but I think they are by Union as they are made in Germany. The clips are Gerardin and straps Gitane. Bottle cage is steel clamp on, headset is steel and stem is a Nitto Pearl. Thats definetly not original. The bars are steel. Brakes are Mafac Racer with Huret cable clips and Mafac hangers. Saddle is a Challenge Pro with Ideal clamp. Seat pin is alloy and marked SMT Brevetti, made in Italy. Seatpin bolt is a lovely allen key item.

Now I know that the Svelto mechs were made up to 1976 (according to Disraeli Gears) but the decals are late 1970,s according to Ebay seller Cyclomondos reproductions. These two facts dont mix well with me. I wonder if it has had new decals fitted or been retro fitted with older parts? The lack of braze ons and cottered cranks do suggest early 70s to me. I think I can spot some residuel adhesive on the seat tube that suggests an older decal was once there. I cant be sure thought.

So if you have read this far and not fallen asleep I would be very grateful if you could suggest what model I have and how old you think it is.

Many thanks for your time.

Trefor, Glasgow, Scotland.[/url]

sandranian · Site Admin

Flickr page is listed as private...so I can't see the pics!

Blacktopdisciple

Opps sorry about that. Ive now made the photos public so anyone can see them.

Trefor
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

vanhelmont

Nice looking bike. The triple chainset should make it one of the higher cylotourist models, and also in the 70s they brazed the brake cable guides on lower models but not higher. The idea was that brazing to thin wall tubing can weaken the tubing. The fork also looks like late 70s. In the 1978 catalog the Federal, the top cyclotourist model has cotterless cranks and triple chainset, and no braze-ons, but 531, not durifort. The aubisque, the next model down, has cottered cranks and a double, and appears to have braze-ons. Since the stem is changed, maybe the derailleurs are, too, but it is odd that you would have cottered cranks with a high grade frame at that late date. Maybe it was a model that came with a cotterless double, the owner wanted a triple, and the cottered triple was cheap or readily available?

Dave

Blacktopdisciple

Thanks for all that Dave. Its confusing to try and come up with a theory of what this bike is and how old it is. Interesting that you think the fork is late 70's. The guy I bought it off believes the stem to be from the late 70's and that it was fitted by the original owner.

Could I have an early 70's bike with late 70's decals, fork and stem? Why would this be? Possible a failure happened or the bike was crashed? If the bike was crashed why was the front wheel not damaged? It has what I believe to be an early 70s hub.

Here are some pictures of the front and rear hub, tubing decal, dropout and chainset.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16704837@N08/8614426022/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16704837@N08/8614425202/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16704837@N08/8613316419/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16704837@N08/8613315197/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16704837@N08/8613314215/in/photostream/

verktyg

Looks like a late 70s Interclub or similar European model.

Blacktopdisciple

Thats my frame Chas. Is that what that is, a late 70's Interclub. Guess the factory must have been using up old stock when they put the gears on my bike. Thanks for the reply and photos.

Im going to strip, clean and rebuild the bike. Im hoping to find a period correct alloy rim (I already have one Rimtec alloy one) to replace the steel rims. I might replace the rear hub with the same type as the front. Im going to replace the bars (rusty steel) and stem with period correct French ones and must get a longer seatpost so the bike fits me. The saddle needs some repair work to the cover and my friend will help with this. Im going to fit a Carradice saddle bag to it and a bell and maybe an old odometer. Then, bobs your uncle, Im on the road.

Cheers

Tref