gitaneusa.com :: View topic - 85-86 Professionnel

CurtEgerer

I recently acquired a beautiful Professionnel frame/fork and have been doing a lot of research in anticipation of building it up this winter. This forum has already been extremely helpful but I still have some questions:

1. Can the serial number be decoded to determine build date and whether it was sold as a complete bike or a frame?

2. I'm assuming that Gitane had the exact same bike lineup in 1985 and 1986 since the catalog covers both years?

3. Campagnolo was in a transition period in 85-86 as well, switching from Super Record to C-Record. I realize the factory used the Victory gruppo, but I will be using either C-Record or Super Record. I think it would be 'period correct' to use either. I'm leaning toward Super Record.

Thanks. -- Gitane Fanatic-in-Training Cool

verktyg

Welcome to the Forum.

The frame is beautiful, looks brand new!

Trek was importing and marketing Gitanes in the US under the company name Cycles de France for a number of years in the early 1980s (and perhaps assembling some bikes too).

An unholy matrimony if ever there was one... Sort of like Ford selling Volvos and Jaguars in the US... But wait a minute, they did! Laughing

http://www.gitaneusa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1772&sid=f6a62f67451f63596b0b177eed90a512

The "Affair" ended in 1986 - it was an ugly scene, hope they had good prenuptials... Laughing

Anyway the 1987 literature (from October, 1986) lists the new company as Cycles Gitane.

Save that serial number, it's your lucky Lotto number! Laughing

The top Gitanes, the Team Pros, Team Replicas and Professionals were sold as both complete bikes and bare frames.

There was no difference in the non serial numbers stamped in the frames of complete bikes and bare frames.

Here's the bottom bracket on a 1985-86 Professional bare frame. It was a 58cm which was to big for me so I traded it for a 1984 Team Pro frame my size.

The number is E039898 with 01 stamped below it. It's also stamped U5847 A.

This is my 1985-86 50cm Professional with a campy Victory gruppo. the number is E039995.

Here's you frame, F033989.

They all have the U5847 number with a different last digit. I suspect that that number meant the frame was for the US market - ala Trek.

During the period, the top of the line Gitanes could have been equipped all Campagnolo, all Mavic or all Spidel (Stronglight, MAFAC, Simplex, Maillard and so on).

Bare frames allowed the use of any brand of components.

In the early 80s after Tulio Campagnolo's death, his son Valentino tried to modernize the company. The Nuovo Record/Super Record style went back to the 1960s and earlier.

Campagnolo want to compete against the Japanese companies, mainly Shimano. They introduced the new Record which was soon changed to C-Record gruppo as a replacement for the Super Record products.

The Victory gruppo was supposed to replace the Nuovo Record gruppo and Triomphe the Gran Sport components.

Two things intervened to keep that from happening until the late 80s.

First, most people who bought Campy components were pretty stick in the mud about changes. There was also the vanity element to the classic Campy parts. They didn't want Shimano look alike stuff.

Second, Campy had no control over their distribution network in Europe. Nuovo Record stuff was supposed to be discontinued in 1986 but new bikes were coming equipped with NR parts in 1988!

Also NR components were available at as much as 1/2 the price of the new Victory and Triomphe parts!

There's little or no difference in performance between Super Record and C-Record components until the late 1980s when Campy improved the rear derailleur design (copied Shimano) and played around with the brakes.

Campy came out with the Delta brakes which people love or hate... either way, they didn't stop worth a ... They also brought out the Monoplanar brakes which worked much better than the 1969 designed Campy NR/SR brakes.

NR/SR brakes looked like this.

Picture showing variations of NR/SR, Monoplanar and Delta brake calipers

Monoplanar Caliper.

A frame like yours deserves to have new or almost new components. Finding those parts in SR is probably going to be more expensive than using C-Record components.

Also, ~1980 Campy brought out a new SR rear derailleur the 4001. It had a maximum 28T rear sprocket capacity.

Personally, if I find a bike that's all or mostly all original I tend to keep it that way except for chainrings and freewheels if I plan on riding it.

Starting from scratch on a bare frame, I use whatever pleases me at the time.

Hope this helps... Wink

CurtEgerer

Chas - thanks for the info! The paint and decals are in amazing original condition for nearly 30 years old, but there is just enough 'patina' that there will be no hesitation to ride it. In fact, the plan is for it to be my main bike (I only ride vintage stuff). It is a 52cm (center to top) as you may have surmised.

A minor observation that recalled an old thread here I saw regarding the squared-off fork dropouts on Team bikes ... similar layout on the rear seat stays:

verktyg

CurtEgerer

My frame has the "Fabrication Francais" sticker on the right side only. Should it be on both sides? Thanks. -- Curt

verktyg

CurtEgerer

That's it, thanks. Now on to the long search for components ... I can't wait to get this thing built and rideable Cool

CurtEgerer

That's it, thanks. Now on to the long search for components ... I can't wait to get this thing built and rideable Cool

scozim

Truly beautiful frame. The anticipation of the build is the part I have the hardest time dealing with - I get too impatient

CurtEgerer

CurtEgerer

It's been a looonnngggg winter, but the bike is nearly complete! All last-gen Super Record. Although I am using a 3TTT fluted post due to difficulty finding a 26.4mm SR post. Here's a few teaser pics. Still needs brakes, stem, bars and a few odds and ends. Trying to get it done for an organized ride on Memorial Weekend.

**disclaimer: just some junk tires on it right now. The good ones go on at the end

CurtEgerer

At long last, the project is done and I did a quick shakedown ride this morning Very Happy

Specs: 52cm Reynolds 531C frame, Campagnolo Super Record gruppo, excepting 3TTT Criterium seatpost, Selle Italia Turbo Hinault Edition saddle, Cinelli 1R with Giro bars, Mavic GP4 rims, Everest Serie Special chain, Mailliard 6-speed freewheel, NOS Benotto tape, Cobra bottle cages, Hutchinson tires.

Frenchbuilt

thats one super job!!

CurtEgerer

Thanks! Turns out to be a very nice riding bike - stable and quite comfortable based upon the first 20 miles or so! The fit is nearly perfect for me. This will be my primary dry weather bike, not a wall hanger Cool

sandranian · Site Admin

Pretty.