 |  | | | |  | |  |  | Is it possible to discriminate between 1969 and 1970 TdFs? |  | |  |  | |
 Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:44 am |
 |
|
| mountaindave |
|
 |
|
| Joined: 22 Jun 2010 |
| Posts: 75 |
| Location: Flathead Valley, MT |
|
|
|
Because it's the way I am, I am trying to identify the specific year that my TdF was made. The seller said '69 or '70. Looking through the "identify" sticky, I have confirmed that it is likely one of those two years.
-Fork decal has the "102" model number trimmed off.
-Stronglight 93 crank
-Normandy Luxe Competition hubs
-Mavic tubular rims
-pre-1974 Reynolds decal
-Prugnat long point lugs
-Nervex Professional fork crown
-Simplex rear dropout with "horn"
-Willow leaf brazed on seat stay cap (a bit oversized)
-Brazed or bake cable bridge
What am I missing? Is there anything distinctive between the two years?
MD |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |  |  | | | |  |  |
| | | | | | | | | Re: Is it possible to discriminate between 1969 and 1970 TdF | | | | | |
| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 9:35 am |
|
|
| verktyg |
|
 |
|
| Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
| Posts: 2814 |
| Location: SF Bay Area |
|
|
|
| mountaindave wrote: |
...I am trying to identify the specific year that my TdF was made. The seller said '69 or '70. ...Is there anything distinctive between the two years?
MD |
Non.
The 1969-73 TdFs brought into to the US by Mel Pinto Imports differed from the bikes made for the rest of the world. They had Reynolds 531 forks and rear stays plus the rear triangle was 1/2 chrome plated.
Only the three main tubes on the non US frames where Reynolds 531. The rest of the tubing was something else and the rear triangle was painted instead of half chromed.
Also those European TdF frames came with either Simplex or Huret derailleurs. They had proprietary rear dropouts that only fit the particular brand of rear derailleur that was fitted to the bike.
If you got a TdF with Huret rear dropout you were pretty much stuck with using a Huret rear derailleur.
Gitane started using the classic Mylar foil decals in 1968. The US model TdFs weren't available until February, 1969.
The "willow leaf" seat stay caps were only used on 1969 and 1970 TdFs.
If the Mavic rims are original they may have a date of manufacture stamped into them but that's not a guarantee of when the bike was built.
One other consideration, Gitane and the other large European bike manufacturers built frames in large batches to be painted as needed.
So a frame could have been built in say early 1969 and not assembled and shipped out of the factory until late 1970 or 71...
Then it could have sat in Mel Pinto's warehouse for another year and then at the bikes shop...
Mid range bikes like the TdFs never represented more than about 3% of bike sales during the early 70s bike boom so they didn't sell as quickly as the entry level models.
So again, the answer is NON!  |
|
_________________
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: Tue Jul 08, 2014 11:20 am |
|
|
| mountaindave |
|
|
|
| Joined: 22 Jun 2010 |
| Posts: 75 |
| Location: Flathead Valley, MT |
|
|
|
No date stamp on the Mavic rims and I definitely have Simplex dropouts front and back.
I guess I'll just go with what I thought originally and call it a 1970. Don't know why, but '69 just seems cooler than '70.
Thanks anyways!
MD |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 1969 TdF | | | | | |
| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 1:26 pm |
|
|
| verktyg |
|
|
|
| Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
| Posts: 2814 |
| Location: SF Bay Area |
|
|
|
I think that I decided that my earliest TdF was a 1969 based on the date codes on the rims.
Sometimes Simplex rear derailleurs have a date code stamped on the back side of the pulley cage.
2 72 = Feb 1972
Before:
After:
 |
|
_________________
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: Tue Jul 08, 2014 3:42 pm |
|
|
| mountaindave |
|
|
|
| Joined: 22 Jun 2010 |
| Posts: 75 |
| Location: Flathead Valley, MT |
|
|
|
| Unfortunately my rear derailleur has been replaced with a generic Shimano SIS RD. Doesn't look crashed, perhaps the plastic Simplex gave up the ghost. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Shimano Derailleurs | | | | | |
| Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:55 am |
|
|
| verktyg |
|
|
|
| Joined: 14 Jan 2007 |
| Posts: 2814 |
| Location: SF Bay Area |
|
|
|
When I got my 69 TdF, it had pre SIS Shimano 600 derailleurs with Suntour bar end shifters.
I bought it from the LBS that originally sold it back in 1969. The original owner was using it for cyclocross style off road riding. Aside from those changes and the saddle, everything else was original. |
|
_________________
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: Wed Jul 09, 2014 6:48 am |
|
|
| mountaindave |
|
|
|
| Joined: 22 Jun 2010 |
| Posts: 75 |
| Location: Flathead Valley, MT |
|
|
|
| Wow, that's impressive. And reassuring. I'll be riding this on the Cino this year or the next - lots of forest service roads. I'll be sure to get nice and wide tubulars. Unfortunately there aren't many options with tan sidewalls, might just go with all black. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | |
|
