gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Vintage Gitane » My new TdF    View previous topic :: View next topic  My new TdF   Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:55 pm overfedlonghairedgnome Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 64 Location: Antelope Valley, CA I spent some time cleaning and examining the TdF I bought from a friend earlier this week. I assumed that it was an early '70s model based on the Lyotard 460D pedals, Stronglight 93 cranks, and foil decals. But I noticed that the lugs were BCM (Bocama), which I learned from the fantastic post from Robert_B came later. So, what year might have both? Notice the BCM on the headtube bottom lug. Brooks saddle and Ideale clamp, I wonder if that's original? Also, it appears that I may have a serial number stamped into the left dropout. Looks like "3112" is stamped on the bottom of the dropout. So, what do you think? Thanks - Jim _________________ Jim The overfed long haired leaping gnome   Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:44 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California My vote if for 1974...but that is a guess based on the information that we have available at the moment. Regarding the serial numbers, we haven't been able to figure out anything with regards to them, although in the mid 1980's Gitane did stamp in the year on at least some of their frames. I have thought about a registry with regards to the serial numbers, but don't haven't thought through any legal/ownership implications (I am not sure if it is a good idea to post your bike's serial numbers on the web). What do ya'll think? _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com serial numbers   Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:03 pm Paul Wiseman Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 584 Location: Brisbane, Australia Probably just the winning lotto numbers for that particular week in '74 . Re: register. I don't see an issue if people 'register' their bikes voluntarily. Just don't use your gitane's serial number as the password for you internet banking! Would certainly help to ID a stolen bike if that ever were to happen...... (A guy I know here in Oz had a NOS peugeot PX10 stolen this year!!) _________________ Wisey Brisbane, Australia 1974 Paris - Nice 1985 Defi 1985 Victoire 1985 Victoire (yes, another one!) 1985 Professionnel   Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:23 pm sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California That was one thought I had...pretty easy to then figure out your bike's serial number if it is posted on the internet...listing you as the owner. I don't have a clue as to mine right now, so I guess it would help me out. I want to put a page up where people can post a picture of thier bike as well, like the galleries on the http://www.campyonly.com/ website. _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com gallery   Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:47 pm Paul Wiseman Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 584 Location: Brisbane, Australia That would be very cool. We all like to show off a bit. _________________ Wisey Brisbane, Australia 1974 Paris - Nice 1985 Defi 1985 Victoire 1985 Victoire (yes, another one!) 1985 Professionnel Re: My new TdF   Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:15 am verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area overfedlonghairedgnome wrote: I spent some time cleaning and examining the TdF I bought from a friend earlier this week. I assumed that it was an early '70s model based on the Lyotard 460D pedals, Stronglight 93 cranks, and foil decals. But I noticed that the lugs were BCM (Bocama), which I learned from the fantastic post from Robert_B came later. So, what year might have both? Notice the BCM on the headtube bottom lug. Brooks saddle and Ideale clamp, I wonder if that's original? So, what do you think? Thanks - Jim Gold colored Gitanes were a pretty rare color before 1975. I had a gold 1972 or 1973 Super Corsa which I can kick myself for selling. In the US, metallic dark green, red, copper, turquoise, solid white and solid orange were the most common Gitane colors in the early 1970s. I remember seeing one black Grand Sport. Early 1970s Tour de France bikes had Reynolds 531 frames with Simplex dropouts, Stronglight 93 cranks, Stronglight V4 Competition headsets, Lyotard 460D alloy pedals, Mafac Competition brakes, Simplex Criterium derailleurs, Normandy Luxe Competition high flange hubs and cheap Mavic sewup rims without eyelets, steel seatposts and killer round top plastic seats. I'm guessing that yours is a 1972 or 1973 model. Gitane started shipping TdFs with Sugino Mighty (Campy copies) cranks by late 1973 and continued through 1974 because Stronglight 93 cranks were in short supply. They also came with Campy Nuovo Tipo high flange hubs because Normandy Luxe hubs were scarce. After 1974 Gitane stopped using foil decals. The TdFs started coming with the Huret "honey comb" rear dropouts and were only 3 main tubes Reynolds 531 not the whole frame as in earlier models. The earlier TdF and Super Corsa frames came with Prugnat lugs. Most of the other Gitane models of that era had Bocama lugs. Some TdFs used short point Bocama lugs. My 1971 Super Corsa had Prugnat lugs but I think my gold one had long point Bocama lugs. The Brooks saddle was definitely and addition. Chas.   Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:24 pm overfedlonghairedgnome Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 64 Location: Antelope Valley, CA Thanks to all for the replies I would like it to be a 1974 model, that's the year I graduated high school and took up bicycling! It's true that there should be some concern for publishing serial numbers on the internet. I am also involved with vintage muscle cars and am a member of a registry for my car. We don't publish or have direct access to our registry on-line. We make a publication about every 5 years and distribute it among the registry owners. Of course, some make it on the ebay and such so our security is not assured. But with the big bucks being paid for these cars at high profile auctions, and the sophistication of cloning these cars, a misplaced serial number can make a big time crook and a miserable buyer. I am for a registry, especially if anyone has any interest in production numbers, variations from the "catalog" bike, etc. I would like to eventually restore my TdF with correct decals but in the meantime it will become a sport bike for my son while he is at college. _________________ Jim The overfed long haired leaping gnome My new TdF     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.