 |  | | | |  | |  |  | A bit of history and....DELTA PROTOTYPES ! |  | |  |  | |
 Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 11:45 am |
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| nicolas |
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| Joined: 13 Mar 2006 |
| Posts: 543 |
| Location: Paris, France |
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Here is a small article from "cyclisme international" (produced by "winning magazine") from may 92, right after Duclos-Lassalle's first win in Paris Roubaix...
The article is a very small history of how the Gitane brand came to life...look at the picture on the upper right !
I'll make a small translation tomorrow or later this week-end.
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| Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 12:49 pm |
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| sandranian |
| Site Admin |
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| Joined: 27 Feb 2006 |
| Posts: 2701 |
| Location: Southern California |
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INCREDIBLE! Great information, Nicolas!!!
The ones in the picture appear to be aluminum, don't they? Really good stuff. The yellow one seems to be different...almost a mold or something. I would bet that some were aluminum, others fiberglass. Can't wait for the translation. |
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| Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 2:48 am |
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| nicolas |
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| Joined: 13 Mar 2006 |
| Posts: 543 |
| Location: Paris, France |
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The Gitane brand produces 200 000 bikes a year. To ensure its development, the company follows the innovative path initiated by its creator
This is the tale of Mr Brunelière and his old truck. In the year 1925,at any time of the day he was seen going from Machecoul to Nantes and back. Everyone admired this hard worker, long traveller man.
The path of the gipsy
Everyone knew most of the time he was going as far as St Etienne for frames and material to build bikes & motorcycles. The whole village gave him the nickname “the gipsy” (“le gitan”) which he gave back to his products : motorcycles were “gitan” and their little sisters, the bikes “gitane”.
Mr Brunelière was seen as an innovative man. So is the Gitane brand. In collaboration with the aerotechnical institute of St Cyr l’Ecole, they invented the "profile" frame, the delta handlebars and the "appui lombaire". This lead Gitane to the very top. Within 10 yeras, from 1976 to 86, they won the TDF 7 times. Impressive.
In 1992, they’re still in the peloton with RMO because competition is the best way to test new material. But they’re more and more attracted to mountain bike & triathlon. They started building mountain bike frames in aluminium. 2 triathletes were given prototypes with 650 mm wheels (instead of 700mm).
The truck of Mr Brunelière might be quiet now, its path keeps on going. |
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