Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Gitane Tour de France?

I have a 1984(?) Gitane Tour de France that I am looking to sell and am wondering what a fair market value is on it. It has all original parts and shows very little wear to it. All stickers are in excellant shape. It is red and the frame is attached by brackets(?). The question of the brackets was brought up by a bike shop and I really think they were low balling me.

Pictures.

Here are some photos of the bike.

"lugs" I think is what you mean by brackets...it's a later TdF, from the '80s but I'd have to consult the catalogs on gitaneusa.com to nail the year (you can do that, too). Not as desired or collectible as the early Tdf, but you may find somebody who wants just this year (too bad it isn't Team blue/yellow livery, that might add to its perceived value). The plastic Ofmega RD is hilarious, but again: it might float someone's boat...was that OEM?
Edit: I checked the catalogs and the graphics look like 1985, but the specs are more in line with an '84 TdF which was Super Vitus 983 tubing and damned if the Ofmega RD was not original! But in '84 it would also have an Ofmega Mistral crankset (check) and Modolo Speedy black brakes/levers (no check)...in '85 the model name changed, went to Reynolds 501 tubing and Campagnolo Victory stuff...so, typical Gitane sketchiness between the published specs and reality. Could be a late year transition, a Euro model, or standard procedure for Gitane: use whatever comes to hand.
Value is tough to call: maybe you should give us your location since that's a big factor.

Wow, thats a pretty cool bike. That Ofmega RD is really cool, its picture was used on the www.disraeligears.co.uk front page recently. I like the pink version! Would you mind telling us what the bike shop offered you?
http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Ofmega_Mistral_Maglia_Rosa_derailleur_files/IMGP3045-filtered.jpg

It's not an '84; it's an '83 (http://www.gitaneusa.com/images/catalog/1983_pg3.jpg).

I'm not sure of the value either. You might want to ask on the vintage forum at Gitane USA (http://www.gitaneusa.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=1). If anybody would know, they would.

my location is Denver Colorado, and everything is original on it. All still works great.

It's not an '84; it's an '83 (http://www.gitaneusa.com/images/catalog/1983_pg3.jpg).

I'm not sure of the value either. You might want to ask on the vintage forum at Gitane USA (http://www.gitaneusa.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=1). If anybody would know, they would.

good eye and a good call to take the enquiry to the Gitane forum:thumb:

Not familiar with that year, but just looking at the catalog specs I'll throw a $200 floor on value out there.

The question of the brackets was brought up by a bike shop and I really think they were low balling me.I'm a little confused. Was the bike shop dissing the bike because it's lugged? If so, they're full of it. Lugged steel bikes in the 70s - 80s were the standard of excellence in frame-building. If they're dissing this bike, they either don't know vintage bikes, or they're low-balling you. Either way, they're not a reliable source of information. The Tour de France was one of Gitane's nicer racing bikes, third from top of the line. It won't command the same kind of price as one of today's high end racing bikes, but it's not an entry-level vintage bike by any means.

I still have no idea what they're worth, but I agree that at a minimum, it's worth at least $200, and probably worth more (I'll guess $400 as the upper end of its price range).

Wait-- I think maybe the bike shop was talking about the bottom bracket. Even if it's French thread (and it may not be by '83), it's not s big a problem to replace as people make it out to be. And it may not even be French thread, in which case there's no issue at all with it.

Thanks for the help this is what I was looking for and honest answer to how much it is worth. I loved the bike when I first got it, but it is time to let someone else have some fun with it.

I forgot to say that the bike shop was offering me $80 at the most, and I know that was too low.

Hello Everybody. This is my first post on this board. I just wanted to say I bought Edgeguy's Gitane today. While a teenie bit rough from sitting many years (dry rot tires and dried out Selle Italia Turbo), it is simply a gem in need of polishing. We settled a $300 for her and on the way to his house to pick it up, I ran across a new sealed pair of Ambrosio sew up wheels as well at a garage sale down the street from my home. A good weekend trolling craigslist and garage sales looking for the illusive French bombers we all love. My thanks again to edgeguy for letting another old fart cyclist take the helm of his Gitane. I'll post pixs after she has a bath and primping.

:) happy ending! :)

sounds like a win win! $80.00 is way way way to low!!!