Classic & Vintage - Gitane bike info please (Pic)

Can anyone tell me about this children's bike, and if it's worth anything? Looks to be early 70's perhaps, seems to be all original, including the seat and the tires (!!) Svelto and Hurel components, 15" frame...any help would be much appreciated!

I don't know, but it looks like the fork's bent.

It might be, haven't taken it apart, but the lower head race is misaligned, so hopefully might just be a headset issue.

I'd say the fork is bent, too. Check on the downtube, near the junction with the headtube, for rippling and paint damage. If you find it, I'd think the frame might be damaged as well. Otherwise, the fork probably needs replacement. I would do some alignment checks on this frame. If it's way out of line, value probably equals zero (sorry).

What's the wheel size (24"?). Doesn't look terribly high end-- the cranks look cottered, rims likely steel as well. But an intersting find, if salvagable.

I'll add my voice to the chorus - it's bent bad... and what's with the pedal there? That sucker is HUGE.

Thanks for all your input...fork does seem whackes, I will do some alignment checks on the frame. but there is no paint damage or rippling... The wheels are 20", 24" would be a bit awkward keeping in mind that it's a children's bike, so the pedals seem to be regular size and I am unsure how high end the componentry would get, as opposed to how they would equip Gitane's adult line. Again I appreciate everyone's help in this!

I concur with the other comments regarding the frame condition.

The decal scheme indicates that it is no later than early 1970s. There was a similar "Boy's Racer" model from Gitane, but with 10 speeds and Simplex gearing that was available in 1973. The Huret, 5 speed gearing would seem to suggest that yours is an earlier version.

In general these bicycles were outfitted similar to the entry level, adult models, with concessions due to size. Side-pull brakes generally had to be fitted to replace the centre-pull models as the same frame size did not provide enough space to accomodate a cable hanger and yoke cable.

The concept of a small wheeled race bicycle for children was fairly common during the 1970s bicycle boom. Most of the major manufacturers had one. Raleigh had the Record 24, while Peugeot had the UG45 (10 speed UO8 equivalent) and G50 (5 speed UE8 equivalent).

Got these pictures of a Gitane that I'd like some info on if possible. The shop that it's at is already closed but can anyone identify this bike and it's components? Thanks.

That looks to me like a higher/mid-range early eighties gitane, with better french parts. I'd really need to see the bike to absolutely identify it. I'm geussing it has Simplex retrofriction shifters from the set-up, but cannot be sure. Need more pictures, email them and ask. Everything on the bike looks eighties, down to the design of the stronglight crankset. I'd also want to know the tubing-- if there are any tubing stickers (ie Reynolds, Vitus, etc, and the wording before I can pronounce a final sentence on this ride). If I saw it around here, I would certainly buy it, even though it is not my size. But then it would be fifty to a hundred bucks here, at the most (sorry).

That looks to me like a higher/mid-range early eighties gitane, with better french parts. I'd really need to see the bike to absolutely identify it. I'm geussing it has Simplex retrofriction shifters from the set-up, but cannot be sure. Need more pictures, email them and ask. Everything on the bike looks eighties, down to the design of the stronglight crankset. I'd also want to know the tubing-- if there are any tubing stickers (ie Reynolds, Vitus, etc, and the wording before I can pronounce a final sentence on this ride). If I saw it around here, I would certainly buy it, even though it is not my size. But then it would be fifty to a hundred bucks here, at the most (sorry).


Thanks for the info. Turns out that the frame is too small for me anyway. The owner of the shop posted it on the web. It's on an EBAY auction.