meneermalik

Hey everyone, came across this bike yesterday and I'm thinking about getting it if it's an actual Giant. Could be fun, just for the sake of it.

It's a Giant 'Grand Prix'. The head badge says Giant but it's obviously not the Giant logo that we all know. I've searched the net and have turned up absolutely nothing. Any idea as to what it is?

Bianchigirll 

Giant??? It doesn't look that big to me




Looks '70s to me.

T-Mar

Well, it's a Giant but almost certainly not the one we're familiar with. Giant started out in 1972, contract manfacturing bicycles. Their own brand didn't appear until 1981 and this one looks older than that. It looks like the crankset may be an upgrade. The rear derailleur resembles a Campagnolo Nuovo Gran Sport, though it could be a Zeus or Triplex copy. It's likely a boom era, private label brand. I'm wondering if it's origin is Italian? Some more detail pics would be great. I'm very curious.

Bianchigirll 

T-Mmar is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You really need a laptop!

Could Giant have sold bikes under it own name in Japan? Could it have been transplanted by some Serviceman? I always wonder this about odd bike that the uber knowledgable guys like you are in the dark about.

T-Mar

My understanding is that Giant first started marketing under their own name in Taiwan in 1981. Other nations followed, with distribution to the US market in the very late 1980s. Given the apparent of age of this model, it appears to be a little too old, even for an imported model.

There were so many private label brands during the boom that it's impossible to know all of them. Typically in the very early 1970s they used European sources but by the mid-1970s these manufacturers were pushed to capacity with orders for their house brands to the point that the private label brands had to source form Japan and elswhere. This one could go either way. I'm only leaning towards Italy because of the Italian looking rear derailleur. Final assessment is being withheld pending more pics.

BTW, we narrowly missed out on possibly meeting. My son narrowed down his university choice to two, one of which was in your neck of the woods, but he ultimately decided on attending a school on the opposite coast.

meneermalik

Yeah I definitely wouldn't put this bike after the very early 80's. I got these pics from the guy selling them in the next town over. He's had it for a week up for sale and no takers - he's also asking $175 which in Montreal isnt abnormal but the fact that he's a 30 minute drive away doesnt help. And good call on the crank btw, it has been replaced. I'll go check it out tomorrow if it stops raining. Hard to tell from the pics if it's anything worthwhile though the lugwork on the headtube suggests something that's better than most of the standard stuff that's around.

By the way, has anyone ever seen an early Giant logo/head badge?

T-Mar

Actually, all the chrome and ornate lugwork is typical of boom era, upper entry level, Italian models (and some Japanese too). The Atala, Bottechia, Chiorda, Torpado, etc. of the era were real eye candy, even at the entry level.

The 1980s Giant headbadge was circular with a thick outer ring. The inner circle was a contrasting color, with a large "G". I've seen them in a couple color combinations but the most common appear to be a black outer ring, a white center and a red "G". They look similar to the Centurion headbadge of the same era.

Edit: found one!

https://velobase.com/VeloImages/Headb...DA9D342E3.jpeg