Originally Posted by
gugie
I thought I had one of those as well, but Chas (@verktyg) and others ID'ed mine as a Gran Tourisme. They are very similar. I have just a frame and front rack.
[MENTION=381793]gugie[/MENTION], there's a world of difference between the Hosteller and the Gran Tourisme bikes. The Hosteller was an affordable entry level "randonneur" model. Bike touring was very common in Europe back then.
The Gran Tourisme was a rare top of the line touring model that had a Reynolds 531 frame and was equipped with all Campy components except for MAFAC brakes.
The weight difference was about 5 Lbs.
It's too bad that bike touring didn't became popular in the US until ~1975-76. Both of those models were discontinued by the end of 1973!
I had a Gran Tourisme back in 1975-76. If I had ether a Hosteller or a Gran Tourisme that I was building up for touring, I's use a good set of 700c alloy wheels, comfortable alloy bars and stem, an alloy triple crankset, and decent quality derailleurs. I'd use a 126mm wide hub and probably a 6 speed 13-32T freewheel - 18 speeds is enough (unless you're Spinal Tap with an 11 setting on the volume controls on you amps).
Oh, and I hate fenders.... I've hated them since my first bike, 24" Rollfast in 1951. They rattle and come loose and well. I've always hated fenders.
verktyg
Chas.