To avoid confusion I will discuss first frame model numbers and size.
As best that I can determine frame model numbers and sizes began to appear in 1975 and continued into the 1980s. For frames with the serial number on the bottom bracket the frame model number and size were also stamped on the bottom bracket. For frames with the serial number on the dropout the frame model number and size were stamped on the bottom of the chain stay bridge.
The first frame model numbers were three digits in length followed by spaces and a character for the frame size.
Not long after the frame model number was increased to five digits. Mostly what I have seen are five digit frame model numbers.
A given frame model number can be stamped onto multiple frames. This number is not unique to the bicycle.
I am not knowledgeable enough about Cycles Gitane models, nor do I have enough data, to translate frame model numbers into specific Gitane bicycle models.
That task is left to the reader.
Originally Posted by
MiloFrance
MiloFrance bicycle frame model number and size is: 564 5.
The stamping of the frame model number and size is always very uniform, unlike the serial number stamping on the bottom bracket.
The frame model number and size are stamped upside-down relative to the serial number stamping.
Frame model number and size: 95065 57
Frame size deciphering.
Single digit frame sizes, add 50 to the number and this is the frame size in centimetres.
Alphabetic characters translate to "A" = 10, "C" = 12, etc.. Again, add 50 to get the frame size in centimetres.
Some frame sizes on the chain stay bridge are simple stamped as two digits which is the frame size in centimetres.