chickenbarnes

Hey everyone-

This is my first time posting and I'm trying to gather some good advice before taking the plunge.
I found this post on Craig's List: Beautiful Vintage Gitane Road Bike and it looks like an ok deal to me, but I need some vet advice!
If you don't want to click the link, this is the description provided by the seller:
"I am selling a vintage steel Gitane road bike. The bike measures 22in/56cm, good for someone 5'8" to 5'11". It is in great shape with no damage to the frame, and it is painted a beautiful royal purple. It comes with Suntour derailleurs, Mafac brakes and brake levers, Simplex downtube shifters, Christophe clips, and a vinyl Brooks saddle. Tires have been replaced recently, and tubes are almost new. I have ridden and maintained this bike, recently replacing all housing and cables; regreasing the bottom bracket, hubs, and headset; lubricating the chain and derailleurs; and wrapping new bar tape. It rides and shifts like a dream." And he's selling it for $200.

I haven't been on a bike since June 2013 when I wrecked an old Schwinn in the rain, which landed me with a broken jaw and a double compound fracture in my left arm. This will be my first bike since the accident and I want to be sure I'm not wasting my money or putting myself in danger.

thanks in advance for your help!

thunderworks

I think you can do better with your $200. The simplex shift levers work with Suntour derailleurs, but poorly. The vinyl saddle is not particularly comfortable. The frame is probably a hi-tensile, but non alloy frame. I didn't click the link in your message, but if the wheel rims are steel, rather than aluminum alloy, they will be heavy. All-in-all, an entry level bike. IMO, an entry level bike from Japan (of the same era and probable cost) would offer better performance. Ebay is loaded with old bikes. I'll bet there is a better bike out there than this Gitane.

LeicaLad 

I'd basically agree. I happen to like old Gitane bikes, but this began as their lower end model.

It does seem to have been decently cared for, but thunderworks comments are all quite correct.

I second the suggestion to look a bit further. Even on CL in the Baltimore area you will find better value.

zukahn1 

Well this bike looks nice but, it is a low end frame with claw hanger and likely steel wheels (with cheap tires), seat post (with junk seat) and bars equals somewhat heavy The choice of using stock simplex shifters with mismatched Suntour DR's to run some fairly extreme alpine gearing seems a bit sketchy. I would say only $150 on this one if everything works great which I doubt.

no1mad 

Welcome to C & V Appraisals from Classic & Vintage.

juvela

this is a model called grand sport luxe and was roughly parallel to the peugeot u08 and mercier 100 of the early 1970's bike boom years.

about two years later the base model was called royal a-sport.

not a good buy at this price and not a machine worth putting much effort/money into.