rgvg

Anybody know what this is? Is it worth going to check out?

Thanks

Aubergine 

I’d go check it out, if only because of the cantilever brakes and the braze-on for a dynamo. I suspect it uses low end tubing but it might be a fun bike to ride. What is the asking price?

rgvg

Asking would be around $80 USD. Yeah i was intrigued by the brakes so I thought it might have been a touring type bike. Assuming it wasn't just added on somehow...

I'll think about it. Weather is still sort of okay I might be better off riding around a little.

Thanks

rando_couche

Looks like a Hosteler, Gitane's entry level "real" tourer. Too bad it's missing the racks, fenders and lighting system (all of which were OE).





SP
OC, OR

rgvg

I got a little more info about this bike. Owner's had it since 1973. Used to be a triple but converted to double (why????). He said it does not have racks, though I am not sure if he meant it never had racks or he'd taken them off. Rims are chrome (that will be a lot of fun in Vancouver weather). Will try to see it on the weekend and take some pics at least, if not the whole bike.

rgvg

Okay I picked it up. Thanks for the pointers. It is in fact a Hosteller. It says so on the down tube. Owner bought it for his son, son wasn't riding it anymore, he bought it back. Steel triple bugged him so he had it converted to a double (Takagi Tourney 52-39). It was a long time ago so he does not recall if the bottom bracket was replaced, but he feels at least the spindle was. FD is suntour spirit, RD I don't know but the adapter claw says Shimano and the drive is marked Eagle. Brakes are Mafac cantilevers, levers are dia compe. Rear hub skewer says MM Atom the front I forget. Rims are rigida super chrome (yikes). Sadly no sign of the racks, though paint on the rear eyelets (or absence thereof) suggest something was attached to it at one point. No clue if it was a rack or fender. Paint's faded from sunlight, I think. Seller was a senior, so can't ride it anymore, nor did he nor his son appear to have been frequent riders.


I like it.

rgvg

BTW, can somebody let me know which way the bottom bracket and the headset be threaded?

fietsbob

In the 70's my GF got a Gitane badged bike actually made in Asia.. if BB has (left hand fixed cup) British thread odds are that is too.

rgvg

That's interesting. How would one determine the country of origin? The decal on the head and seat tubes say France. Made in Nantes I believe. I'm not at home right now but I can post the image later.