Gitane unknown
 

Recently acquired what was advertised as a Gitane Tour De France model but there is nothing on the bike indicating this. It has a Reynolds 531 decal and "Service Course " on the seat tube sticker. Kind of a Franken bike with Simplex shifters and rear dérailleur, Suntour LePree front dérailleur, Dura Ace 52-47 crankset, and Mafac competition centrpull brakes. Wheel set has also been replaced. Looking for thoughts on what would be the original components.

Need to see pics of the frame before anyone could tell what year it might be, and thus, what parts were original.

As rootboy suggested, please post some photos.

Plastic Simplex parts may well be the era of your bike. A lot more bikes had all the plastic Simplex parts stripped off than added....

So, I'd guess your bike probably had plastic Simplex all around. Does the rear derailleur have a "Claw"?

As far as cranks, it would not be surprising to have found steel cotter type cranks on the bike.

Mafac brakes or levers would be appropriate, or possibly Weinmann center pulls.

I think Gitane used 27" wheels on the low end 70's era bikes imported to the USA.

Reynolds 531 is interesting... if it is true. Again detailed photos may help.

Orange?

Gitane pics
 

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465504http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465505http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465506http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465507http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465509[attach=config]

Yes, kind of caught my eye - had to have it

Gitane TDF would have had Simplex Criterium derailleurs, Mafac Comp brakes, Campy Tipo hubs with Mavic tubular rims. Cranks are either Stronglight 93 or Sugino Mighty. Lyotard pedals. Pivo bar and stem.

Great bikes that tend to sell really cheap around my area. I have bought several in the last couple years and never spent more than $200 on one.

Check out the vintage gitane forum. They'll probably be able to identify and perhaps nail down the date as well.

gitaneusa.com :: View Forum - Vintage Gitane

That's an early 70's bike. Around '72 they stopped using the brazed on centerpull brake stop on the seatstays.

Are you in Milwaukee?

I kinda like the Dura - Ace 47-52 crankset. Unusual 47-52 gearing.

Yes, Milwaukee

It's a late 1971 or maybe early 1972 Gitane Tour de France.

[MENTION=101154]big chainring[/MENTION] listed the parts commonly found on those bikes. Do a search in the Vintage Forum on the gitaneUSA.com website. Look for my posts under verktyg and Tour de France for more info.

Here's my almost all original 1971 Tour de France - I changed the cables, tires and added a Brooks Pro. Even the factory wrapped bar tape and plugs are original! It was sold by Wares Cycles in Milwaukee BITD!

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465595 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465596 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465597 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465598 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465599 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465600 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465601

Back during the bike boom, components were always in short supply. Gitane used at least 4 different types of Simplex dropouts plus even Campy dropouts on a few TdFs.

Your bike has the Simplex ref. 881 forged steel dropouts without an integral derailleur hanger.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465602

This was the standard Simplex TdF dropouts used from 1971 through 1973.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465603 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465604

The front derailleur was most likely replaced because the Delrin plastic bodies on the Simplex push rod FDs were notorious for cracking plus they shifted like merde!

The original wheels came with sewups and maybe someone swapped them out for clinchers.

As to why the Stronglight 93 cranks were replaced, who knows. Left side cranks from the classic era developed cracks, especially around the pedal holes more frequently than the right crank arms. Maybe that why they were changed out???

You can get replacement foil decals from Cyclomondo on eBay or direct from Greg in OZ at cyclomondo.net. they sell for $45.00 USD plus several dollars shipping.

I worked with Greg when he was designing them so they're accurate.


http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465605

verktyg :50:

Chas.

Wares must have sold a ton of these. The 4 TDF.'s I bought, all in Milwaukee, had the Wares sticker on them. Milwaukee was a big cycling town in the 70's. The German heritage, US National Championships held there on the lakefront course, and Super Week. Otto Wenz was a big promoter of cycling in Milwaukee.

OP, I emailed about that bike about that bike about 2 months ago. I was going to buy it but just couldn't find the time to drive to Milwaukee. When did you get it?

By the way, the only thing that actually identified the model name on these was the thin, shiny foil band right above the GITANE down tube sticker. Shown directly under the blue pump handle on Chas' bike. They said "Professional Tour de France" on them, and are frequently missing. When I found my purple TdF, they were one of the only stickers remaining on the frame.

I will only add that, you asked about "upgrades". Or, was it original equipment? Or maybe both.
As Chas stated, the front derailleur probably broke. They tended to do that. Though some turn up their noses at the Delrin derailleurs, they worked quite well when new. I know Bigchainring agrees with me that they're OK. That rear could perform just fine, if it hasn't got a whole lot of miles on it. Take it apart, clean and lube it, and see how it shifts.
If you decide to upgrade, my only admonition is please don't do as many did back in the day and alter the dropout hanger to accept other derailleurs. Look for an all metal Simplex derailleur that will fit the hanger.

Picked the bike up on Friday. I used to go to Wares as a kid in the early '70s and drool over bikes like these while getting parts for my Raleigh Grand Prix!

That advice doesn't apply to his bike. Take a closer look.

Holy smokes. A Tour de France without Simplex dropouts with integral hanger?


edit, oops. I just now read Chas' entry about the forged steel dropouts.

Glad somebody finally bought that bike. It was on CL for so long. I was tempted to get it, even though it was a little too small. Enjoy it. From talking to the original owner, sounds like it was well loved.

There is also a TdF fork decal.

Would that TdF fork decal be on the right side only? On the left side I see the triangular shadow of where the 531 sticker was but nothing on the right side.

Yeah, it is just shaped like the outline of France, on the right fork leg, so there's only one 531 fork decal on the left leg.

To the OP, these are great riding bikes if you use a decent wheelset and tires. I would expect that rear derailer to deliver many more years of careful use. It will help to lube the shift lever's pivots internally, and to use good, lined cable housing in back (with good-fitting ferrules(!) if you should use modern derailer housing with the wires running lengthwise).
A light touch when using the shift levers makes the derailer and cabling last longer, and smooth cabling with careful adjustment allows this.
[MENTION=61614]verktyg[/MENTION], your TDF is one nice time-capsule of a bike!

Cripes, that's right. My over-sight.

[MENTION=27118]Grand Bois[/MENTION] and [MENTION=185430]dddd[/MENTION] and others...

1962 is the earliest catalog in the Catalogues section of the GitaneUSA.com website:

Gitane USA - Catalogues

The 1962 catalog lists the RÉFÉRENCE 102 TOUR DE FRANCE model with the 3 main tubes Reynolds 531, chrome plated "socks" on the forks and rear stays plus Campagnolo dropouts. The forks and stays were probably Durifort which was a popular combination with Reynolds main tubes on French bikes back then. Campy derailleurs were available as an option.

http://www.gitaneusa.com/images/catalog/1962/Page_4.jpg

The Tour de France continued as the Model 102 until 1967 or 1968 when it became the Model 585.

The TdF fork decals from 1967-1968 had the number 102 under the map of France. They were placed on the right fork blade (most of the time - see last line of this message):

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=466182

In a show of true French frugality, when the TdF model number changed to 585, Gitane cut the 102 off of the stickers! They continued to use these cut off stickers on TdFs until the decal design changed in 1974.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=466190 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=466192

During those years there was a lot of variations in specs and details. Here's a 1972-73 TdF fork with 102 not cut off of the sticker:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=466186

TdFs made for the US market during the foil decal era of 1968-1973 were all Reynolds 531 tubing (except for the head tube and steerer). They had a Reynolds 531 decal on the left fork blade.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=466187

The US model TdFs weren't available until February, 1969 which throws a monkey wrench into the time line.

Only the 3 main tubes on the European model TdFs during that period were Reynolds 531 - "3 TUBES RENFORCES"... The forks and stays were "something else" (seamed tubes, possibly Durifort tubing). Also, the rear triangle was painted not chromed and they came with either Simplex or Huret dropouts depending on the brand of derailleurs the bike was equipped with.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=466188

BTW: The pre 1967 TdFs had Durifort decals on the right fork:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=466191

YMWV Your mileage WILL vary... especially on bikes assembled after a 2 litre wine lunch and/or those made on Mondays or Fridays! :eek: :eek: :eek:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=466217 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=466218


verktyg :50:

Chas.