becave7

Hello

I tried using the GitaneUSA Forum but I guess it is down and was suggested I post here.

I found this small 50cm Gitane frame with fork, headset, Normandy front hub, Pivo stem, and Weinmann 750 and 610 brakes. All seems to be original to the bike. The rusty DEA Super-Chrome front rim and spokes are getting recycled.

This is to be built up for my son to ride. We found a 27" alloy wheel set with 5 speed cassette! I just cannot figure out what this really is. Possibly a Gyspy or maybe a Boys 5 speed? We've combed the catalogs but have not seen this bike.

Rear Dropouts = 122 mm
Front Dropouts = 96 mm

The front fork is slightly bent up on one side at the bend and will be fixed by a local frame builder. It takes a 68mm french bottom bracket which will have to be sourced after figuring out a crankset. Need BB, cranks/sprokets, chain, bars, brake levers, shifters, front and rear derailleur (just found a Shimano 600 front and back that might work)

Does anybody know what model this might be or what components might work with such a small frame for an 11 y/o? It's just such and cool small frame that I had to grab it!

Thank You
Brian

bikemig 

I'm not a Gitane expert but the stamped steel drop outs suggest a low end bike. That said, French bikes with hi tensile tubing make very good riding bikes.

IRD has the cups for a French threaded BB if you use their square taper sealed BB:

Italian, Swiss and French Conversion BB Cups

The paint job looks very good; this will make a really nice bike for your son once you fix it up.

becave7

Yes not high end at all, but a very light frame from what I can tell. My son fell in love with it when he finally saw it in the living room, haha. Hard to find a good small kids bike.

I looked at the Velo Orange BB setups as well but don't know of the quality. Hard to drop 60 dollars on a bottom bracket alone. This will take a while on a tight budget

gbi

Becave7, that is a 1975/76 Gypsy model.

edit - I think it is a Gran Sport.

MauriceMoss

The chromed fork crown makes me think it's a 1975 Gran Sport De Luxe or a 1976 gitane 600, although @verktyg would know for sure:

becave7

I thought it was a Gypsy model as well until noticing the stainless fork crown (which is just stainless piece dropped over tube, is this normal?) And the component list is all entirely incorrect compared to what we have. But the 19.75" frame seems pretty accurate and the cable guide stops are spot on.

The 600 and Gran Sport all have paint detailing around the butted tubes and chrome on the lower half of the forks. This one just has me confused.

GBI is most likely correct, although there are no decals stating that, or tube type. The fit and finish is pretty lacking on the Gitane frames it seems. The decals are not foil and look like plastic which have held up pretty well.

Now on to finding parts, I have a set of Shimano 600 derailleurs that should work although the rear is very short. Maybe I'll just find another frame with decent Suntour setup and swap it over?

bikemig 

I wouldn't want to pay that much for a BB for this bike either. You can always put up a WTB ad in the C&V for sale forum. You never know what someone might have that they'd be willing to sell.

MauriceMoss

The 1975 catalog also mentions the Gran Sport Series "with painted fork" (presumably in contrast to De Luxe's "chromed front fork tips"):

gbi

The Gran Sport and Gypsy were basically the same bike.

Parts could vary literally from bike to bike.

The fork on becave7's bike looks like a Gran Sport. But, the frame with cable guides for stem shifters makes it look like a Gypsy model.

becave7

Thanks for all the info! I've spent some more time looking over the Gitane specs on these bikes around 1975-76 and like gbi states, there were a ton of variations. I'm not really too worried about it, but figured if this is my son's first road bike, he should at least know what it is, haha.

Is the loose chrome insert on the fork crown normal for these bikes? I always thought chrome on forks was a more permanent affair.

gbi

Yes, some of these entry level bikes had chrome covers over the fork crown and some did not.

You might want to consider using the Suntour derailleurs like on the Gran Sport De Luxe model.

Sometimes, trying to figure out exactly which model you have is like opening a can of worms.

becave7

Haha yes exactly, a huge can. I bought this sight unseen off of CL and thought it was a larger frame. When I saw it, I was very excited to see such a small frame we could build for my son and even my daughter could ride it!

At first was thinking of figuring out what all the original parts were and restoring it, but then found out they make a few kids 5 speed bikes. Maybe just a single sprocket up front with a rear only derailleur would make for a nice clean look and easy ride. I have a non Arabesque rear Shimano 600 and a single Arabesque shifter just acquired from a very nice member on pinkbike.

Then yellow cables and bar tape of course!

Andy_K 

It seems to have been very common for entry level bikes in the early 70's.

FWIW, I used to have a '77 Gitane Gypsy Sport -- very entry level components, "tubes legers" decal on the downtube (which I think really meant hi-ten), no plastic chrome cap on the fork but really ornate lugs. It wasn't anything special by most standards but it rode great. I stumbled across it again recently on CL and seriously thought about buying it back, but it was a good bit too small for me.

T-Mar

A completely painted fork and centre-pull brakes has me leaning towards a 1975 Gran Sport.

becave7

Andy_K, I looked at a 1977 catalogue and they had a Gypsy Junior that year! Although not this bike still very cool. Gitane had a few nice looking kids bikes. The chrome crown cover is actually metal chrome just dropped on top of the fork crown and held on by the brake bolt.

T-Mar, It does seem like the components match the Gran Sport with painted forks, including the upgraded Weinmann brakes.

Here is a shot of the chrome fork crown cover. Notice there is a small stop just under the shift cable stops that means it could have had down tube shifters installed! That would be the Gran Sport Deluxe. Hey this is fun sleuthing!

The original Pivo stem looks to have been reamed out just slightly and measures 25.3 mm ID. Notice the Super Deluxe upgraded ape hanger bars that the bike came with Also came with a sweet Blackburn rear rack. The rear wheel was some cheap BMX deal with Shimano rear freewheel.

becave7

Dropped the fork off at Porter Customs to be straightened out a bit!

I was at the LBS yesterday to try to find info on French bottom brackets and they said to use a threadless bb. One made by sunlite I believe. Has anybody had any experience with this setup?

Still need to find inexpensive 160 mm cranks and single sprocket before deciding on the bb. Probably going with an old Sugino set.

Thank you for all the help with this.