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Gitane track bike - crank stamped "France - S"

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Gitane track bike - crank stamped "France - S"

Old 12-19-20, 09:10 AM
  #1  
rajbcpa
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Gitane track bike - crank stamped "France - S"

...after a short wait [5 months] my Gitane track bike was delivered [to Tenn.] yesterday.... ....all the way from Italy... 1st and last international Ebay transaction! ...but the worth was worth it...

...seller included no discriptions... ...like I said up there ^^^^ ....the crank is aluminum aloy and is stamped FRANCE - S where the crank arms are bolted to the bottom bracket...

I'm reluctant to swap it to - say a campy crank because it looks original and the paint is good for a 40 year-old bike...

So what to do - leave it or swap it?

I can't post pics now. ....will try again soon...
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Old 12-19-20, 01:00 PM
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unworthy1
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Gonna guess Stronglight, maybe a later-day iteration when they sort of "disguised" the brand...
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Old 12-19-20, 01:13 PM
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Solida?
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Old 12-19-20, 02:05 PM
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juvela
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keep in mind that the "S" marking may be the Spidel logo

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does anyone else recall John Cameron Swayze advertising the Spidel "Twist-O-Flex" watchband?


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Old 12-20-20, 03:05 AM
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Originally Posted by juvela View Post
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keep in mind that the "S" marking may be the Spidel logo

---

does anyone else recall John Cameron Swayze advertising the Spidel "Twist-O-Flex" watchband?


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The "S" more likely stands for "Stronglight" not Spidel. Although Stronglight cranksets were re-branded as Spidels, when they were sold by the all French component consortium, Spidel.
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Old 12-20-20, 09:15 AM
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Want to see this. The majority of track bikes 40+ yesrs ago were Paramounts. Some Raleighs, and a few Italian maker bikes, not too many French made track bikes. Although the little 24" tire "midget" bikes were typically Gitane. Looking forward to seeing yours.
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Old 12-20-20, 10:04 AM
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My only experience with a Gitane track bike was in the early seventies when here, in Northern California, one could purchase a quite inexpensive Gitane "Track Standard" with steel cranks, maybe a steel seat post, and Normandy hubs if my sometimes-deceitful memory is to be trusted this time. It was considerably less than half the cost of a Paramount, Pogliaghi, or Cinelli. It was a fairly popular fixed gear training bike among the fraternity of "dirt bag bike racers" of which I was briefly a proud member.

I'm sure the OP's bike is something quite different: I'm eager to see photos!

Brent
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Old 12-20-20, 12:41 PM
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the France and S marking sounds like the plastic dust cap on a mid-range Stronglight crank BITD.
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