Gitane track bike - crank stamped "France - S"
#1
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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...
...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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Solida?
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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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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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#5
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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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72 Line Seeker
83 Davidson Signature
84 Peugeot PSV
84 Peugeot PY10FC
84 Gitane Tour de France.
85 Vitus Plus Carbone 7
86 ALAN Record Carbonio
86 Medici Aerodynamic (Project)
88 Pinarello Montello
89 Bottecchia Professional Chorus SL
95 Trek 5500 OCLV (Project)
#6
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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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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
I'm sure the OP's bike is something quite different: I'm eager to see photos!
Brent