Is this a Gitane?
 

Not sure about it, but I got it and a Fuji S10-S for $40. Could only find a serial number on the left dropout, and it's not that readable.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/gitane_1.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/gitane_2.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/gitane_3.jpg



http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/gitane_5.jpg

geek

dunno. Looks like a stronglight bottom bracket, though, so it may be French. Pretty nicely made, too.

I think it may be a Gitane TdF, need to see some better (not blurry) pics of the dropouts and such...forkcrown and rear brake 'support' looks right for one.

The fork crown does look right for a TdF, but the dropouts don't. They look stamped in the fuzzy picture. Cell phone pictures should be banned! The seat clamp bolt looks like the POS they used on even high end French bikes in the seventies. My TdF does not have a rear brake support like that, but I've seen some that do.

The tops of the seat stays--where they join the seat-tube lug--make me sure it is a Gitane of some sort. But if those are stamped dropouts, as they seem to be, I don't think it's a TdF, unless a very old one. All I know is that I've never seen one with stamped dropouts.

Sorry about the crappy pics, I'll get better ones. Seller said the steerer tube probably is French threaded.

geek

The seatstay tops and the brake support say Gitane to me.

the DOs do look stamped at first, but I'm using special Photoshop-unsharp-filter-vision (Superman option) and wishful thinking to offer that they may be forged Simplex that have been "trimmed" of their hanger and finger on the bottom edges...fingers crossed for you...

Tour de France had Simplex dropouts with a threaded derailleur hangar and an English threaded 1-inch fork at least onward from the early 70s. Renowned 70s cycling journalist Rolls Canardly had a Cinelli stem and bar on his repainted TdF.

Check the insides of the head tube and steerer on the fork for seams. If seamed, it is definitely not a TdF.

stamped dropouts would sort of kill the TdF angle, BUT...the next step down in the US market (Interclub) did not have the 1/2-chrome rear, AFAIK. So it could be some sort of parts-bin make-do (we're out of Simplex DOs, Henri, and it's coming up to wine-break!) or a European model we don't see here. Stephan at gitaneusa.com might have some insight *with* clear pics, that is.

Pics coming soon, but for now I have additional info upon close inspection:

No S/N on BB or anywhere else on frame proper.
Steerer tube on fork has Nervor stamped on it, and it is a seamless steerer.
The head tube, however, appears to have a seam that faces the back end of the frame.
I was able to screw an English threaded headset locknut on the steerer tube, but it seemed a little loose.
I can't be certain if the rear dropouts are forged or stamped, but they are stamped with SIMPLEX on the outside, and the left dropout has the number 323261 stamped on it. It appears that the S/N stamper had too much wine for lunch. Also C4 was stamped on the inside of each dropout. On the bottom edge of the right DO, it did not look like a hanger was sawed off. It looked like the left one.

I'll try to get better pics later, but I hope that gives you all any better info. Also thanks for the gitaneusa.com link! Nice info and history.

geek

for the purpose of comparison....http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1960s-Gitane-Reynolds-531-frame_W0QQitemZ280294539907QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item280294539907&_trksid=p3286 .c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

Thanks for the link! Based on the appearance, it would appear I may have a '60s era Tour de France. Apparently the labels were just stickers that came off very easily, and the finish on the brazing does look pretty crude on my frame. It also appears that the serial number is probably worthless in determining age, but components can. I put a bid on that frame, for no other reason but to get the headset, crank, BB, stem and bars.

geek

Success on the info front! I signed up and posted on the gitaneusa.com site, and one of their knowledgeable members determined I have an early '70s Tour de France. He based his decisions on the lug work, the chrome tips on the rear stays, and the rear dropouts. ON the dropouts, he noted that Gitane commonly used whatever parts were available, and the TdF normally used the Simplex dropout with the integral hanger. if they ran out of those, they substituted for the Simplex that had no hanger. decals were pretty flimsy and came off easily.

It seems to be a pretty solid frame, and with an interesting history. It'll make a good SS bike to putz around on.

geek