Recently aquired an earlier model TDF with the foil decals. I'm trying to determine the proper components as this one came equipped with Campy front and Campy (Victory) rear derailleur. It does have the Mafac Competition brakes and Simplx shifters. It also has Campy wheelset. It did not have a stem or bars so I assume Pivo stem.

My question is what is most considered origional equipment for this bike. I was thinking Simplex but have heard Huret and even Campy adorned these bikes. Campy is out, it is French after all and doesn't seem right on this bike.

Any ideas are appreciated of what is considered proper equipment.

I believe Simplex. However, my ('72?) came to me with Huret Luxe derailleurs (probably not original). Photos? Would love to see it.

If the folks here can't help you out, these people surely can:

https://www.gitaneusa.com/forum/viewf...22487cae749b84

OE was whatever they had on hand at the time, but if you want to go by the 1970 catalog
Stronglight 93 crank and Stronglight headset
Simplex Criterium F&R derailleurs
Mafac Competition brakeset. ("Racer Luxe")
Wheelset could have Tipo hubs as an option, but Normandy Luxe was spec. Monthlery tubular rims.
Pivo bar and stem. The catalog says the stem is the Professional, but even the pic shows the lower level.

Now I looked at these back when I couldn't afford one in 1972, in the importer's home base in DC (I bought an Interclub). I swear the one I looked at had Huret Jubilee derailleurs.

I've also seen them with Racers instead of the Comps, but you've got the Comp's already

Later on, they would outfit your TdF with all Campy, kind of like the Super Corsa, but that's not what you're going for.

Gitane USA is a marvelous resource and there's lots of good stuff there. My early 70's TdF came with Campy Nuovo Tipo hubs, Simplex Criterium plastic derailleurs, Pivo bar and stem, etc. The only Huret items on my bike are the top tube brake cable clips. Let's see your bike.

RE hubs: Every (original) TdF that I've seen (including the two that I owned) had LF Tipos - a big step up from anything Normandy.

SP
Bend, OR

This the original Pivo stem that mine came with. It's different!



The original brakes are Competitions, not Racers.



The original crank is a stronglight 93.



The headset was a Stronglight P-3, but I replaced it with an A-9. The P-3 is on my beater Jeunet now.



Mine came with Simplex Prestige derailers, but they probably weren't original. Unless you have one of the rare TdF's that uses a claw, you're pretty much stuck with Simplex derailers. I'm using a Super LJ 6000 rear and SJA 102 front.

I didn't get the original wheels with mine. I'm using later Mavic 501 hubs.

well I don't have any pics, but I remember it well cause it was a bike that a group of us high school friends sold to each other over years until I was the final buyer (second time) and kept it.
This TdF had big flange Normandy hubs and they were the original (tubular) wheels. Mine had some less-typical details like the "leaf" seat stay caps and the Simplex forged dropout with "finger" on the non-drive side. Original color was blue, but it suffered several re-sprays.

Campy Nuovo Tipo a big step up from Normandy Luxe Competition? I don't know. Record would be a big step up for sure.

I think the Campy Tipo hubs were finished a little better than the Normandy hubs but not sure they rolled any better. I like the looks of the Tipo hubs more.

Grand Bois, I love those grips. Where did you get them?

Velo Orange

If your TDF frame has Huret dropouts you'll want to use Huret derailleurs as well unless you want to modify the dropout.

Not likely.

At least some TdF frames had Huret dropouts (e.g.this 1976 TdF on GitaneUSA):


This model would need a Huret rear derailleur unless the dropout were modified for standard derailleurs.

Not in 1970.

Take a closer look at that hanger. It has stops for both Campy style and Huret derailers.

My '71/72 has Huret dropouts.

Above is how my very early 70s Tdf came, except that it had the Campy Tipo hubs and a Sugino Mighty Compe (Campy NR copy) crankset. At the time I wanted the Stronglight 93s wider chainring range, so I asked the shop to switch it out. I later replaced the Simplex Criterium derailleurs with a Campy NR front and a Gran Turismo rear (to handle the extreme hills around Fayetteville, Arkansas). Photo of my post-conversion TdF below:

man thats a really nice bike , coming from a gitane afficinado

The TdF was indeed a very fine bike and was ridden by the great Bernard Hinault back in his early years:


Edit: My TdF had the stock gold paint lining around the lugs and between the paint and chrome painted over with bright red enamel to enhance the color scheme.

I bought my '71 TdF in the summer of 1971. Pretty much what has been said here.

Simplex dropouts that I had machined around 1975 to take a Campy NR rear. The front is a 1st gen Suntour Cyclone to replace the Simplex Criterium.

Headset was the P3, that I later replaced with a Campy NR. (Sources will tell you that the stack height on the TdF won't accept a Campy headset, but mine does.)

Crankset still is the original Stronglight 93. I love those cranks.

Ugly Pivo stem also swapped out.

My bike came with Tipo HF, not LF, hubs. I still have a soft spot of Tipo HF hubs, although mine are all in the parts collection, going there when I moved to clinchers sometime in the late 70s.

Plastic ass-hatchet saddle dumped ASAP. Now w/ a Brooks Pro.

Brakes were Mafac Competitions. I upgraded to Modolo brakes in the late 70s. (And am searching for new hoods... anyone??)

The thing is that everyone did this. We upgraded as we could, when we could. The real point is that the frames are incredibly sweet riders.

I have a 1971 Super Corsa garage queen that rides exactly like the '71 TdF that is a show-off bike. Essentially, it is the same frame with Campy dropouts.

It's a great, great frame. Build it to ride. You'll love it. Period.

"Honeycomb" or standard?

As Gran Bois pointed out, the honeycomb dropouts have stops for both types of derailleurs, but the standard ones don't.