Help with an ID... French, 70s
 

http://photobucket.com/albums/pp259/...les/orangebike

Fixing this up for a friend. Re-paint is incredibly thick so no serial#. Huret rear dropouts stamped A 4, simplex front dropouts. Components are nice 80s stuff and Japanese/Italian, unmarked headset, fork crown could be the most unique detail to my eyes, also the diamond shaped details at the bottle cage mounts. Just curious what it is. Come on Francophiles... here's a good opportunity to flex your trained eyeballs.:twitchy:

eb

Do you know if the fork is OEM to the frame? It looks "Gitane" both in the crown and the (purple) original paint...but the frame itself doesn't.
Nice, whatever it might be...what size seatpost?

When you join the French Foreign Legion you get to cloak your past. I suspect that the fork may not be original either.

[QUOTE=what size seatpost?[/QUOTE]

26.4

Just in case its helpful... Gipiemme seat binder and pedals, 84 date codes on superbe derailleurs, shimano 600 cranks, very 80s looking modolo Speedy brakes and levers, cinelli stem, italmanubri bars, miche primato hubs laced to mavic g40 rims, Regina 6 speed freewheel. Haven't measured the bb shell. 26.4 strong seat post with an 84 stamp.

My guess.... 70s Motobecane with a relacement fork from a Peugeot UO8. That would explain the purple paint remnants and the Simplex fork tips. I was doing some research last night on my 1978 Team Champion and I came across some info about Huret dropouts on mid- 70s Team Champions. That could also explain the color choice for the repaint.

Do UO8's have Simplex fork ends?

Gitane Tour de France, '70's vintage, without a doubt. The seatstay "treatment" (cut and squash) is a dead giveaway. I owned two BITD, and wish I still had at least one of 'em. Reynolds 531db throughout, excellent ride and handling, look like.... well.....

SP
OC, OR

I've never seen a '70s Gitane Tour de France with Huret dropouts but that doesn't mean that none exist. The bottle bosses could have been added later, but they wouldn't be original on a '70s French bike. The fish mouth stay ends are typical Gitane.

That fork looks nothing like a UO-8 fork, but it looks exactly like a '70s TdF or Super Corsa and the purple looks like an original Gitane color, as unworthy1 said.

thanks lads... I think you nailed it.

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/282...7625904415599/

fork crown is identical, brake bridge a little different, lugs mostly the same. Fun stuff..... love this game.