pimp your Gitane
 

Retro direct, no less. Points for thinking out of the box. Makes you wonder if the OP turned his Mercier into a Draisienne.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8349/8...06f3d1ca_z.jpg

http://www.leboncoin.fr/velos/392083691.htm?ca=18_s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retro-direct

Le Nuovo Record Equipe' Gitane
http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...dF/Gitane1.jpg

Both have moved to new owners
Super Corsa
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...t/IMGP2138.jpg
Interclub with 531c
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...t/IMGP2164.jpg

My '71 TDF will be stock.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7114/8...b94a33dd7c.jpg
29 702 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

Now that's what I call cross-chaining

Ah yes, it can make your day having these nice Gitanes line up at breakfast, pls keep them coming! But honestly, I didn't think of that when I posted this French ad, being truly amazed by the inventiveness of the seller (equal doses of inventiveness and awkwardness really). And since the "oldies with new gearing systems" thread has no opposite.... The seller claims in his ad that pedaling backwards gives him more strength on climbs! Also funny is that he estimates his 'unique' bicycle to be worth a lot of money. He should have tried it on another bike tough.

@toytech Mustard, hadn't seen that before, turns out to be a great colour for a bike
@ Rootboy Best of both worlds, Mafacs with Campy levers! Elegant design combined with effectiveness (at least I suppose those levers are effictive).

I gotta train this one she's naked right now
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/4567/dscf0280nr.jpg
and the Tandem

http://s10.postimage.org/hpd3st7jt/Gitane.jpg

That Tandem is SMOKIN' hot. I love that frame configuration! Ideal saddle also. Nice.

That's a very interesting gearing system. Saw it before, looks really cool.

I'm trying to wrap my head around how that works. Anyone have a close up of that?

Here's a nice exemple on a 1920ies bike:

http://www.m-gineering.nl/retrog.htm

Still kicking myself for E-baying this beauty, the jackass that bought it parted it out :(

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...s/DSC04113.jpg

500A (20") Midget Racer (7 y.o. daughter's)

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...ust2012019.jpg

550A (22") Midget Racer (9 y.o. daughter's)

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...ust2012018.jpg

Wrap that Chain, but mine is not like that it is a normal chain wrap
Frank that's a Brooks Saddle and it is going on my klunker

Interesting concept, but it looks like he drilled into the DS chainstay to mount that jockey wheel. Not good.

Interesting concept. I'd like to try that. Well, once anyway. And not for € 600.

I would have regrets also in your position. It happens. Beautiful bike.

Jackass indeed!....now it's gonna take so much time and treasure to get the French beauty back to what it was.......:mad:

Chombi

My little '76 Gitane CdM is all pimped out with a Huret Svelto, a black Brooks, yellow accents, Kool stops and Universals.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...dM-second3.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...M-second15.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...M-second22.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...M-second19.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...dM-second7.jpg

Wouldn't call it pimped, more like saved from the trash.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...r/DSC_0723.jpg
No idea of the model but has Simplex drop outs.

I was only the 2nd owner of that bike, if it had been just a little taller or if I'd been just a bit shorter I'd have kept it.

Stupid genetics :(


.

I'm a little late to this party but I did pimp one Gitane a 1964 Hosteller 531 framed one of the few to have a integrated matching wrack.
Before.
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/...1/DSC00240.jpg
After
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/...3/DSC00514.jpg

In the end I sold it for a loss and had no regrets this was one bike that was worth my time and effort.