This bike followed my son home. Is it a Shogun or Gitane? The head badge and seat stay seem to indicate it is a Gitane. Serial Number: M7F18677. We are guessing late 1970's vintage.

Please comment.

Thanks in advance,

Eddie

Head badge and fork crown

Interesting. The serial number has "Miki" written all over it. Whom I know for building Sekai, Sakai and Union frames. Never heard of a connection to Gitane. Or to Shogun, but that may be my failing memory.

Nice looking bike.



This is why this makeover was a bad idea. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...a-replica.html

I don't have an answer for your question either, but it is a very nice looking tall bike. Do we really think it's a repaint with the detailing around the lugs?

recall seeing some asian made Gitanes from around 1980.

My guess for now: a Gitane 600 Léger from 1977. Apparently these were made in Japan for that year, and they were this shade of blue. What the Shogun decal is doing on the down tube is beyond me, although it was indeed one of the brands using Miki frames.

Link to the 1977 Gitane catalogue (compliments of gitaneusa.com)

In the mid 70's gitane started producing bikes in asia.

Non-fixie's guess of a 1977 gitane 600 leger seems to be very close. perhaps your bike is a slight variation of the 600.

Interesting "shotane" you have there.

In the past gitane would occasionally produce rebadged bikes.

The bike seems to fit the Gitane 600 leger specifications perfectly right down to the original "Kashima quilted black leather" saddle and the "KKT top-run alloy with reflector and toe clip" pedals.

Possibly Gitane and Shogun were being produced in the same factory in 1977. This may have been a Monday production bike ... bloodshot eyes could not differentiate between the Shogun and Gitane decals.

I like ... Shotane.

Better than calling it a "$hitane."

One can replace decals, but it's hard to fake pantographed seat stays. Where's @verktyg when we need him?

Yes, decals are easy to replace.

I'm hoping they are original. Maybe someone out there knows more about it.

Good thing I renamed the bike first, although your suggestion was more amusing.

Of course I meant the Arabic word for demon...

Now I understand, it's a Demon-Gypsy bike.

I think it's a Gitagun - won't say who sponsored it - not gonna go there.

The bike seems very original. There are no sign of a repaint. The color and pin stripes around the lugs seem consistent with what shogun used in the 1980's.

I think you may have a true shogun bike.

The serial # you gave seems to fit the shogun serial # pattern, and if so, your bike may have been built in june of 1977.

Some components and decals you showed also can fit this time period.

The gitane branded frame bits fit this date too.

Why the gitane/shogun marriage? I'm not sure.

Any guess on the value of this hybrid (mongrel ... Identity Crisis ...) bike?

Thx,

Eddie

Bike looks like a 1977 "Gitane" 600 Léger....



From 1974 through 1977 Gitanes were imported and distributed by Gitane Pacific located in Southern California. When they took over from Mel Pinto Imports, Gitane Pacific cut the number of French made Gitane models by half including most of the upper tier bikes.

Gitane Pacific imported a number of Asian made models from both Japan and Taiwan. These had decals and head badges that were different from the "real" Gitanes.

My guess at the value is $150-$250 USD. It could be worth a little more to the right person because of the large frame size. There's a section in the forum where you can get estimates on the value of C&R stuff but they frown on fishing for selling purposes.

verktyg

Chas.

Chas,

Thank you very much.

We would love for the bike to go to a enthusiast that would preserve and appreciate this bicycle. Where should we look? A Gitane forum or a Shogun forum?

Thanks,

Eddie

Check out gitaneusa.com for starters...

verktyg

Chas.