tobydeemer

Thanks for the link. Those are great shots. I'm excited to get it further put together. I was thinking perhaps going to Campy Nuovo Record for the derailleurs, but I might try to find a Super LJ, if there're any to be had for less than an arm.

tobydeemer

I tend to agree. I think if I went too crazy with all the details, I'd hesitate too much to get on it. So I'm going to make it look how I want, and ride the mess out of it. When I'm not on the aluminum beast, anyway. I do love the orange, and I think it'll be great with white tape, saddle, and cables.

San Rensho 

Agree 100%. If a bike has passable, even a little ratty original paint, try to keep it unrefinished. Many like the unrestored look and collectors usually pay top dollar for an unrestored bike. And your bike's paint looks like its in very good condition for its age.

tobydeemer

It is. There are a couple of spots that I'm going to touch up though, just as a preventive measure. There are a couple of scratches, and one spot on the botton bracket that had some corrosion under it that I scraped off. Other than that, it's solid.

Grand Bois

That same derailer was original equipment on my '74 PX10. I still have what's left of it.

tobydeemer

Hi all-

It's my first time back to the forums in a long while, and I thought I'd start back here with a very long overdue update on this bike.

Now I know that some of what I did to it is not period correct, but I was going for my balance of pragmatic usability while staying fairly close to the original. So... here are the few update shots I have of it so far:

[URL="https://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd69/tobydeemer/DSCN0863.jpg"]


[URL="https://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd69/tobydeemer/DSCN0862.jpg"]


[URL="https://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd69/tobydeemer/DSCN0861.jpg"]

Obviously it's not complete, but it's pretty darn close. I have mismatched wheels of course, and I hope to have that rear wheel sorted out soon.

But I really love how it turned out with the white tape and new brown saddle. Hope you like it. (Or can at least tolerate it...)

Thanks.

Grand Bois

Please replace those zip ties with some proper Simplex cable clamps!

tobydeemer

Yeah, I know... I do have the original clamps all polished and ready to rock, but I need some replacement bolts for them- the heads on two of them snapped off during removal...

I also want to replace the cable housing with white, but black was all I had and I was in one of those moods- "I'm going to get it together with what I got, cuz I wanna ride it!"

But it's getting there.

Kommisar89

Hmmm...I was thinking it was the front wheel that needed to be sorted out as it's missing half the spokes. You won't be damned for this one but we'll send Phil, the prince of insufficient light, over to chastise you and show you the error of your ways But seriously it looks like a nice rider. Maybe not how I would have done but hey, I ain't ridin' it right? What kind of saddle is that? Looks interesting.

tobydeemer

The saddle is a Bontrager, of all things. List price on it is like 50-60 IIRC, but I managed to score it for 5 out of a swapped parts bin... Insanely comfortable though.

I'm debating on the wheels too. Yesterday I was at a local shop, and they have pretty nice Vittoria tubular tires for 23.99 ea. For that price, I might just keep the stock rims. However, the front rim has a flat spot that I'd have to try to reshape without damaging it.

Grand Bois

I have replaced the screw and nut on both Campagnolo and Simplex clamps with with 4mm stainless ones from Bolt Depot. The original nuts are attached, but they snap off easily. They'll never rust.

I think you're going to love that bike. There's something special about the way they ride. My Gitane TdF is the best riding bike I've ever ridden.

cyclezen

looks a lot like the one I had for a few seasons.
I was 2nd owner. It was pretty much exactly as your's appears except it was sortta a light chanpagne bronze - THE color of the early 70's.
Original owner said he bought it in late 72 and the only thing he changed were the derailleurs. He replaced the simplex stuff with Suntour Vgts, a huge improvement according to him.
I liked the machine a lot. A very comfortable ride but still very quick.
I sold mine to a friend who also luv'd it and kept it for as long as we remained in touch.
HAlf chromed stays and fork, just like yours, MAFAC centerpulls. Life of me I can't remember the wheel hubs, rim were Super Champion, saddle was a god awful Ideale 90 (which I quickly subbed for a unicanitor).
Never raced it, since I was on Fuji (Ace) at the time... But still a very enjoyable ride. The Fuji felt like a truck compared to the TDF.
But being French threading, it was a pain to have 2 sets of freewheels and other threaded stuff. During a hiatus from riding for Fuji, I sold the TDF to buy a Raleigh Pro MK IV with the Campy NR gruppo.

yellowjeep

Show off the drive side!

edit: Just noticed the date.

VintageR

No, I do not like it. Not at all.

A Gitane TdF is such a nice bike - but with this front wheel, these brake levers, this saddle and those tt cable clamps it is nothing but a mongrel.
Crosschained and with a questionable RD adjustment at that.
You should have done that to an UO-8 instead, a full racer doesn't deserve this.

It really looked nicer when you bought it, a lot more classy.

Just my (!) $0.02.

Grand Bois

He'd really hate mine!

I couldn't care less.

sced

It's a really nice bike but not a holy relic, so enjoy the heck out of it. When I was a teen in the early 70's, my LBS, Colley Avenue Bike Shop in Norfolk Va., had a metallic green TdF and a metallic dark red Super Corsa for sale for ages. They were the object of my desires for some time. I ended up getting a used English racing bike called a Kenistons, a make that I have never seen nor heard of again.

VintageR

IIRC it's the turquoise one with the chainguard and the upright bars, right!?
If so, I actually like it, sorry.

tobydeemer

Well, if you'll notice in an earlier post, I did mention that it's not finished. I'm going to replace the cable clamps, get the wheels paired correctly, and sort out the last details.

"Work in progress"

And that being said...

You ride what you like, and I'll ride what I like while taking the die-hard, dismissive purists in stride.

Kommisar89

Which one Dirtdrop? I've seen pictures of your bikes and never noticed anything that didn't meet my elitest standards Show us pictures of the offending bike!

Kommisar89

Hey! What's wrong with UO8s? You dissin' my bike?

Grand Bois

I had to give up the Simplex chainguard when I upgraded the FD. I've turned a classic road racer into an old man's bike, but it's my favorite bike to ride.

I know you didn't like the Campagnolo crank on my Peugeot. I didn't like it either. I traded a Duopar for a Stronglight 93 and installed it last night. It looks much better. I'll post a picture later, for now I'm going to go try to track down a trailing arm for a 2002 Buick Regal.

Kommisar89

I think your C&V membership is safe. You may have repurposed it a bit but it still looks very correct for the period. Well, maybe you need some gumwall tires And yeah, that Stronglight 93 looks great on there!

Allegheny Jet

tobydeemer,

Way back when, while I was in college the temptation for me to steal something was significant. In the front window of a LBS in Butler, PA was an orange Gitane Tour De France. More than once I stood outside the store and plotted my crime. Well, eventually the bike sold and I didn't risk jail time and even convinced myself that my Raleigh SuperCcourse TT was a comparable bike. Currently I'm in the process of bringing the Super Course back to it's rightful condition. To date I have over $700 invested in NOS bars, stem, seat post, vintage Mavic tubular wheels, freewheel, tires, decal sets, shifters, derailers and assorted hardware bits and I've yet to pay for the frame painting, all for a bike that cost me $190 in 1973. Enjoy your ride and hopefully we'll cross paths someday on our new/old bikes.

tobydeemer

That sounds awesome. It's probably more indepth than I really have the pockets for, honestly... But I do admire that level of work.

On a side note, I had the bike out today in a small group ride. We did 24 miles, and the original drive train (but for the new brake levers, of course) held up without issue. Rides like an old familiar dream, as it were.