Any guesses? Help ID mystery bike...
 

From what little I know, some bits point to French?
Do the wrap over seat stays suggest Gitane?
Thanks for any help....kinda thinking I might pick up a summer project.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9b7c3d812a.jpg

The ad: https://fresno.craigslist.org/bik/d/...890633768.html

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At $80 it is a terrific value.

Keep in mind the fork is a Japanese replacement of lower quality metal than the frame.

If you go to look at the bike you'll want to carefully examine the frame to rule out any damage from whatever event necessitated the fork replacement.

Frame constructed with Prugnat 62/d pattern lugs.

Seat stay attachment is distinctive but it is one used by many makers and available to all.

Two possible identifications which come to mind are St. Etienne and Ficelle - these are just ideas - no assertions.

Me guess, and it is only a guess, is that frame tubing will turn out to be Vitus.

Happy shopping, keep in mind the single most important variable is the size. If it is wrong for you then everything else moot.

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Cool. I admire the depth of knowlege some possess on this forum...Thanks for the input. I have yet to stand over the bike, but the ad puts it in the right range for me....

Based on the components, any guesses as to age?

Mid-70's?

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perhaps 1972

not late enough for "mid-'70's"

final year for the cycle's chainset was 1975

the reason mentioned St. Etienne is that I worked on a customer's example which had the same seat stay treatment, dropouts and chainset as the subject bike

all of these bits were available to everyone so it does not mean all that much...just a possibility

if you purchase the machine you might wish to keep an eye out for a quality fork commensurate with the frame

possible frame may be three-tube Reynolds with Vitus/Durifort taper tubes

it is that sort of model - two down from the very top

hope this assists a bit...

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Thank you, juvela.
I decided to buy the bike and take it on as a summer project. I really like its level of completeness. Once I laid eyes on the bike I had to have it.
I can confirm that your hypothesis is correct. On the bars is the St. Etienne name.
The bike seems fairly light for the era. Is there any way to confirm tube type?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e51c497b45.jpg

The seat stay tops, in addition to the partial wrap, are longer than most swaged stay tops. I've seen similar features on frames made by Cycles France-Loire for St. Etienne and Jacque Anquetil. Oh and also on the frame sitting in my garage- like the subject bike an unknown. My frame has metric OD main tubes that are marked Reynolds 531 DB. Subject bike has nicer lugs and forged Simplex dropouts (that appear to have hanger removed). My guess is this frame is same tubing. Measurements for the main tube OD's and seatpost OD would help identify the tubing.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...uld-531-a.html fork on this one is similar

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...cle-model.html

Thanks for the leads....

Also very similar color and features to this one...
https://www.troc-velo.com/photos-vel...-1-1928843.htm

....and another in the gold color: https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=13104

Update w/Measurements
 

Finally finding time to get back to the project....
Here are the measurements...

Seat post:
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...df9025cea9.jpg

Top tube:
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c4091492e0.jpg

Seat Tube:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9c312cd90f.jpg

Head tube:
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a0088f412f.jpg

...and a little better detail of the seat stay details...
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...67458b60d4.jpg

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Hello again Ottomotion,

Thanks very much for the additional information and pictures.

The top tube and seat tube measurements are what we would expect: 26.0mm and 28.0mm.

The seat post measurement is smaller than would be expected.

As I read it it appears about 25.4mm; is this how it appears to you?

This is a size associated with hi-tensile frame tubing.

Several things can contribute to an artificially small measurement.

a) steel sheet pillars often get deformed to out of roundness

b) someone may have fitted a pillar which is too small

best to remove pillar and seat binder

see if binder ears have been pinched down

if so, gently prise them apart

examine interior of seat tube top for rust, paint or other foreign matter

when top of seat tube interior is clean take a measurement of its inside diameter

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would expect that if you follow this procedure you will get a larger number, likely no smaller than 26.2mm

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unfortunately this does nothing to advance an identification! :(

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