Flea market find, 70s Gitane tdf?
12-15-18, 08:22 AM
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Flea market find, 70s Gitane tdf?
I dug this out of a pile of bikes at a nearby flea market. When I was pulling in to park, it was the first thing I spotted. The gut selling it thought an the value was in the saddle, vintage Brooks. It's a pretty nice early 70s Gitane something. It's a mix of parts, which seemed to be Gitane's m/o in those days. It's probably not a bike I'll keep, but then again, there aren't many I don't keep. What do you guys think, info, opinions, ideas?
12-15-18, 08:53 AM
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I'm working on uploading the pics, I'm new to the site
12-15-18, 09:09 AM
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What color is it. The orange ones are particularly nice. And gold too. And purple...and green...and turquoise..and.....
12-15-18, 10:53 AM
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Pic assist:
Looks like a great find. Is it your size?
Looks like a great find. Is it your size?
Last edited by CO_Hoya; 12-15-18 at 03:16 PM. Reason: Bigger pic assist
12-15-18, 11:01 AM
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Many of us tend to get all gooey about Italian bicycles, but...
I have found that French bikes are pretty darn nice and almost my preference, these days...
I have found that French bikes are pretty darn nice and almost my preference, these days...
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12-15-18, 11:44 AM
#8
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Nice lookin gitane. Mostly complete. Those barend shifters are a nice find. Tubular tires are hard to find( at least for me as my tdf came with tubs and I’ve tried at a few old shops to find a pair without any luck. 700c work though. Mafac brakes work great.
12-15-18, 12:22 PM
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I have a set of campag-hubbed wheels with that same drilling pattern , Are they campag? If so what model? Nice find!
12-15-18, 12:31 PM
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Nice find! If it's a TdF, the brakes will be Competitions. Racers don't fit the front fork on those.
12-15-18, 03:27 PM
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More pics from his gallery:
Mafac Competition brakes, in line with TdF model:
Can someone tell the year of this front derailleur from this view? Probably.
Tipo hubs? Dunno.
There's quite a bit of work ahead, but the payoff will be very nice.
Mafac Competition brakes, in line with TdF model:
Can someone tell the year of this front derailleur from this view? Probably.
Tipo hubs? Dunno.
There's quite a bit of work ahead, but the payoff will be very nice.
Last edited by CO_Hoya; 12-15-18 at 03:36 PM.
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12-15-18, 03:39 PM
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Dang, nice find for a flea market bike. Tubular rims and all. That should clean up real nicely.
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12-15-18, 04:18 PM
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Great find and just my size!
12-15-18, 07:22 PM
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Nice! I like mine. I think that's probably a 74 or so--the earlier ones had a slightly different fork crown. One was made by Wagner, the other by someone else, but I forget which was which. Too bad someone stripped the paint from the fork. I have always loved the Stronglight 93 crankset.
If anyone is interested, I think that Freeride, the bike co-op in Montpelier (Vt.), still has a complete TdF kicking around. It's been painted with a brush and is pretty beat up, but seems to be pretty much complete, as best I recall. Fortunately, it's too small for me.
If anyone is interested, I think that Freeride, the bike co-op in Montpelier (Vt.), still has a complete TdF kicking around. It's been painted with a brush and is pretty beat up, but seems to be pretty much complete, as best I recall. Fortunately, it's too small for me.
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12-16-18, 06:57 AM
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Replacement fork?
Nice! I like mine. I think that's probably a 74 or so--the earlier ones had a slightly different fork crown. One was made by Wagner, the other by someone else, but I forget which was which. Too bad someone stripped the paint from the fork. I have always loved the Stronglight 93 crankset.
The pedals look to be the aluminum 460D model and the high flange Nuovo Tipo hubs were both original to the TDF. The stem has been upgraded and looks really nice!
Great find!
Last edited by Schreck83; 12-16-18 at 08:13 AM.
12-16-18, 08:50 AM
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I'm thinking 70-72 era, as by 73 the rear bridge was mostly gone. Also, your front derailleur, though not original, does not have a circlip, which just adds to the earlier than 73-74. I'm pretty sure that Tipo hubs ( like Record) have date codes on the locknut - this era would be on the inside face. So check those.
And I'm wondering if the fork was a later replacement. Besides just the (missing) paint, something's got my radar on, can't put my finger on it, though.
more edit: I just caught the dropout sans hanger. Chas may know if they also had a bike-boom shortage thing, but it may be pre70. I have one sans hanger waiting for me to tackle it, and the original owner said he bought it in the 60's.
.
And I'm wondering if the fork was a later replacement. Besides just the (missing) paint, something's got my radar on, can't put my finger on it, though.
more edit: I just caught the dropout sans hanger. Chas may know if they also had a bike-boom shortage thing, but it may be pre70. I have one sans hanger waiting for me to tackle it, and the original owner said he bought it in the 60's.
.
Last edited by Ex Pres; 12-16-18 at 09:01 AM.
12-16-18, 11:50 AM
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The Tipo hubs will be French-threaded, so any freewheel change will need to be same.
I've been riding French bicycles of late and think they're great.
I've been riding French bicycles of late and think they're great.
12-16-18, 02:09 PM
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They are Nouvo Tipo hubs, mafac competition brakes, I don't believe the fork was ever painted. I'm still 50/50 on it being a tdf, looking at the catalogues it could be a 74 champion du monde. I have an early 70s Falcon San Remo with similar components.
12-16-18, 03:31 PM
#20
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The Champion du Monde was an European model, not really sold in the U.S.
Besides a few items changed on your bike, everything points to it being an early 1970s TdF.
Besides a few items changed on your bike, everything points to it being an early 1970s TdF.
12-16-18, 03:41 PM
#21
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Watch that Cinelli stem. Doubt it is french sized and looks to be just barely inserted into the frame. Also looks like its in excellent condition/newer.
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12-16-18, 07:35 PM
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Regardless of what it is, if the shoe fits, wear it. Looks like a quality bike in need of refurbishing.
12-17-18, 03:24 AM
#23
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1971-72 Gitane TdF
It's a late 1971 or early 1972 model. Gitane stopped using the brazed on "willow leaf" seat stay caps after about 1971 and switched to swagged tops. They continued the brazed on brake cable stop bridge until about 1972.
The fork crowns were changed from Nervex Professional to Nervex Dubois and the lugs changed from Prugnat Type "S" to Bocama Medium point Professional lugs.
The brazed on seat stay caps and brake cable stop bridges were discontinued during the early bike boom as a time saving move. Gitane and the other European bike makers couldn't produce bikes fast enough to meet the US demand plus there were smaller bike booms going on in France and the UK at the time.
During that era Gitane used at least 4 different styles of rear dropouts on the US model TdF frames: 3 different Simplex dropouts and on rare occasion, Campy dropouts.
The late 60's early 70's simplex dropout with a "horn" on the NDS to help guide the wheel in.
Standard Simplex dropouts without the horn were used up into the mid 70's
The Ref 881 5mm wide forged dropouts without an integral derailleur hanger. These were used on some TdF at the height of the bike boom because of availability issues with the other styles.
Gitane used Campy dropouts out of desperation. In France, Simplex dropouts cost ~$2-$3 a set. Campagnolo dropouts cost up to $15 a set!!! The French being a frugal culture were not into throwing money away on unimportant Italian frame components. There were heavy protective tariffs in France on Italian bikes and components at that time.
Most TdFs came with Simplex fork ends. A few came with Huret fork ends with were identical to Campy. Even fewer came with Campy fork ends.
TdF frames had steerers to fit Stronglight P3 headsets with a 33mm stack height. Super Corsa steerers were longer to fit Campy headsets with a 41mm stack height.
Cleaned up it should make a very nice bike. Here's before and after overhaul on my 1969 Gitane TdF "barn bike".
https://www.flickr.com/photos/282672...57623681212186
verktyg
The fork crowns were changed from Nervex Professional to Nervex Dubois and the lugs changed from Prugnat Type "S" to Bocama Medium point Professional lugs.
The brazed on seat stay caps and brake cable stop bridges were discontinued during the early bike boom as a time saving move. Gitane and the other European bike makers couldn't produce bikes fast enough to meet the US demand plus there were smaller bike booms going on in France and the UK at the time.
During that era Gitane used at least 4 different styles of rear dropouts on the US model TdF frames: 3 different Simplex dropouts and on rare occasion, Campy dropouts.
The late 60's early 70's simplex dropout with a "horn" on the NDS to help guide the wheel in.
Standard Simplex dropouts without the horn were used up into the mid 70's
The Ref 881 5mm wide forged dropouts without an integral derailleur hanger. These were used on some TdF at the height of the bike boom because of availability issues with the other styles.
Gitane used Campy dropouts out of desperation. In France, Simplex dropouts cost ~$2-$3 a set. Campagnolo dropouts cost up to $15 a set!!! The French being a frugal culture were not into throwing money away on unimportant Italian frame components. There were heavy protective tariffs in France on Italian bikes and components at that time.
Most TdFs came with Simplex fork ends. A few came with Huret fork ends with were identical to Campy. Even fewer came with Campy fork ends.
TdF frames had steerers to fit Stronglight P3 headsets with a 33mm stack height. Super Corsa steerers were longer to fit Campy headsets with a 41mm stack height.
Cleaned up it should make a very nice bike. Here's before and after overhaul on my 1969 Gitane TdF "barn bike".
https://www.flickr.com/photos/282672...57623681212186
verktyg
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Last edited by verktyg; 12-17-18 at 03:37 AM.
12-17-18, 07:53 AM
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Agree. Nice find. Also agree on the stem. Hard to tell but that looks like an early one, with the exposed nut on the back of the clamp bolt.
Look on the underside of the stem and there should-might be a number. Those did come in the French size of 22 mm, my Champion Team came with one,
but on my TdF a standard 22.2 fit through the headset top nut and into the steerer just fine, for some reason.
That stem, if French sized, and in good condition, may be worth what you paid for the whole bike.
Look on the underside of the stem and there should-might be a number. Those did come in the French size of 22 mm, my Champion Team came with one,
but on my TdF a standard 22.2 fit through the headset top nut and into the steerer just fine, for some reason.
That stem, if French sized, and in good condition, may be worth what you paid for the whole bike.
12-17-18, 08:53 AM
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If it is your size, clean it and relube everything and go ride it and discover the joy that is the Gitane TdF. This appears to be my size, 60 cm to top, and there is just something magical about that size TdF.
