ExPatTyke

What have I bought this time? I saw this frame on eBay a week ago.

It was at a low price and just up the road, and I'd had a few drinks, so I put a bid on. The bid was successful, and I won the frame for the grand sum of £19.95.

The seller delivered it to me, and gave a bit of background information. Apparently he bought it as a project from someone who said it was a Gitane. The seller hadn't done anything with it, and with his furlough ending had decided to let it go.

So, can anyone shed any light on what I've invested in? It'd be nice if it is a Gitane, but I'm happy with something that'll build into a nice bike.

There's no serial number or date stamped on either frame or forks, and no dates either. The bottom bracket was already fitted - the seller said he thought it was a standard British fit.

Thanks- as always - for all information.

non-fixie 

I don't recognize anything "Gitanesque", but that may just be my lack of knowledge of the later models. It does look like a nice frame, though, and for 20 pounds that is an excellent deal whatever it turns out to be.

juvela

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Do fork ends match dropouts (Simplex)?

It is somewhat unusual to find a full-sloping fork crown on a Gitane product. they were on their way out fashionwise by the time the frame was manufactured.

Have you found a serial? If so, what is serial location?


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non-fixie 

Am I seeing correctly that the down tube has both shifter bosses and a pib to keep a shifter clamp in place?

juvela

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the no-slide pibb is of a pattern not oft encountered

the shift lever bosses have "puddles"/untidyness around their bases as though perhaps added by a non-professional

hole in brake bridge appears it may be large enough for incasso
hole in fork crown also appears sufficiently large for incasso
however, there is no counterboring which tells us hole is an enlargement done post manufacture

suspect we are looking at something which has been reworked

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Chombi1 

Windowed lugs and chisel point rear stays linda says Gitane, but if that's a Simplex rear dropout, says Peugeot.
the bottom bracket cable guides are unusual to both brands though. Definitely a mystery frame.

ExPatTyke

Thanks for the replies everyone - much appreciated.

I've attached some more photos that show the fork crown and dropouts. No sign of a serial anywhere on the frame.

Yep, there's a pib as well as shifter bosses - I hadn't noticed that to be honest. I've attached a better photo; the bosses do look like they're add ons.

Holes in the fork crown and bridge have definitely been drilled out as well.

I checked the rear spacing this morning - it's 130mm not the 120 or 126 I'd have expected so looks like that's been altered too.

Photos are below - cheers again for the help so far!

​​​​​

juvela

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thank you for the additional information and photos.

Chombi mentioned the treatment for the joinery of taper tubes to frame ends. note the drive side chainstay where it meets the dropout. it is cut at a diagonal; have not before encountered this. may twig the memory of a reader to help move toward an identification.

fork ends are Campag so that is confirmatory of fork not being original.
have you checked the steerer diameter and threading?
would expect 25.4mm and a BSC or IT thread,
you can examine steerer interior for rifling. if seven
ribs present it is A.L. Colombo.

have you confirmed as yet that BB thread is BSC?

would expect frame tube diameters to be metric. have you as yet checked them?

the Juy ends and likely metric tube dimensions do not necessarily mean a FR origin as one must keep in mind the possibilty of CH or BE origin as well.

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