Bjerager

Hi
In the market for at vintage bike. I have my eyes on a gitane tour de france from 1977 with honeycomb droputs, reynold 531 tubing and campagnolo record hubs, gears, derailleurs, headset and so on. I also have my eye on a 1979 motobecane c5, columbus tubing, stronglight cranks, huret derailleurs, pelissier hubs... The gitane is blue, the motobecane red. The motibecane is in a little better condition and is also at bit more expensive.

What should I choose? Can I expect a difference in the ridig style? Wich of thme would have the most racing style geometry?

Bjerager

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/V%C3%A9lo-...53.m1438.l2649

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GITANE-TdF...53.m1438.l2649

Sorry but can´t post links

SurferRosa

I'm a Motobécane kinda guy. But, in this case, I favor the Gitane ... primarily for the Campagnolo.

Or ...

Get both sell the one you don't want.

verktyg 

The "C5" model is a European designation not used in the US.

Don't let the Campy stuff influence your decision. The French components are top quality too!



FIRST and most important question: Do the bikes FIT YOU?

They are BOTH probably 57cm frames measured from center to top of the seat tube, the way the French did it.

PROs Motobecane:

Looks almost new, late 1970's.

All Columbus tubing frame - probably light gauge SL.

The Huret Titanium Success derailleurs will shift circles around Campy NR derailleurs. I'm running one on my 1974 Motobecane Grand Jubile with 7 speed 13-30T FW and 36-50T chainrings. Shifting is flawless. I have the lower priced Huret Challenger derailleurs on my 1974 Gitane TdF pictured below and they work great too.

Pelissier hubs - top quality, better than the Campy Gran Sport hubs on the Gitane.

6 speed hubs 126mm wide.

CONs Motobecane:

This frame is going to have "twitchy" handling - over responsive! Competition!

Maillard pedals can be so-so except for the 700 models.

Belleri bars and stem can be so-so.

Weimann 605 Brakes need good pads, even then they are not in the same league as the Campy brakes on the Gitane.

PROS: Gitane:

1975-76 Tour de France?? with some use.

Campy components - but they are not original to the bike or a matched gruppo.

Little more stable handling than the Moto.

Cinelli stem and probably bars???

CONS Gitane:

Only the 3 main tubes on this frame are Reynolds 531 tubing. The forks and rear stays are seamed something or other tubing. Disregard the Reynold 531 sticker on the fork, anyone can add one of those.

3 TUBES RENFORCES = 3 MAIN TUBES BUTTED




Gitane used "fish mouthed" ends on Reynolds 531 forks and rear stays. Non- Reynolds tubes where domed:



The frame has 120mm wide dropouts for a 5 speed freewheel.

52-46T gearing is pretty steep for non competition riding.

25.8mm seatpost is WAY too small. Should be 26.4mm. See how the the slot in the seat tube lug is completely collapsed.

Price is about the same for both bikes and would be good in the US market.

Shipping on the Gitane is ~ £100, Motobecane is ~ £70. (blame it on BREXIT )

Depends on the type of riding you plan on doing with the bike.

I have or have had an number of Motos with the same geometry and you do get used to the twitchyness (maybe).



I also have a 1974 Gitane TdF that had been set up all Campy before I got the frame. I set it up all French.




Hope this helps.

verktyg

Narhay

$630 usd, $813 cad. Can I suggest neither? The bikes are nice but you would be paying top dollar.

For that price I think I would hold out for something full Reynolds 531 or Columbus SL with full campagnolo record. French bikes seem to crop up regularly for less. What is your local used market like?

Bjerager

The old french bike doesn't come up very often locally.

Bjerager

Helps a lot - is biased towards the motobecane, but loves the blue colour of the gitane.

Kovkov

I would take the Gitane. Most stuff is clamp on and not braze on. In my opinion that's the better option because it's easier to replace stuff and if something breaks it doesen't compromise the frame. And i also don't like drillium. But that's just me, i favor durability over everything else.

TenGrainBread 

If you can get them to accept an offer at 300 euros or less, I would personally go for the Moto.

Bjerager

I've maked him an offer - lets see if it is an offer he can't refuse ;-)

Bjerager

The seller accepted an order on 325 euro on the motobecane - looking forward to receive it.

It's an interesting piece. If you look in the french cataloques you'll see that the equipment on it makes it look like a 1979 model, but the colour is different, but is the same colour as in the 1980 catalogue:

1980 cataloque

1979 cataloque

Maybe I sould change the crankset to a stronglight 106 instead? The black adonized chainwheel isn't as nice as the silver ones IMHO. It would make it look more like a 1980 model. I assume that this bike was made late 1979 or early 1980. Or maybe there had been a problem with the original frame and the buyer had it replaced with a new one. What do you think?

As far as I can see, the frame is the same on the C5/C51 as on the Team Champion, the only difference seems to be in the choice of colour and the frame stickers. Is that right?

Bjerager

This is as far as I can see the actual bike in the proces of being refurbished by the guy I´m buying it from:

Motobecane C5 rouge

bwilli88 

If you had your location in your profile, this would be easier to search for you. This is a nice Gitane
https://lancaster.craigslist.org/bik...926817077.html

Bjerager

Very... I live in Denmark. And sorry, I'm a newbie here.

bwilli88 

Not a problem, go here for some great bikes, many in the Netherlands.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/42851702426/

Bjerager

Thanks - interesting group.

Bjerager

Received this beautiful bike today! Wow! In very good condition and well resaured, looks good considering it is a 40 year old bike.


Fits me perfectly - but the bars are a bit narrow, maybe I should find some wider bars


Nice lugs, beatiful colour, the chrome looks good.


Lovely derailleur in good conditon


I was a bit doubtfull regarding the black chainwheels, but i complements the bike very welll.


The hubs are smoooth!


The saddle shows sign of wear, and this is possibly the only thing abut the bike that doesn't appeal to my eyes... But it is original with the "M" for "Motobecane" stamped upon it. A Brooks or a ideale looks nicer though IMHO

Classtime 

Gorgeous! I wouldn't change anything. The hubs seem out of place. Surprising how you can get accustomed to the narrow bars but if your other bikes all have wider bars, it makes sense.

Bjerager

The hubs are Pelissier 1000, what was standard in the 1979 french catalogue for the C5. But with a motopecane sticker on them:

CATALOGUES MOTOBECANE: MOTOBECANE 1979

The frame colour is the same as on the 1980 C51

C51 and C5 was sold as "Team Champion" in the US, but Campagnolo equiped.

I'm used to much wider bars.

Yes it is gorgeous!

Bjerager

Pelissier 1000 hub


Original motobecane sticker on the hub in very good condition.

Bjerager

After My first 32 km commuting trip. Wow! Very agile and comfortable. Offcourse, it was After All top of the line from Motobecane 40 years ago. But I could do with a wider set of handlebars. If I can't find a original handlebars what would be a good option? And the brakes - could be a lot betters especially the brakes levers - what would be a good alternative? A set of Mavic/modolo? Suntour maybe? I'm looking for the Best option from the late 70'ies/early 80'ties.
The hubs run very smooth and the gears work well.

camjr

Nice find! I've got a 1976 Motobecane Grand Touring I resurrected last year and the ride is smoooooooooooth...

Cheers!

SurferRosa

French, of course. I prefer Philippe Franco Italia d352 bars.

You could continue the black theme with Modolo Speedys and salmon Kool-Stops.

Hproduguidon

I love your c5 this model in red is very rare even in France I am looking for one and impossible to find even though I have four c5 motobecane