Manu431

That is indeed that.
Thanks for learning me some vocabular in english !
These pins are original (9mm), because I could remove them pretty easily. They fit the crank arm well, but the new axle must be a little different (height of the flat contact surface on the axle itself)
As you say, i probably need to adjust them.

Manu431

I could finally managed to mount my crankset after some adjustment (and some hours work) on 2 new conical pins.
Thanks for the precious advices.

But now, I am struglling with the mafac brakes.
I have two problems.

First, I don't have Mafac racers but normal Mafac brakes like that. I have a lot of difficulties to set them up , just because I probably need about 6 or 8 hands, and i don't have only two !
I could not managed until know to mount and pull the brake cable properly, and I really have no idea how to do that. (I follow park tool tutorial but it is all but not that simple).
And not speaking of adjusting an acceptable toe for the pad .


My second problem is that I think that I don't have original mafac cartridge (or they have been cutted for any reasons because they are short), so i am not very keen of spending 30€ on mafac pads if i am not sure they will fit.
Plus my metal cartridge are short and i doubt oabout the braking power.


I currently have purchased basic pads with metal cartridge, about 40 mm long just to check if it works, but they are not very qualitative and optimal in my opinion.
(as i said, I could not manage to mount the brake properly with them until now.

I wanted to know if the original Mafac pads + cartridge can easily replaced by something more "modern" compatible with my mounting system which seems not as easy as mafac racer to set up.
https://www.ultimebike.com/porte-pat...x4-bbs-02.html
https://www.ultimebike.com/porte-pat...re-argent.html
https://www.ultimebike.com/patins-st...r-bbs-01d.html

and maybe something with toe setting (why not maybe Vbrake type pad after all ?)

Sorry for having so much questions which seems maybe basic to a lot of you.

Manu431

I have to correct myself.
My brakes pads are probably original "short".
My brakes seems to be exactly the same as these ones , and I probably could mount Mafac replacement pads (I would have to cut them to fit the length)
Mafac S

That said my initial question remains , any good replacement "modern" pad for that.

Velosepia: Vintage Mafac « S » front & rear brake set

'02 nrs

commencal/

mountaindave 

^^^ Ok, I get that it is French (actually Andorran), and that MTB’s become “old” very quickly, but you do realize that this is a Classic and Vintage forum, right?

HPL

Unfortunately, I came to this thread late, but I do have a couple of those "Delrin" body derailleurs. No cracks or obvious signs of deterioration. That FD was on my first new bike I bought, 1980 Peugeot. I actually (at the time) thought it was a decent derailleur for the bike/price; and an easy low cost upgrade if needed to change. I see you ordered a Sun Tour FD, but if you want one (I'm using one on a Gudereit rebuild for a friend, he wanted OE parts) I'd be happy to donate. I haven't gotten to that parts bin for a photo; but if you need a pic, I'll add it to the thread. They both have been cleaned/rebuilt and are ready for use.

Manu431

Many thanks for your kind offer but the bike is finished now, with the suntour front derailleur.
As i am not looking for 100% original, (my bike has been built around a brand new frame by my father ), I think it is not a bad solution to have opted for this simple but all metal construction suntour.
It should be reliable for the future
It is from the same period, and it works really well.

Of course I will put pictures, but we have here in france continuous rain for about one week and I could not even give a try at the bike until now !
today the weather is better, I will take some pictures after work .

juvela

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Thanks very much for sharing this find!

Do you consider the Japanese pedals to be original?

They seem slightly odd on a cycle which is otherwise all French.


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Manu431

I have absolutely no idea if the bike is all original or not .
But japanese pedals on french bike of this period are possible. (I may be wrong of course)
There is for sure a specialist around which could give some more precision on that.

at least, these pedals are from the 70's, which is period correct with the bike

Manu431

Hi everybody.

My Gitane bike is now ready for the road.
As I already said, this is a bike I got when I was a young boy, for a Christmas present.
It has been built by my father based on a brand new purchased frame and parts. Some other parts are parts which were available at my father's house.
For me , at that time, It was just a fantastic bike and it has made no difference if it was a "catalog" model or not.
I am happy the he choose it a little big at that time, because now I has the good size for me (size 54)
The bike stayed about 25 years at my father's house before I bring it back home during last Christmas holidays.
I decided to disassemble and clean it completely, polish alu part, ......
I had to change the crank axle, which was about dead.

(The road was not totally dry yesterday, and of course the frame and wheels are not as good as they could be for the pictures , but I could not resist to give it a try )

I could only make a short ride yesterday evening, but so far I could check the bike works perfectly. Of course I will have probably to fine tune some details, but nothing serious.

Some pictures ( I am absolutely no good at taking photos)

repechage

Cotters look like they fit, good choice on front derailleur. Exercise it on fair weather days and smile.

Manu431

I found this Mercier 1977 catalog on a french forum
https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=30688

The bike is about a Mercier SALEVE model, and probably not a serie 100 - 200 which are older.
Nothing is 100% sure, but it should be pretty close .

At the end en the 70's, the Mercier bike were designed by the name of famous french mountain pass

Regarding the pedals, they are probably original, based on another information ,again on a french forum (I am a new member there too ; great information there)
Kyokuto top run pedals have been present on Mercier SALEVE models, like this one
MERCIER rose modèle SALEVE 1977 /1978

juvela

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Thanks so much for this information! Greatly appreciated.

Here is the U.S. we seem to be the most familiar with the Mercier models of the early 1970's "boom."


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bfuser191509248

I posted a link to the '77 catalog in my Mercier topic here in this forum, six months ago: https://www.bikeforums.net/21064672-post53.html

More: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...r-mercier.html

Manu431

Thanks !

I will read that carefully.

It seems that you are a specialist. could you maybe confirm which model I own ?

ollo_ollo

Beautiful PX10, Bring it to Cino 2020

NHmtb

Yes, that PX10 is superbe. I've always lusted after one of the Nervex lug ones

bfuser191509248

You're welcome, Manu431.

I am indeed a specialist. Specifically, a specialist in asking questions, and trying to learn about Mercier bikes from people with actual knowledge. Hopefully with more dialog among all of us, and through examining the history and evidence I'm trying to dig up, we can pin down more details about these bikes. Please add your photos, info, and questions to my Mercier thread! We need all the help we can get. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...r-mercier.html

oneclick 

I used to file the tops of the Weinmann levers, and peen and file the housings to get the levers to get closer to the cable stop. More travel and more of it in the more linear portion.

oneclick 

Was that the one that pumped in both directions, and had a kind of pressure guage using the resting place of the piston against markings on the tube?

jimmuller 

Yes. I don't recall the pressure gauge feature but your note prompts me to imagine that I remember it.

What I do remember is they broke easily. The handle pulled off mine after maybe two uses. Neat idea poorly executed.

It wasn't French though.

PilotFishBob 

Curious - is this it? I got this with a batch of pumps from a shop closing here in Memphis a few years back. Useless to me but I never tossed it.

thumpism 

Not mine. Gitane Interclub for sale on FB right now.

BFisher

French bike with poodle.

bertinjim 

BFisher-

Lovely bikes, those Grand Sprints. Had one identical to the photo but without the dog.