gstein

Since I wasn’t able to find any pictures online of the Gitane Hosteller in Club Green, thought I’d post some pictures for anyone interested or doing research on the same.

I picked up this bike earlier this summer. I’m in Kansas City and found a guy that does incredible restoration work in vintage road bikes. This included full disassembly (including every part), frame and parts polished, new grease/lube and assembled. He even got the old generator to work! Heavy bike for sure, but still fun to ride to the local brewery, coffee shop, etc.

Anyway, the only question I have is can the exact year of when this bike was built be identified?

Probably not, but was hoping someone could opine.

I believe it is early 70s, but was kind of hoping it was built in 1970, the same year I was born. Still a keeper regardless.

dweenk

Here is a catalog page from 1968. Your color is not listed, so it may be a bit later. Sorry. I attached twice. I have a 1968 in red.It has Weinmann brakes and Huret shifters. My paint is in rough shape on one side of the bike; it spent years in the sun as a shop window display.

gstein

Thanks for the catalog. I’ve only seen one other Gitane catalog page that shows the Club Green paint scheme for the Hosteller. Unfortunately the page does not show the year of the catalog.

thumpism 

Those Mafac levers are probably newer than everything else on the bike but a nice change with the more comfortable gum hoods.

markk900

If the rims are original then there might be a date code on them near the manufacturer label stamping - usually a number in a diamond or just a straight year.

Lovely bike! How does it ride?

We may hear from juvela as a wonderful source of component dating advice. I will note that front brake is a “dural forged” with a mafac saddle yoke, the rear is a slightly more
modern “racer” with a Weinmann yoke, so some component swapping has been effected.

markk900

Also I am curious: what does the writing on the chain stay say? I’ve expanded the photo and it should be clear but I can’t make heads nor tails of it.

ehcoplex 

Very cool!

FBOATSB

I too have failed miserably to decipher this. Surely someone will chime in.

Weird graphics.

Hondo6

If you hadn't already seen this, it might be of help. While it's "not complete, there are Gitane catalogs posted that range from the 1960s up through 2012." (from their forum)

Gitane USA - Catalogues

gstein

Although the rims appear to be the same, they are stamped with a different manufacturer (see pictures).

On the front wheel, I was able to find a diamond with a stamped number. The only problem is it is very difficult to read. At first I thought it said “70”, but after looking at it from various angles I believe it is stamped “72”. The seven is fairly clear but that second number is tough.

There is some wording on the chain stay buy not sure I can make it out (I’ve attached a picture to see if anyone can decipher). I swear it starts with “email” but obviously that would not be relevant in 1972!

As for the ride, you know you are on a heavier bike but it is still fun to ride. I just got the bike back and literally have only been on one ride so far. The bike feels like I could add 30-40 lbs of gear and the bike could handle it with no problem. I know these were for touring but I think I’d have to update the handlebars to something more comfortable if I was riding long distance. Also those rims do make a fair amount of noise when breaking, although I provide could correct most of that with new pads.

Hondo6

I think the script in the last photo above may read "émail luxe polymerise". According to online translators, that's French for hrase "polymerized luxury enamel" - which would make sense.

One of the rims may well be a replacement. Could be either one; the original owner might have run afoul of a pothole early on. But if the "7#" (I also read it as 72) code you found on one rim is indeed for the year, that means that rim's roughly 50 years old.

Hondo6

Addendum: I'm pretty sure that the Samir Samox and Rigida Super Chromix rims are both chromed steel rims.

Reputedly that type of rim inherently gives lousy braking performance, even when textured (as both of yours seem to be). I say reputedly because while I'm reasonably certain I owned a bike or two "back in the day" that had steel rims, I honestly can't remember whether or not they were textured and can't really remember how well they braked.

The steel rims may and the texturizing may be a big part of your brake noise. Don't have enough knowledge to have an opinion on whether or not new pads will help - or if so, how much.

bikemig 

That's a great bike and color. I love the steel cottered triple crank. That said, alloy wheels and alloy crank would be a performance on the bike if you are so inclined.

markk900

Mafac brakes are know to squeal loudly if they haven’t got sufficient toe-in…. Easy to fix with a large crescent wrench 😎.

Compared to alloy rims steel rims are much worse when wet, textured or not, but BITD chrome rims never stopped me (pun intended) from riding in the rain. The sound of the texture is a whirring sound different from the mafac squeal: ironically it is similar to the sound of Brembo brakes on drilled iron disks on my old Ducati.

gstein

Squealing noise aside, the brakes are not the best performers. If this was my go-to, daily rider I would focus on getting those upgraded. As it stands I kind of like trying to keep it as original as possible even if it means I need twice the normal distance to stop!

ehcoplex 

New Kool-Stop pads and proper set-up/adjustment and those Mafacs will stop as well as any other brakes of the era (and properly set-up they shouldn't squeal........much..). The limiting factor is going to be those steel rims..

Hummer

Hello gstein, the serial number may contain a date code for the year of frame manufacture.