Late 80s Gitane race-bike found : what do I have?
05-11-23, 04:29 PM
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Late 80s Gitane race-bike found : what do I have?
I came across what felt like a bargain for a beautifully made late 1980s (I think) Gitane. It had been sitting for over 15 years with only a couple of rides in that time but I was told it was raced locally in the late 80s.
I'd love to hear from the Gitane crowd since I don't know what I have. verktyg ?
531 frame with chrome drive side stays and number hanger, Mavic MA 40 rims on Campy hubs... most of a Campy groupset but with a Simplex / Spidel FD and matching gear levers. Cinelli bars & stem and Laprade seat post.
Photos below are as found so I haven't been able to scrape off enough dirt yet to read the serial number.
Can anyone identify her? Thanks!
I'd love to hear from the Gitane crowd since I don't know what I have. verktyg ?
531 frame with chrome drive side stays and number hanger, Mavic MA 40 rims on Campy hubs... most of a Campy groupset but with a Simplex / Spidel FD and matching gear levers. Cinelli bars & stem and Laprade seat post.
Photos below are as found so I haven't been able to scrape off enough dirt yet to read the serial number.
Can anyone identify her? Thanks!
Last edited by CriticalThought; 05-18-23 at 02:34 PM.
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05-11-23, 05:09 PM
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THE best DT friction shifters!
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05-11-23, 06:42 PM
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I believe that's a Team Replica, not just 531 but 531 Professional. I don't know much more except that it's one of the most sought after Gitanes around.
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05-11-23, 06:46 PM
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Strange mix of derailleurs.....
The rear derailleur is a Campy Chorus, first gen, while the frint is what's usually paired with Simplex SLJ rear derailleurs.
Then, there's the Campy headset, which could also be first gen Chorus.
The crsnkset is definitely a first gen Chorus crank....
Brakes are first gen Chorus Monoplanars. Hubs look to be first gen Chorus too.
Could have been a full Campy Chorus equipped bike whrn it left the factory, and the owner got rid of the unreliable Synchro shift levers
Judging from the tubing snd the brazed-on race number tag eye on the top tube, this could be their later version of their "Pro" model.
What I could not figure out is, how uninspiring the graphics and the paint colors on these late 80's Gitanes were, Compared to their bikes in the early 80's. Worst looking ones were painted in black and white "cow" pattern painted. What the heck was Gitame thinking??!. Similar happened to Peugeot's bike aesthetics in the late 80's.
Did not help that a lot of bikes started to lose the chrome on their frames by this time.
The rear derailleur is a Campy Chorus, first gen, while the frint is what's usually paired with Simplex SLJ rear derailleurs.
Then, there's the Campy headset, which could also be first gen Chorus.
The crsnkset is definitely a first gen Chorus crank....
Brakes are first gen Chorus Monoplanars. Hubs look to be first gen Chorus too.
Could have been a full Campy Chorus equipped bike whrn it left the factory, and the owner got rid of the unreliable Synchro shift levers
Judging from the tubing snd the brazed-on race number tag eye on the top tube, this could be their later version of their "Pro" model.
What I could not figure out is, how uninspiring the graphics and the paint colors on these late 80's Gitanes were, Compared to their bikes in the early 80's. Worst looking ones were painted in black and white "cow" pattern painted. What the heck was Gitame thinking??!. Similar happened to Peugeot's bike aesthetics in the late 80's.
Did not help that a lot of bikes started to lose the chrome on their frames by this time.
Last edited by Chombi1; 05-12-23 at 02:54 AM.
05-11-23, 06:51 PM
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That is going to clean up so nicely. Great find.
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05-11-23, 09:21 PM
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I like it and sooo want those Spidel labeled Simplex levers to complete my group.
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05-11-23, 10:29 PM
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If you're on Facebook, there's a Gitane group that would go gaga over this. Someone there could tell you what it is if @verktyg doesn't ID it here first.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/154950624602070
https://www.facebook.com/groups/154950624602070
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05-12-23, 02:52 AM
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To add to what has already been revealed..... I recognize the color scheme as the French Pro Systeme U team. By using various search engines, it looks to be from 1989. I only found one public image of that year on facecrook, which I do not otherwise participate in. The gintaneusa website curiously omits the year 1989 from it's catalog scans ! You know how some brands start going wonky over the course of their history ? 1989 appears just that for Cycles Gitane. I can't imagine the bike came with a mix of Campy and Simplex parts, unless they really went loco by then. But obviously the saddle has been changed, so likely some of the Campy parts. As for appeal, that color scheme just doesn't give me warm fuzzy feelings, not like their classic blue frames from the 70's and earlier 80's. It reminds me of how brands starting selling themselves out for the sake of the "corporate/sponsor dollar" promises of "sharing the wealth". Hah hah .... exactly the opposite happens.
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05-12-23, 10:47 AM
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Dang, that is a nicely equipped bike.
Does it fit you?
Does it fit you?
05-12-23, 01:14 PM
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I agree with you that the classic blue was better, but for fans of Laurent Fignon the Systeme U color scheme has massive appeal. Hadn't they switched to Raleigh in 1989 though? Interesting that Gitane kept using that color scheme.
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05-12-23, 02:03 PM
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excellent choice and nice as well as rare bike 
05-12-23, 03:33 PM
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05-13-23, 02:59 AM
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Jokingly ..... hey .. maybe Fignon lost to LeMond because his team forsake Gitane and rode with a Raleigh brand of frame
Of course it's all the same steel underneath the paint, but let's not that get in the way of hi-stories !
05-13-23, 06:58 AM
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Strange mix of derailleurs.....
The rear derailleur is a Campy Chorus, first gen, while the frint is what's usually paired with Simplex SLJ rear derailleurs.
Then, there's the Campy headset, which could also be first gen Chorus.
The crsnkset is definitely a first gen Chorus crank....
Brakes are first gen Chorus Monoplanars. Hubs look to be first gen Chorus too.
Could have been a full Campy Chorus equipped bike whrn it left the factory, and the owner got rid of the unreliable Synchro shift levers
Judging from the tubing snd the brazed-on race number tag eye on the top tube, this could be their later version of their "Pro" model.
What I could not figure out is, how uninspiring the graphics and the paint colors on these late 80's Gitanes were, Compared to their bikes in the early 80's. Worst looking ones were painted in black and white "cow" pattern painted. What the heck was Gitame thinking??!. Similar happened to Peugeot's bike aesthetics in the late 80's.
Did not help that a lot of bikes started to lose the chrome on their frames by this time.
The rear derailleur is a Campy Chorus, first gen, while the frint is what's usually paired with Simplex SLJ rear derailleurs.
Then, there's the Campy headset, which could also be first gen Chorus.
The crsnkset is definitely a first gen Chorus crank....
Brakes are first gen Chorus Monoplanars. Hubs look to be first gen Chorus too.
Could have been a full Campy Chorus equipped bike whrn it left the factory, and the owner got rid of the unreliable Synchro shift levers
Judging from the tubing snd the brazed-on race number tag eye on the top tube, this could be their later version of their "Pro" model.
What I could not figure out is, how uninspiring the graphics and the paint colors on these late 80's Gitanes were, Compared to their bikes in the early 80's. Worst looking ones were painted in black and white "cow" pattern painted. What the heck was Gitame thinking??!. Similar happened to Peugeot's bike aesthetics in the late 80's.
Did not help that a lot of bikes started to lose the chrome on their frames by this time.
05-13-23, 07:32 PM
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Coming together
Thanks all. I was able to wipe her down and remove some of the miscellany (and dirt) and she's looking a lot more shipshape now. I still need to find time to disassemble her, service and lubreacte her, install new bearings and brake pads, and most of all a decent saddle and tires. But I have to say I'm pretty happy with how she's shaping up!
I really appreciate all of the info. I'll keep posting photos as she rematerializes.
I really appreciate all of the info. I'll keep posting photos as she rematerializes.
05-13-23, 08:08 PM
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05-13-23, 11:56 PM
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Yeah, maybe it isn't. In 1987 the Gitane Team Pro bikes were 531 Professional, and in 1988 the catalog says they were 753 while the next level down Exploit was 531P. I guess maybe in 1989 they decided people weren't paying enough for the tubing decals and stepped back to the tried and true 531.
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05-14-23, 01:37 AM
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whatever this 531 is it's had the bottom of the sticker cut off so if there was additional tubing info there, it's gone.
And that's weird.
And that's weird.
05-22-23, 10:56 AM
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She's coming along...
I haven't had much time to do much more than clean her up a bit more and adjust a few things, but she's looking more like a proper race bike now.
The more I look at the Reynolds decal on the downtube, the more convinced I am that unworthy1 is right about the bottom of it being intentionally cut off (as opposed to just wearing out and degrading or falling off). If so, that's pretty ironic given that Gitane did the same thing to the labels on the forks on my 1970s Tour de France!
Anyone know a source for the Campagnolo braze on number hanger "screw"? I have one on another race bike from the same era (a Duell Solo) and I'd love one for the Gitane. I poked around online and couldn't find any. They are Campy branded and look a bit like a dzus fastener.
The more I look at the Reynolds decal on the downtube, the more convinced I am that unworthy1 is right about the bottom of it being intentionally cut off (as opposed to just wearing out and degrading or falling off). If so, that's pretty ironic given that Gitane did the same thing to the labels on the forks on my 1970s Tour de France!
Anyone know a source for the Campagnolo braze on number hanger "screw"? I have one on another race bike from the same era (a Duell Solo) and I'd love one for the Gitane. I poked around online and couldn't find any. They are Campy branded and look a bit like a dzus fastener.
05-22-23, 12:23 PM
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I bought one such bike in 1974 and paid $350 at the time. I removed all the Campy parts and put them on a new custom frame and then sold the Gitane frame. Saved a lot of money as compared to buying all the Campy components at a bike shop.
