Gitane rat rod...
#1
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Gitane rat rod...
I've had this tour de france frameset for over a year and lately been picking up completely rusted out bikes for their sturmey archer hubs and associated parfenalia. Turns out if they look horrible 25$ buys em and I have a friend who wants the frames. Anyway these two things come together nicely. My gitane frameset didn't have a derailleur hanger and it has massive clearance for 650b tires without any modification. So I built an inexpensive set of wheels. Zac19 rims, aw hub out back and shutter precision up front. The aluminum caliper brakes off a completely decimated Schwinn speedster reach the rims and off we go. I have a ways to go but wanted to show someone what my flu racked body was up to. Btw, I know the skewer is in backwards and the basement's a mess.
Gear ratio will probably go up a bit.
Gear ratio will probably go up a bit.
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Nice! How did you deal with the wider spacing of the rear end on the Gitane as compared to the Schwinn?
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with those 650's in there the arrestor centres appear to be in the vicissitude of eighty mm
good to see those CLB guidonnets - this will give IdahoBrett an opportunity to view how they appear...
handsome Motorbeacon there in the shadows...
hope U R feelin' mo' beddah nowadays
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with those 650's in there the arrestor centres appear to be in the vicissitude of eighty mm
good to see those CLB guidonnets - this will give IdahoBrett an opportunity to view how they appear...
handsome Motorbeacon there in the shadows...
hope U R feelin' mo' beddah nowadays
-----
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#4
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It's not much different and in fact the gitane is wider by a hair. It may have been massaged before, the frameset is pretty rough looking. Anyway, I flipped the anti rotation washers over and it went together well, but I wouldn't mind using the proper anti rotation washers designed for derailleur bikes as they do a better job of centering the wheel vertically.
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#5
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with those 650's in there the arrestor centres appear to be in the vicissitude of eighty mm
good to see those CLB guidonnets - this will give IdahoBrett an opportunity to view how they appear...
handsome Motorbeacon there in the shadows...
hope U R feelin' mo' beddah nowadays
-----
with those 650's in there the arrestor centres appear to be in the vicissitude of eighty mm
good to see those CLB guidonnets - this will give IdahoBrett an opportunity to view how they appear...
handsome Motorbeacon there in the shadows...
hope U R feelin' mo' beddah nowadays
-----
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maybe you could get together with jeirvine to form a MAEDA "backwards" front mech appreciation society...
...thinking of renaming my town "top normal"...
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maybe you could get together with jeirvine to form a MAEDA "backwards" front mech appreciation society...
...thinking of renaming my town "top normal"...
-----
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Looks like huge fun ‘52! My own experiments along these lines have tended to land on upright bars, as me old back is aging (not the rest of me, nope!). Is it my imagination or are the chain stays really quite short for the size of the frame?
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Looks like a fun time!
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1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
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This is the second Gitane TdF thread I've seen in 24hrs and it is making me reconsider where on the priority scale rebuilding a neglected TdF in my garage should sit at. You start reading about these bikes and about how much folks gush over their superlative ride - it is not isolated. Hmmm! Things to think about.
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#10
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Typically I go upright bars too but wanted to use these because they are so cool and french, plus the levers encourage being on top anyway. It's French fit for me as the frame is at the large end for me and this would probably get used like my super course three speed. The difference is this bike was definitely set up for sewups. 700c wheels won't remotely allow 35s and fenders. Oddly enough though there is a ton of room for chunky 650b. 42s fit easy. It really is a pretty sporting frame. Top gear will be around 70" or less so climbing river bluffs is easy with 40" or less and yes, the shorter chain stays help with climbing. Still experimenting.
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#12
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This is the second Gitane TdF thread I've seen in 24hrs and it is making me reconsider where on the priority scale rebuilding a neglected TdF in my garage should sit at. You start reading about these bikes and about how much folks gush over their superlative ride - it is not isolated. Hmmm! Things to think about.
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#13
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Just to delve into the pedigree of this frame I'd like to post a few detail shots.
Down tube shifter stop.
Fork crown
Seat cluster
No sign of ever having a derailleur hanger as far as I can tell.
And my goofy super bright tail light. My girlfriend is going to try painting the lenze.
Down tube shifter stop.
Fork crown
Seat cluster
No sign of ever having a derailleur hanger as far as I can tell.
And my goofy super bright tail light. My girlfriend is going to try painting the lenze.
Last edited by 52telecaster; 02-17-24 at 09:16 AM.
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this is the first TdF example seen from this era to be fitted with Juy ends set Nr. 881-881B -
...conditions of the boom: "use what you can get"
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this is the first TdF example seen from this era to be fitted with Juy ends set Nr. 881-881B -
...conditions of the boom: "use what you can get"
-----
#15
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alas, am not one of the forum's MICMO experts
it certainly appears early seventies
one demarcation is the seat stay treatment at the seat lug
some received the "willow leaf" while others received the simple cutting out of a wedge and crimping as seen on your example
also some received "fish mouth" treatment to the stay ends where they join the dropouts while others exhibit "domed" ends
verktyg has given very specific dates for these differences in his posts
do not have them in me noggin
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alas, am not one of the forum's MICMO experts
it certainly appears early seventies
one demarcation is the seat stay treatment at the seat lug
some received the "willow leaf" while others received the simple cutting out of a wedge and crimping as seen on your example
also some received "fish mouth" treatment to the stay ends where they join the dropouts while others exhibit "domed" ends
verktyg has given very specific dates for these differences in his posts
do not have them in me noggin
-----
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Your frame still has the brazed on bracket for the rear brake cable stop, whereas my 1973 TdF was shipped withe MAFAC hanger on the seat binder bolt, so pre-1973.
You also have the long-point lugs rather than the short-point Bocama the latest foil-era TdF's had.
My 1973:
Overdue for a refresh...
Member Hummer posted a thread to decode the Gitane serial number on the NDS RDO:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l-numbers.html
You also have the long-point lugs rather than the short-point Bocama the latest foil-era TdF's had.
My 1973:
Overdue for a refresh...
Member Hummer posted a thread to decode the Gitane serial number on the NDS RDO:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l-numbers.html
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#18
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Your frame still has the brazed on bracket for the rear brake cable stop, whereas my 1973 TdF was shipped withe MAFAC hanger on the seat binder bolt, so pre-1973.
You also have the long-point lugs rather than the short-point Bocama the latest foil-era TdF's had.
My 1973:
Overdue for a refresh...
Member Hummer posted a thread to decode the Gitane serial number on the NDS RDO:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l-numbers.html
You also have the long-point lugs rather than the short-point Bocama the latest foil-era TdF's had.
My 1973:
Overdue for a refresh...
Member Hummer posted a thread to decode the Gitane serial number on the NDS RDO:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l-numbers.html
#19
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It appears I may have a 1971. Hard to be sure as the numbers on the dropout aren't super clear but that would make sense. I'm using a 1967 aw hub for whatever that's worth.
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What mess? your goat (greatest of all time) TdF Rat Rod needs that hay bale!
Last edited by ollo_ollo; 02-17-24 at 05:39 PM. Reason: left out a word
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#21
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I have looked at your frame and tried to match it to Gitane frames with a date code serial number.
The Tour de France head tube lugs changed during the early 1970s.
I found a match with the same decals and head tube lugs. That frame was dated as week 3 of year 1973.
You can see that Gitane Tour de France on another forum's thread:
https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t17...-reynolds-1969
Bon appetit.
The Tour de France head tube lugs changed during the early 1970s.
I found a match with the same decals and head tube lugs. That frame was dated as week 3 of year 1973.
You can see that Gitane Tour de France on another forum's thread:
https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t17...-reynolds-1969
Bon appetit.
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#23
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I have looked at your frame and tried to match it to Gitane frames with a date code serial number.
The Tour de France head tube lugs changed during the early 1970s.
I found a match with the same decals and head tube lugs. That frame was dated as week 3 of year 1973.
You can see that Gitane Tour de France on another forum's thread:
https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t17...-reynolds-1969
Bon appetit.
The Tour de France head tube lugs changed during the early 1970s.
I found a match with the same decals and head tube lugs. That frame was dated as week 3 of year 1973.
You can see that Gitane Tour de France on another forum's thread:
https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t17...-reynolds-1969
Bon appetit.
#24
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Last pic I swear.
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