Chancey

Hi everyone, I've been a lurker here for a while but have a question. I am going to be commuting 4-5 miles to campus starting next month, so I'm buying a Gitane Grand Sport Deluxe from a craigslist seller. I have read the existing threads on these bikes, and I know it's a pretty low-end model, but for my needs I'm okay with that until I can afford a cool new one.

I'm paying $125 for it, which is fine with me since I sold my old ill-fitting bike for the same price. Basically this is a trade.

I only have one picture so far, but what can you all tell me about the components just by looking at this?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/delhi_dally/3501922869/

Oh, by the way, I am a girl. I don't know if that makes any difference, lol.

bbattle

Wow, that's pretty high for that bike. Is it in perfect running condition? I found one in the trash and gave it away.

Chancey

Yep, it's been tuned up, new chain, new tires, etc.

unworthy1

well it IS low end and looks to have that old Huret Allvit RD, slow shifting but...durable I guess, and steel crank, probably steel rims...going to be a heavy-ish bike. If you're OK with the drop bars and friction shifting it should be fine for a 5-mile commute, but you may want a more appropriate (female) saddle. Check that it's not an AVA (breakaway) stem, and get new KoolStop brake pads, if it doesn't have them already.

muccapazza

Yours looks to have better conponents than mine, maybe newer, mine had the plastic Simplex derailleur and shifters. I upgraded the rims to alloy and put on North Road-style upright bars, it's a really nice stable riding commuter. Enjoy.

Chancey

I do have a brand new female specific saddle to put on it, and I'll definitely check on the stem. Thanks!

ETA: I love friction shifting. My old bike had downtube shifters as well and I thought they were really fun.

Chris_in_Miami

I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said, but with a frame that size, the wheels may be 26 x 1 3/8" which might reduce your tire options slightly. It's only a minor point and not something that would make me thing twice about grabbing it, plus I might be incorrect about the size.

Nice looking bike, enjoy it!

Chancey

Hi Chris, the frame is 50 cm. Does that in fact change the wheel sizing?

Actually, I found this https://www.gitaneusa.com/images/catalog/1970_pg11.jpg which says they're 27 in. Whew!

dbakl

I bought one new, 1970, didn't even cost $125. out the door and they threw in toe clips and straps, a water bottle and safety levers. I sold it less than a year later for $90.

Well, at least it got me biking! I can't say it was a fine machine; you get what you pay for. Used today, I think 25 bucks is too much for that bike!

muccapazza

I saw one go for $175 here at the local Play It Again sports consignment store. It did have matching original fenders, but I was still a bit shocked to say the least, I mean this is a college town and everything, but still. Sorry you have such bad memories of yours, dbakl. I honestly am enjoying mine in its townie configuration, I like the weird old French handling.

dbakl

Well, it was the French version of the current Chinese practice of supplying a product to meet a price point. If that makes you happy, proceed with all stops released!

But its a bike, get out there and ride!

Torchy McFlux

Try talking them down to $100 or less. I wouldn't pay more than $50 for it, but some people have strange priorities and aren't as grounded in reality as others.

mrhedges

bike prices are extremely local. I know in chi-town any old roadbike in good shape will get atleast 100 bux.

Grand Bois

Your brake cables are too long to my eye, but that's the way they did it back in the day. I've never been able to figure out why. I like my cables no longer than they need to be to avoid binding.

All Gitanes are nice, including the lower end models. I ended up owning 3 nice Peugeots, but I prefer my beat up Gitane to all three.

Chancey

The cables are too long for sure. I don't really get it either, but I can deal for now.

Can anyone recommend what kind of stem to replace the original with?

unworthy1

I guess that means it's AVA. Replace with anything French, since it needs to match the FR spec of 22.0mm quill and 25mm clamp diameter bars, now's your chance to get a better length if the original isn't perfect. You can also get any standard 1" quill stem (and replace the HBs with standard size or shim the FR ones) and just sand down the quill from 22.2 to 22.0mm and you'll be set.
Sheldon will help you out:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/velos.html

Grand Bois

Ebay store Vintage-Bike has a whole bunch of French stems, including AVA death stems if you're so inclined.

Roll-Monroe-Co

You seem classy, so I assume you're thinking something forged, polished aluminum, not steel, welded and black, right?

Mr_Christopher

I can't stop looking at this Mixte on CL.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/1155089984.html

Rabid Koala

I used to work in a LBS that sold Gitane, I assembled many of them back in the day. I picked a Gran Sport De Luxe up at a swap meet in the mid eighties for $15 and rode it for quite a while as it was all I could afford at the time. Mine had SunTour derailleurs. Gitane, like other French manufacturers used whatever components were available at the time.

If you negotiate a decent deal, you might want to swap the Huret Allvit rear derailleur for a SunTour. It would be a big improvement in shifting for not too much $$$$

rotharpunc

thats a nice Gitane, even if its lower end, its really clean and should last until your ready to get something nicer.

rotharpunc

Huh?

jkrug

Sorry to see that the Grand Sports Deluxe doesn't get much respect in this thread. I had one in college that I bought new, and wrecked in a head-on collision with a heavier bike. Just picked one up for free and am fixing it up for nostalgia's sake, but I think with some weight reduction and derailleur upgrades it should be a nice ride. Not really going neo-retro, but aim to improve it and spend no more than the purchase price when new.