gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Owner Gallery » 1983-84 TDF Goto page 1, 2  Next    View previous topic :: View next topic  1983-84 TDF   Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 2:56 pm superstorm Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Where Eagles Only Dare Go. After a year of finding parts the TDF I purchased from edgeguy over a year ago is done. I made some changes to say the least. Gone are the ofmega derailuers and wore out rims and tires. I put on parts from another old steed of mine that died years ago, (Motobecane Team Champion) that was crashed and sacrificed her glory for the TDF. So here's what it is built with now. Cinelli Criterium bar and 1A stem SanMarco Concor Sprint saddle in Buffalo Hide Campagnolo Record Drivetrain and shifters Mavic GP4 (NOS) sew-ups with Campy Record LF hubs Newer Looky Loo Clipless Pedals (Easier than Toe Clips) I know!! Ofmega Mistral Crankset (Original) Modolo Professional Brakes (Painted to match by me) I think she came out pretty good. Hope everybody likes it. My 5 cents for the French cause. The Bar color is in Homage to LeTour De France winner 'The Professor' Laurent Fignon... Allez Laurent, Allez. _________________ Founding Member of The Fat Farts Cycling Club   Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 5:21 pm scozim Joined: 26 Sep 2008 Posts: 629 Location: Ellensburg, WA That is a really sharp bike!!! These red Gitane's with such nice paint makes me long to repaint my TdF - but I just can't bring myself to do it and ride it as is. This will make you the fastest member of the Fat Farts Cycling Club. _________________ 1984 Gitane Sprint 1984 Gitane Tour de France mid-1970's Gitane Olympic Plus many more http://eburgcycling.blogspot.com TdF   Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:21 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Looks really nice. Did you put on those Reynolds 531P stickers or did it come that way? If I recall, during the very late 70s and early 80s many of these near top of the line Gitane bikes came with Super Vitus 980 tubing which was lighter than most of Reynolds' offerings except 753??? BTW, SV 980 was used by some of the top US builders during those days. They never told you what they used or put on tubing stickers. _________________ Chas. SF Bay Area, CA USA ============== 1984 Criterium 1969 TdF 1971 TdF 1974 TdF 1984 TdF x 2 Bikes 1970 SC 1971 SC 1972 SC 1984 SC 1984 Team Pro 1985 Professional 1990s Team Replica   Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 3:32 am mikkla Joined: 23 Aug 2010 Posts: 87 Location: The Netherlands Looks awesome, please do not hesitate to share more pics _________________ Greetings from the Netherlands!!   Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 5:18 am superstorm Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Where Eagles Only Dare Go. Quote: Did you put on those Reynolds 531P stickers or did it come that way? If I recall, during the very late 70s and early 80s many of these near top of the line Gitane bikes came with Super Vitus 980 tubing which was lighter than most of Reynolds' offerings except 753??? BTW, SV 980 was used by some of the top US builders during those days. They never told you what they used or put on tubing stickers. The Frame set is 980 through and through. The fork however is Reynolds 531. The steer tube has Reynolds' markings on it. Go figure! I applied the 531P decal set in french because they look good on the old bomber. If, and that's a big if, I ever sold it, I have the original replacement decals to put back on. I know these old birds very well as I built a great deal of them up as a snot nosed, shaved leg punk in bike shops during the 80's to support my racing habit. Gitane TDF's would arrive with everything from Modolo Pro's to Equipe's and Speedy's on them. Plus we had one time a TDF arrive in Red like mine with chrome stay's. I think in that era Gitane was doing anything to get orders fulfilled and frames of all types were being thrown together with whatever parts were available. What was in the brochures wasn't exactly what you got. My bike had older Spidel brakes when I bought it from edgeguy. It also had Mavic MA40's, a Sugino Seatpost, and Cinelli Giro de Italia bars with a Cinelli 1a stem. It came from a local shop that I had a couple of friends that worked there. Edgeguy said she was original and I believe him. That's the way they came. Miss matched and out of sorts. So don't be suprised if you see them running around with odd lot parts on them. I ill post other pictures. I deliberatly put decals on that are not straight like Gitane would've just to make her look authentic. Thanks for the input friends. _________________ Founding Member of The Fat Farts Cycling Club   Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 5:32 am superstorm Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Where Eagles Only Dare Go. Some more pictures of her. Note closely the slanted made in France decal on the seat tube!! Genuine Gitane... _________________ Founding Member of The Fat Farts Cycling Club   Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:59 am Gtane Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Posts: 681 Location: UK That's a great looking machine. You've done a super job. The shots of the bike from the rear quarter looking forward show the bike's style. The height of the bars, the angle of the bars, the saddle position, the position of the brake levers, it just looks absolutely right. I'm sure it's a dream to ride. Thanks for posting. Tim _________________ Everything has a cycle   Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 5:53 pm trois tubes Joined: 16 Apr 2010 Posts: 136 BRAVO!!! You've done a super job with the bike. I love those Mistral cranks. I had a late 80's DeBernardi decked out in Ofmega components that I ended up with from a barter deal. It was typical italian - form follows fashion. Thanks for sharing.   Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 11:08 am superstorm Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Where Eagles Only Dare Go. Thanks for the comments everybody. I found the original pictures of it. So a before and after look. _________________ Founding Member of The Fat Farts Cycling Club   Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 11:37 am sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California Why did you pull the "tour de france" decal off? _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com   Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 7:29 pm superstorm Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Where Eagles Only Dare Go. The left side decal was ripped pretty good and it didn’t match the newer decal set. Someone is making a new set that will match the newer decals. I will post a picture of it when it is done. _________________ Founding Member of The Fat Farts Cycling Club   Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 9:45 pm sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California Huh? I was talking about the top tube decal. There should have only been one, and they do match the "newer" style decals (they were used with both).... _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com TdF Decal   Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 10:36 pm verktyg Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 2814 Location: SF Bay Area Thus one... _________________ Chas. SF Bay Area, CA USA ============== 1984 Criterium 1969 TdF 1971 TdF 1974 TdF 1984 TdF x 2 Bikes 1970 SC 1971 SC 1972 SC 1984 SC 1984 Team Pro 1985 Professional 1990s Team Replica   Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 8:01 am superstorm Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Where Eagles Only Dare Go. I too was talking about the top tube decal as well. There were 2. One on each side facing in opposite directions. Like I said before, Gitane's from this era were notoriously screwed up during the time these bikes were built. Decals installed wrong, paint schemes wrong, lug work not done to specification. Parts added and deleted at will. Consider yourself lucky if you actually got one new that was equipped as listed in the brochures! A whole myriad of problems which led to the demise of the former Gitane USA. If memory serves I think there may have been a class action suit filed by dealers in 1984-86 time frame regarding this very issue. So whilst it is incomplete because it does not have the 'top tube TDF' set, rest assured it is still a TDF through and through. _________________ Founding Member of The Fat Farts Cycling Club   Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 3:41 pm sandranian Site Admin Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 2701 Location: Southern California I am not doubting the pedigree, just wondering why you would remove the decal, when it appears to be in perfect order. _________________ Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA www.gitaneusa.com 1983-84 TDF     gitaneusa.com Forum Index » Owner Gallery You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours   Page 1 of 2   Goto page 1, 2  Next All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First  Select a forum Gitane USA----------------Vintage GitaneGitane RacingModern GitanePro Racing - Classics/Giro/Tour....Owner Gallery   Powered by phpBB © 2001-2004 phpBB Group Designed for Trushkin.net | Themes Database.