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bonjour de france 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:03 am Reply with quote
poufthecascadeur
Joined: 30 Apr 2009
Posts: 87
Location: toulon,france
hi,first excuse me for my english because i'm french.
I found this site while i was searching documents about my bikes.
It's great to see your interest for french bikes and of course for those made by gitane.
I have a gitane interclub but i hope i will find a tdf as soon as possible
when i was kid my first bike was a gitane and my idol bernard hinault,my father bought me a fantastic jersey and short (i don't find the english word "cuissard").I still have it (cf photo)
I recently bought a gitane frame for my girlfriend and put some early components,i'm not sure sure but i think it's an interclub model with durifor tubing (vitus).
i also have some old bikes (french follis,méral,mercier,peugeot and recently an urago and italian bianchi)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/poufthecascadeur/
thanks for your great job!!!
longue vie à gitane usa!!






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PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 1:05 pm Reply with quote
greyhundguy
Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 678
Location: South-Central VIRGINIA
poufthecascadeur,
If your MERAL was larger and one of my Gitane Tour de France bikes was smaller we might be able to work out a trade.

I just noticed this on eBay France. It may be a TdF. A very good price in the US Market at this point but may be too large for you.
http://cgi.ebay.fr/velo-gitane_W0QQitemZ200337385662QQcmdZViewItemQQptZFR_JG_Sports_Cyclisme_V%C3%A9los?hash=item200337385662&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

Welcome to the Forum and thank you for sharing your collection.

Jay

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Cuissard 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:32 pm Reply with quote
verktyg
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2814
Location: SF Bay Area
Salutations,

Bienvenue au forum...

Nice collection of bikes.

Cuissard translates to shorts or cycling shorts in US English.

I know what the word cuissard is but I went to the Babelfish translation website for more options. Babelfish translates cuissard into "waterlegs".... Laughing

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt

Chas.
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PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 2:55 am Reply with quote
Paul Wiseman
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 584
Location: Brisbane, Australia
That would be "wet look" lycra, yes? I'm not even going to try to translate into French. Nicolas?

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Wisey
Brisbane, Australia
1974 Paris - Nice
1985 Defi
1985 Victoire
1985 Victoire (yes, another one!)
1985 Professionnel
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Collection of merit! 
PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 3:33 am Reply with quote
owen.lowe
Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Posts: 23
Location: Strathfield Sydney Australia
I have been asking about the engraved fork crowns, and here they appear on your ladyfriend's bike.

I have also asked about the rear cable guide being welded to the rear drop-out, and again, on your ladyfriend's bike.

My Gitane is posted here, but it does not have any other braze-ons (bottle, brake cable guides, derailleur guides on bottom bracket etc), but I am happy that you suggest it could be an Interclub, as have others on this site.

I know who to contact if I need to source spares!

The variety of your bikes is very impressive.

Keep at it.

OwenL


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PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 3:56 am Reply with quote
Gtane
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 681
Location: UK
poufthecascadeur,

Moi aussi, merci beaucoup pour les photos et le message.

Welcome to the site. You've a terrific collection of machines and it's such a nice thing to see them all lined up together.

Tim


Last edited by Gtane on Fri May 01, 2009 9:37 am; edited 1 time in total

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PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 5:02 am Reply with quote
sandranian
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Posts: 2701
Location: Southern California
Welcome to the site! We have French members ... but the more the merrier!

I thought that "cuissards" were bib shorts? Maybe I am wrong there....

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Costa Mesa, CA
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Re: Cuissard 
PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 10:09 am Reply with quote
poufthecascadeur
Joined: 30 Apr 2009
Posts: 87
Location: toulon,france
verktyg wrote:
Salutations,

Bienvenue au forum...

Nice collection of bikes.

Cuissard translates to shorts or cycling shorts in US English.

I know what the word cuissard is but I went to the Babelfish translation website for more options. Babelfish translates cuissard into "waterlegs".... Laughing

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt

Chas.



the french word for waterlegs is cuissardES in french!!
not very easy for riding!!
well thank you for your welcome!
greyhundguy it's impossible for me to sale my meral because it's the bike i used during my first competition while i was 14 (i arrived only at the 5th place but i still remenber my poor sprint), the components change by the years but the passion is still here when i ride it!!!
i'm sure that one day i will found a tdf (with the good size!) it's just a question of time...and it's not so hard in france
I've found in garbage an urago and a follis...
sorry for my english it's great when you speak french
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PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 11:05 am Reply with quote
poufthecascadeur
Joined: 30 Apr 2009
Posts: 87
Location: toulon,france
look what it is possible to see in my town:
a tdf used to do shopping by an old man
i'l still trying to speak to him and ask if he would sale it...
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PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 11:37 am Reply with quote
sandranian
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Posts: 2701
Location: Southern California
What a great picture! I can't wait to get over there and see tons of nice old bikes being used...abandoned in alleys...at junk shops...etc.

In the USA, everyone thinks that their old bike (even if it is a bottom of the line Gitane Grand Sport) is a priceless antique! Check out this ad I found today on Craigslist:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/bik/1143395310.html

$295 for a Gran Sport deluxe with shimano derailleurs is pushing it...I like the "FIRM" statement there....

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Costa Mesa, CA
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PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 11:39 am Reply with quote
sandranian
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Posts: 2701
Location: Southern California
What a great picture! I can't wait to get over there and see tons of nice old bikes being used...abandoned in alleys...at junk shops...etc.

In the USA, everyone thinks that their old bike (even if it is a bottom of the line Gitane Grand Sport) is a priceless antique! Check out this ad I found today on Craigslist:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/bik/1143395310.html

$295 for a Gran Sport deluxe with shimano derailleurs is pushing it...I like the "FIRM" statement there....

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Costa Mesa, CA
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PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 3:43 pm Reply with quote
greyhundguy
Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 678
Location: South-Central VIRGINIA
poufthecascadeur,
J'ai vu l'année dernière un Meral superbe et ai voulu un depuis. Ils sont la plupart du temps inconnus aux Etats-Unis. Le 70' tôt ; s Gitane TdF apparaissent sur la France eBay de façon régulière. Montre de subsistance. Merci du partage avec nous et svp maintenez-nous dans l'esprit. Sincères amitiés, Jay

Translation:
I saw a superb Meral last year and have wanted one ever since. They are mostly unknown in the United States. The early 70's Gitane TdF show up on eBay France on a regular basis. Keep watch.
Thank you for sharing with us and please keep us in mind.
Kind regards,
Jay

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PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 4:34 pm Reply with quote
greyhundguy
Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 678
Location: South-Central VIRGINIA
poufthecascadeur,

The photo you posted of the, "old man shopping", Gitane looks very much like my 1976 TdF.



From my research, this was not widely available in USA during that year. Maybe you could offer to deliver groceries to him in trade Very Happy

Jay

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PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2009 9:28 am Reply with quote
greyhundguy
Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 678
Location: South-Central VIRGINIA
poufthecascadeur,

I received detailed photos from Seller of the Gitane TdF I mentioned earlier that is for sale on eBay France (item 200337385662). It looks to be ALL Original and in VERY GOOD condition. Most likely as stated a 1974 Model. It sits with NO bids at 50 Euros. If it were in the USA, I would spend 250 Euros + for it. Is it close to you so that you could purchase?

Jay

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Mid 70s TdF history 
PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2009 12:13 pm Reply with quote
verktyg
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2814
Location: SF Bay Area
greyhundguy wrote:

The photo you posted of the, "old man shopping", Gitane looks very much like my 1976 TdF.



From my research, this was not widely available in USA during that year. Maybe you could offer to deliver groceries to him in trade Very Happy

Jay


If my memory serves me correctly, the 1976 TdFs were priced at around $475 USD. That was extremely "spendy" in those days. You could get a Campagnolo Nuovo Record equipped Bottecchia, Legnano or Frejus for less money. Rolling Eyes

In 1974 Gitane distribution in the US switched from Mel Pinto Imports in Virgina to Gitane Pacific in Southern California. After 1974 not only were TdFs fairly uncommon but they were overpriced too!

This was at the end of the 1971-74 US Bike Boom and the "10 speed racing bike" fad was over. The 1973-74 Arab Oil Embargo was in full force. People were buying bikes for cheap transportation and/or upgrading from their entry level models.

Transportation costs increased the prices of imported bikes and components, especially those products coming from Europe. The monetary exchange rate also hurt the European manufacturers. That was the beginning of the ascendancy of Japanese bikes and components.

Up through 1974 the foil decal TdFs were a good value. They were priced to compete directly against the similarly equipped Peugeot PX-10 bikes. They had a full Reynolds 531 frame and decent quality components (except for the seats and Simplex derailleurs which most serious riders upgraded).

The "new" 1974 TdFs with the yellow or green decals and Huret honeycomb rear dropouts were a step down from the older bikes. Gitane switched the frame tubing from full Reynolds 531 to only the 3 main tubes. They also introduced Huret Challenger derailleurs (which BTW work extremely well). I think that we had one or two in our shop with Huret Jubile dreailleurs too.

The French thought very highly of Huret derailleurs, especially the Alvit model that was found on millions clunky Schwinn bikes (they also loved Jerry Lewis Confused )

The "cheap derailleur" image of Huret derailleurs hurt Gitane TdF sales just like the plastic dérailleur image eventually destroyed Simplex.

The 1975 TdFs were pretty much the same as the 1974s. In 1976 Gitane went back to a full Reynolds 531 frame and upgraded some of the components including switching to a leather covered plastic Ideale 2000 saddle. They also improved the cosmetics. By then it was too little, too late for Gitane to be a big player in the US bike market again.

BTW Jay, I have a white 1974 foil decal TdF. Just your size and in very nice condition. Wink

Chas.
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bonjour de france 
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