0

Was wondering if anyone can verify year of the Gitane frame

Thanks Damian

enter image description here

Damian
  • 1
  • 1
  • 1
    what is on with its handlebar?! – Ben Poulter Jan 03 '18 at 11:45
  • 1
    @BenPoulter common bodge for people who found drops too hunched over. Consider it the same as a negative-offset stem, so handling becomes more "tiller-like" where you push left to go right. Remember a lof of these bikes are 80s, which predated the straight flat bar, and your only other option would have been riser bars. – Criggie Jan 03 '18 at 12:47
  • 3
    Why do you care what year it was made? Beyond satisfying curiosity, what difference would it make to anything? – David Richerby Jan 03 '18 at 16:39
  • Turning the brake levers that way is quite dangerous, unless you want a second belly button! – Carel Jan 04 '18 at 12:13

1 Answers1

1

I'm going to point out the features that make it a 70s bike.

  • Cottered cranks. They went away in the late 70s.
  • 3-leg spider in the middle of the cranks - that's old looking, but the thin cranks imply a racer. Do get it off the ground, you're damaging the big chainring like that.

And these are the aberrations:

  • The cable stops on the top tube - most bikes used a full brake cable housing with clips, not an exposed inner cable.
  • No lugs - at least none visible in the photo. This looks like a smoothly welded steel frame.
  • Down tube derailleur seems to have a thing under it - is not overly clear in the photo.

The saddle is too new, and there appear to be no wheels, but its very close to being complete and rideable. You need a new chain and new brake pads too.

Criggie
  • 124,066
  • 14
  • 180
  • 423