A big thank you everyone

[woodbutcher]

Its me again and l want to thank all you guys for your suggestions and advice. Cycle Chat is so much more than just chat, for someone like me returning to the cycle world after more years than l would like to admit it is a godsend. Anyway thanks to your various links l have seen this bike.....any opinions welcome, l know you won't be shy !!http://www.ebay.fr/itm/GITANE-Cycle...796790?hash=item3d310ace36:g:rywAAOSwaB5Xkms0

 

[Brandane]

Looks a bit high geared for my pathetic legs, but if you like it "achat immédiat" !

 

[biggs682]

@woodbutcher that looks a good find

my only comments would be as @Brandane re gearing but easily sorted by swapping rear block , other than that and some new sundries ie tyres ,cables ,brake blocks and some fresh grease shame about the hoods being cracked but you have to expect that .

Same seller has some other nice bikes as well

 

[Spiderweb]

Looks very nice.

 

[Spiderweb]

Bernard Hinault rode a Gitane.

 

[Poacher]

@woodbutcher that looks a good find

my only comments would be as @Brandane re gearing but easily sorted by swapping rear block , other than that and some new sundries ie tyres ,cables ,brake blocks and some fresh grease shame about the hoods being cracked but you have to expect that .

Same seller has some other nice bikes as well

Other bikes certainly worth consideration too. Looks like massive gearing on that one; as well as swapping the block, I'd be looking for smaller chainrings!
At a guess, they're quite probably an obsolete Bolt Circle Diameter (BCD), possibly my favourite 86mm, in which case snap some up ASAP, as they're in short supply.

 

[woodbutcher]

View attachment 337254 Bernard Hinault rode a Gitane.

He looks like l feel at the moment, decision time is it Gitane or the attached.http://www.ebay.fr/itm/152414185437?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Spiderweb]

He looks like l feel at the moment, decision time is it Gitane or the attached.http://www.ebay.fr/itm/152414185437?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDXT

Its a difficult one, they are both very nice. Personally I would go for the Mercier as it has a full Shimano 600 groupset, much more desirable and superior to Simplex.

 

[biggs682]

He looks like l feel at the moment, decision time is it Gitane or the attached.http://www.ebay.fr/itm/152414185437?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDXT

Pink Mercier all the way for me but why not take both then you have a spare bike as well as the Carlton

 

[Cycleops]

The pink Mercier looks great but I'm pretty sure the 531 framed Gitane will be lighter. I have a frame in Columbus Aelle (if that's what it is, there are various grades) and it's surprisingly weighty. Won't make a lot of difference on the road but thought I'd just point it out. The French being very nationalistic always liked to put all home grown components on their bikes but some things like the Simplex gears weren't up to much, the Shimano group set is way superior as @Spiderweb points out.

 

[midlife]

For a Gitane it even has sensible dropouts....Some look like this.

Shaun

 

[raleighnut]

Nice.

 

[Sharky]

May I ask what sort of cycling you are planning to do?

The examples you keep coming up with are fine retro machines and if you are only intending to do a few casual rides, then these would be fine.
But being retro, they have missed out on 30+ years of technical improvements. You may realise as soon as you start the serious stuff, that you want to upgrade the brakes and gears. The tyres on the Gitane look like 20mm, which are serious lightweight ones, but for comfort, you might want to up to 25 or 28mm. The bars look deep drop and might be too much compared to the "compact" bars you can get now. Pedals are the old clip style. Are the tyres tubs or clinchers? Replacement tubs could be pricey.

Don't want to put you off, but it might be false economy starting with one from this age.

 

[woodbutcher]

May I ask what sort of cycling you are planning to do?

The examples you keep coming up with are fine retro machines and if you are only intending to do a few casual rides, then these would be fine.
But being retro, they have missed out on 30+ years of technical improvements. You may realise as soon as you start the serious stuff, that you want to upgrade the brakes and gears. The tyres on the Gitane look like 20mm, which are serious lightweight ones, but for comfort, you might want to up to 25 or 28mm. The bars look deep drop and might be too much compared to the "compact" bars you can get now. Pedals are the old clip style. Are the tyres tubs or clinchers? Replacement tubs could be pricey.

Don't want to put you off, but it might be false economy starting with one from this age.

I understand what you are saying and l don't want to give the impression that l will be engaged in serious cycling activities. For me its more like going out on a nice day for a ride down memory lane if that doesn't sound too corny !

 

[mjr]

I agree that the brakes might benefit from upgrades, but gears haven't improved tat much and stuff like handlebars might always need changing. The comments about "the serious stuff" are bizarre: Eroica and retro rides not serious?