Any ideas on this one.

[Gillstay]

Following your thoughts Midlife about a Gitane I have been looking at a 80's Gitane record. It had very similar frame and Shimano 600 levers and brakes which this bike has, are you certain about the 68 mm bbk making it UK.

 

[midlife]

Mike Kowal, frame builder and entrepreneur. Not sure when he finished building but when I look at something Italian but is UK he springs to mind lol

 

[midlife]

68 mm is also French, see Sheldon Brown's info below (can take a while to load)

By the time your frame was built, even if French it may well have had an ISO bottom bracket as French frames and stuff became "less French"

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-bottombrackets.html:smile:

 

[Gillstay]

68 mm is also French, see Sheldon Brown's info below (can take a while to load)

By the time your frame was built, even if French it may well have had an ISO bottom bracket as French frames and stuff became "less French"

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-bottombrackets.html:smile:

Ah yes, very good and thanks for clarifying. The guy who cleaned the terrible paint off it said he saw the outline of a small sticker and that was all. So sent a picture of the small 531 tubing decal that Gitane Records had and he was sure it was that shape. So I think we have nailed it to that. Very pleased. Will try to find some decals and do it up to the standard it deserves. Just need some bigger rear cogs for the hills around here