Very cool, Wes, maybe a pre-Hosteller or sub-Hosteller.
Peugeot used to sell a UO-8 equivalent in Europe equipped like your Gitanes;
so maybe this is the French home-market Gitane Grand Sport.
DAvid Feldman
Vancouver, WA
> Our town is having its twice yearly bulk trash collection day- always
a
> good time to keep an eye peeled for interesting unwanted bicycles. I found
a
> matched pair of old, maybe pre-1970 Gitane gaspipe "touring" bikes with
the
> following:
> Brazed on dynamo bracket on seatstay, and brazed on wire guides
> A tubular chainstay bridge, not the horrible flat kickstand mount!
> A forged (maybe) flat top crown-lots nicer than the early 70's ones
> 3 pin Durax cottered cranks, with half step(46-50) type rings
> Lyotard 36 pedals, in really nice shape, even the dustcaps!
> Huret Svelto rear/Luxe front changers w/ long huret levers
> Mafac "Dural Forge" calipers (maybe these would to some extent date
the
> bikes?)
> Normany large flange nutted hubs w/ steel 700c rims
> Ideale 39 saddles
> Nice steel fenders w/Lefol-esque mounting hardware +stays, in frame
color
> Soubitez dynamo, front and rear lamps fender mounted
> neat little steel rear racks, in frame color
>
> I realize these are nothing of great value, but they're interesting,
es
> pecially the steel 700c rims and Dural forge calipers. No hint of a model
> name, well preserved paint (flam. gold) and foil "decals". Could they be a
> Euro market bike? I don't think they're Hostellers- didn't they have
cantis,
> a triple, QR hubs and a front rack?
>
> Best regards,
> Wes Gadd
> Unionville,CT