[CR]RE: Gitane vs Peugeot, was that French or Ranch(dressing)

(Example: Humor:John Pergolizzi)

From: "Roman Stankus" <rstankus@mindspring.com>
To: "'P.C. Kohler'" <kohl57@starpower.net>, <sante_pogliaghi@mac.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2005 17:09:24 -0400
In-Reply-To: <003001c59609$37d20530$363ca4d8@D36MSL71>
Thread-Index: AcWWCMF8JO2y2GpbRHizOI8GMrVfXgABSMVA
Subject: [CR]RE: Gitane vs Peugeot, was that French or Ranch(dressing)

When I purchased my first lightweight bike, it was a Gitane TdF in '72 - it came with Sugino cranks. The top of the line model was all campy. The bike boom changed a lot of things. Component availability issues and the general perception that campy was the best you could get turned some classic French rides into cross dressers. The Sugino(campy look-alike) worked fine, but in retrospect, I sure wish it had a Stronglight for looks. At the time, it really didn't matter. Bicycling wasn't "about the bike". Today I'd cringe about the Sugino crank, although the campy equipment is fine - perhaps making an average workman-like frame seem a bit overdressed. I worked in a bike shop during the summer and spent some of my earnings shedding that cheesy looking stamped metal and plastic Simplex stuff as soon as I could and replacing it with some campy parts. It wasn't long before an Italian machine was calling my name and all that campy stuff had a proper home.

Roman Stankus Atlanta, Ga.

Peter Wrote:

"Well folks can "believe" anything they want! But pray tell what was non Italian manufacture on most Italian racing bikes c. 1960-80s? My Cinelli SC does have a Brooks saddle. The rest is tutti Italiani.

The only foreign bit on a PX-10 is what? Well the Reynolds tubing! Or maybe the Brooks saddle if that's what was fitted.

Today of course it's quite different but CR period bikes... yep, that's Italian. Or French. Not belief or opinion. Just the list of components."