Jim,
Champion Mondial's are built with Reynolds 531 db, and a 27.2 seatpost should fit. Although i've come across some frames with 531 (not only Gazelle) that had a well-fitting 27.0 seatpost in it. I have no idea why this should occur, but 26.8 seems wrong to me.
Freek Faro Rotterdam Netherlands
2009/8/31 Jim Mather <matherjd1@gmail.com>
> Hi all -- I'm new to the list but I've been on i-bob for a while, and I'm
> not new to classic bikes. Currently in my household, the classics include 2
> early '80s Trek touring bikes made of 531, and my wife's Fuso road racer
> from that era. I sold my Paramount a couple years ago but recently had a
> hankering for an older Euro stage race type bike.
>
> Gazelle was one I was considering, and I found a nice Gazelle website by
> searching CR's archives. I recently bought a late '70s Champion Mondial A
> frame (it says A frame on the chainstay and has the butterfly brake bridge,
> but no rack braze-ons). I assumed it would need a 27.2 seatpost but it
> won't
> fit. The measurement looks like 26.8, but I was hoping someone on the list
> could confirm.
>
> Also, my daughter has outgrown her bike. She's studying French and likes
> the
> idea of a French bike. I know the general issues with French bikes and I
> was
> curious whether the list has any favorite French mixtes. I know some of the
> older English mixtes are made from 531 but I haven't seen any French ones
> with Reynolds (I'm not going to get a Herse or Butler for her at this
> point).
>
> Thanks,
> Jim Mather