Ultimate Bike Thread....

[look 171]

Curt, Not sure if I mentioned it before, but that frame has my heart pounding when ever I see one and there aren't that many around. Back in 83, our club was sponsored by Gitane. They had 6 frames for the Senior I and II riders or any riders who can go out and win the local big races. I couldn't stop wiping my drool off my chin knowing that was the read deal Hinault and LeMond rode. I had no chance in hell but did get to pick it up and feel it. Where did you get this thing? I had a large poster framed (I made in my high school woodshop) of Fignon on that frame hanging on my wall for a long time. It got moved to my shop's office years later.

[CurtEgerer]

Great Gitane story! Just a 'lucky' eBay find for me ... after diligent searching for 2 years or so Searched 100s of period race photos to figure out the correct period components and about a year to find them all, right down to the correct TdF Coca Cola water bottle (the one in the foto is not correct, just a newer one I use. The real one if too valuable to use).

It's a blast to ride - full-on old skool!

edit: the frame came out of Calif, so maybe it was one of your old club frames?? Anybody ride a 52

[CurtEgerer]

[look 171]

Wow, The Renault Gitane sticker on the rim. I haven't seen that before. Is that GP4 or GL330?

Did they use yellow Turbos? I still have my Hinault Turbo saddle somewhere. Spent lots of miles on it. Funny thing is, I never complain about saddle soreness of any discomfort. With modern day technology, different width or foam hardness, along with all the holes or channels in new saddles, I feel that damn thing under me after 50 miles. Maybe I just rode a lot back then?

[look 171]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

What, no lace up Sidis? I still have that Fignon poster hanging up somewhere. I will look and see what shoe he wore. Sidi was "THE" shoe.

[Jeff Alton]

Originally Posted by look 171

Jeffrey, I thought you were riding seriously. You race don't ya?

Those old bikes are a nice ride, but not quick feeling like they are today. I talked with an old friend that was the hot dog at the local races. He was in his prime back (26) in the mid 80s and I was just a pimple faced 17 year old getting an ass kicking lesson on the art of road bike racing. The time around our typical Rosebowl training ride is about the same as they are today using those faster, more areo, deep dished plastic bikes. Its 5-8 seconds faster in a 3 mile circuit now.

I built up an old Colnago with modern DA 10 spd. Its nice, and fun, but still feels like an old bile. Once you drive a modern GT3, an old track prep SC just aint the same.

I race multisport, and ride as seriously as I can! Road raced as a kid. I just think it would be cool to have a more vintage frame with updated drivetrain as a once in a while go for a spin sort of bike! I would also likely hang it on my wall...

Cheers

[URY914]

[CurtEgerer]

The rims are Paris-Roubaix SSC (Special Service des Courses - Special Racing Service). Similar to GP4 but different alloy, wider, and slightly different profile. They have large MAVIC graphics.

[CurtEgerer]

>>> "Those old bikes are a nice ride, but not quick feeling like they are today. I talked with an old friend that was the hot dog at the local races. He was in his prime back (26) in the mid 80s and I was just a pimple faced 17 year old getting an ass kicking lesson on the art of road bike racing. The time around our typical Rosebowl training ride is about the same as they are today using those faster, more areo, deep dished plastic bikes. Its 5-8 seconds faster in a 3 mile circuit now.

I built up an old Colnago with modern DA 10 spd. Its nice, and fun, but still feels like an old bile. Once you drive a modern GT3, an old track prep SC just aint the same." <<<

You guys are doing it wrong! Gotta have the total old skool package. No resto-mod crapola. Just like cars: it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than a fast bike slow. Or something like that

[CurtEgerer]

This is LeMond in 1983 when the team was still using French components. They got into some sort of dispute with the manufacturer and switched to Campagnolo in 1984 & 85.

[mepstein]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

The rims are Paris-Roubaix SSC (Special Service des Courses - Special Racing Service). Similar to GP4 but different alloy, wider, and slightly different profile. They have large MAVIC graphics.

and much more expensive. They used to pull them out for Paris Roubaix and then put them away for the next year. Cool bike.

I used to ride those sidi revolution shoes. My friends sister worked for 60 minutes or 20/20 in Paris (can't remember which) and met with the La vie claire team. Scored a set of Look pedals and sent them to me. So I had the first pair of Look pedals in the US. I drilled my Sidi's and rode the pedals all that summer. My teammates joked about my toy pedals and told me they were just a gimmick. I loved them and it was the first of dozens of different clipless pedals I rode.
I think they are still in a box in my Mom's basement with all my old (80's) riding gear.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by mepstein

and much more expensive. They used to pull them out for Paris Roubaix and then put them away for the next year. Cool bike.

I used to ride those sidi revolution shoes. My friends sister worked for 60 minutes or 20/20 in Paris (can't remember which) and met with the La vie claire team. Scored a set of Look pedals and sent them to me. So I had the first pair of Look pedals in the US. I drilled my Sidi's and rode the pedals all that summer. My teammates joked about my toy pedals and told me they were just a gimmick. I loved them and it was the first of dozens of different clipless pedals I rode.
I think they are still in a box in my Mom's basement with all my old (80's) riding gear.

I was one of those who rode cage and straps well into the early 90s. I was in my early 20 then and was thinking like an old man. Heck if Sean Kelly can do it, so can I. I was one of the very few people who would show up at races with cage and straps. Oh, I had Diadora shoes.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

This is LeMond in 1983 when the team was still using French components. They got into some sort of dispute with the manufacturer and switched to Campagnolo in 1984 & 85.

Got it. I remember those Paris Roubaix rims. $$$$$. I trained with GP4s but raced on GL330. GEL 280 in the front but the front didn't last too long.

What did you built it up with? Campy SR, like it should? I have never been a fan of the Mavic components. Hey it does have Modolo, I wanted them for my Casati

I see the yellow saddle now. Remember the seat covers?

[herr_oberst]

It's amazing Greg made it out alive, riding all those years without a helmet and fancy eyewear!!

(Notice the Alpe d'Huez freewheel!!)

[CurtEgerer]

The proverbial corncob!

I ride the Gitane with the Sidis, clips and (loose!) straps. It's intimidating after so many years riding clipless, but you do get used to it.

The bike is all Campy SR. These are some 1984 fotos I found that were extremely helpful in ID'ing components:

[CurtEgerer]

[CurtEgerer]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

It's amazing Greg made it out alive, riding all those years without a helmet and fancy eyewear!!

(Notice the Alpe d'Huez freewheel!!)

[look 171]

That's pretty typical of what they did back then. Some of those photos and bikes had been burned into my brain. I spend hours looking at magazines during class instead of listening to my Bio or English teacher about American Lit. I got hold of some French magazine, Miroir du cyclisme through our club. They were very rare in the us at the time.

Campy SR with Cinelli bars and stem (1A). Benotto tape and typical Mavic wheels, Regina Freewheels and Sedis Chains(?) and Binda or Christoph straps if they were French. The finer details are the type or water bottle cages and steel or alloy seat rails, track pedals or typ. road ones with the quill.

I did noticed and very interesting how the straps are routed through the back of the pedals instead of the side. The cokes ones were usually handed out by the tour organization during the race and such?

Why did you decided to use the Coke bottles isntead of the Renault one from the team?

[look 171]

You seem to be a big fan of LeMond?

[CurtEgerer]

The Coca-Cola bottles were a Tour de France thing only and that went on for decades --all teams used them. I do have the Renault-Elf Gitane bottle as well (of course! ).