I purchased a Gitane Tour de France cheap on ebay -- it had been resprayed with what looked like barn paint. I had Chris Kvale repaint it and I am now setting it up. Because it is a frame from the 1970s, I thought I would have no problem running 27 inch wheels. My mistake -- the uninflated front tire barely clears the fork crown. This is a surprise to me -- I didn't think tight clearances were common on production racing bikes of that time (especially ones with fender eyelets). Is there anyone out there with Gitane knowledge who could fill me in on the philosophy behind this design feature?
Thanks much for the help.
Mike Hagburg
Bismarck, ND