[CR]FS: 1970s Gitane mixte tandem

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Campagnolo)

From: "C. Andrews" <chasds@mindspring.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 21:08:42 -0700
Subject: [CR]FS: 1970s Gitane mixte tandem

For sale: Gitane tandem from the 1970s, orange. The graphics are foil, and mostly all there. Overall frame-finish condition is fair. Not perfect, but not a mess either. The front top-tube is worst, with some paint wear from the brake-cable.

59.5cm c-t captain; 58.5 c-c top-tube. 54.5cm c-t mixte stoker; 57cm c-c equivalent top-tube.

This is a good rider, ready to go, with brand new tires on 27" wheels.

The nicest thing about this tandem are the cranks: a full matching TA cyclotouriste triple crankset from the period, in good shape. Front hub/wheel is original. Rear wheel is a 48-spoke Phil Wood hub with integral disk for disk brake. Rims are matching Super Champion 27".

Also included are nice Blackburn racks front and rear.

Stoker pedals are Lyotards, captain pedals are some decent Campagnolo knock-offs.

The bike came originally with a funky Shimano disk-brake. I removed it, as it's non-functional at this point. The bike also has the Mafac double-cable lever to actuate two brakes at once. I re-arranged the brakes so that one lever actuates one cable only. Brakes are Mafac cantilevers in good shape, with new modern pads that work quite well. I'd say braking is adequate at this point, if the captain uses some caution.

The stem is a 5 or 6cm Nitto technomic that was jammed into the french steerer. I suspect it could be removed, with some encouragement. I didn't bother, as it works fine for me. Shifters are Suntour bar-ends, rear derailleur is a Suntour V-GT Luxe. Front derailleur is a nice Simplex with gold-anodized arms.

Another nice thing about this tandem: the rear seat-post has extra off-set. These bikes never had a long enough effective-top-tube length for the stoker (although this Gitane is better than some on that department)..so the extra offset is a help.

This would be a great bike for casual tandem-riding, or for someone just learning how to ride a tandem, or for someone deciding if they even want a tandem. That's what we used it for, and we've moved on, as we love riding tandem, and we bought a nice vintage Jack Taylor.

Or, this would be a great donor bike for a tandem project, since everything is there to make a complete bike. The cranks alone are worth the price: $275, which is less than I have in it. Remember, you don't need to do a thing to this bike. Just adjust for size, and go.

I'd also consider removing all the bits (but *not* the headset) putting them in a box, and shipping them out for $450 shipped...it's gonna take me a few hours to disassemble it.

I will not ship the complete bike. You'll have to pick it up. Or I can deliver within a 100 mile radius of coastal Southern California.

Charles Andrews SoCal

"The Universe is like a safe to which there is a combination. But the combination is locked up in the safe."

-- Peter De Vries