# Barnfind Gitane " Super Corsa " ?



## Private_SNAFU (Oct 18, 2019)

Just joined your community to share some of my bikes and hopefully get some information.

 first off i want to share my most recent find, i bought this bike for 75$. i use to have a Gitane sport deluxe and always wanted one of their high end models so i knew what this bike was just from the photos , even without a description.
 for 75 $ i was not expecting much but when i saw it in person my jaw about dropped, it was everything i hoped it would be and more.

the only thing that bothers me is even though everything is original the parts dont line up perfectly to what the catalogs say a super corsa should have. 
 the frame and tubeing seems to be corsa but it has simplex dropouts, simplex was on the tdf. then it has normandy hubs also tdf but compagnalo everything else like a corsa. then theres the brakes all gitane has mafac " racer " or " racer luxe " brakes but this bike has mafac "competition ".
 i have long heard french bikes became a mixed bag at times when the factorys ran low on parts but that leaves me with the question of what do i have exactly? and what year would this bike be?


----------



## 1motime (Oct 18, 2019)

Beautiful bike.  It's French. They grabbed anything within reach if they had to.  Catalogs were just "suggestions".  $75?  Good for you!  And it was what you wanted!


----------



## Private_SNAFU (Oct 18, 2019)

1motime said:


> Beautiful bike.  It's French. They grabbed anything within reach if they had to.  Catalogs were just "suggestions".  $75?  Good for you!  And it was what you wanted!



yeah its in amazing shape , i gave it a quick polish and it cleaned rite up. only very minor speckles of rust that wiped off with a dry rag. sad theres chips of paint gone but over all its perfect.
   pretty sure even the bar tape is original , its french vitox and most pictures i see of these bikes have similar tape. i want to change it but not sure i want to give up its barn find original condition just yet .


----------



## juvela (Oct 18, 2019)

-----

Looks to be a TdF model with mechs & wheels changed.  Chainset, pedals, headset, brakes, stem/bar set, saddle pillar and seat binder are all original.

Original wheels were Campag Nuovo Tipo large flange hubs with tubular rims/tyres.  Original mech ensemble was Juy Criterium.

Has gear hanger been lopped off or is it yet present under the mounting plate?

The Super Corsa model was kitted all Campag NR save for MAFAC arrestors.

As you probably know, the Super Corsa was something created for the export market.  The closest domestic models were the Olympic and Super Olympic.

Date: ~1972.  1973 was the final year for these foil transfers.

Excellent buy at seventy-five simolianis!  

If you wish to explore further there is a Gitane specific online forum -

http://www.gitaneusa.com/forum/

-----


----------



## Private_SNAFU (Oct 18, 2019)

dident even think to look for that , but it has been cut off. 

 any idea what something like this is actually worth? i dont plan on selling it as ive been looking for one for ages but just nice to know.


----------



## juvela (Oct 18, 2019)

-----

wrt value -

the fact that it is in original finish and the finish is in pretty good condition is a plus.  a few of the transfers have gone walkabout but they are available if you should wish them.

there are two negatives wrt value -

a) gear ensemble and wheels are not original

b) gear hanger has been removed - the slang for this procedure amongst  vintage enthusiasts is "drewing"  -  it was a common practice amongst young persons a few years back during the "fixie" fad  - many high quality road frames with integral gear hangers were "drewed", butchered

drewing is something which generates steam out the ears of vintage enthusiasts

as to specific numbers, have not purchased nor sold any cycle fittings in many years so must leave that to others who are current on the market

-----


----------



## Private_SNAFU (Oct 18, 2019)

yeah it is sad that its cut, is there any chance its not something recent? i bought it off an older gent that was clueless to what the bike was, he had gotten it off a neighbor , an older lady that had it in a barn supposedly for 30 years just hanging up.

 could this have been something done in the mid 70s to add better components to the bike?

 i belive the wheels are correct for the tdf. one page i was looking at mentioned normandy comps being pretty typical on the tdf.


----------



## juvela (Oct 18, 2019)

-----

the hanger which came on the bicycle fits only Simplex brand gears

if someone wished to change the rear mech to another brand they could either modify the hanger or mount a non-Simplex gear with a mounting plate as you have it there

it is not necessary to remove the hanger in order to fit a mounting plate

this issue came up a good deal back in the early-to-mid 1970's when owners of french machines wished to mount Suntour and Campag mechs...

the TdF is nominally a road racing model and this means tubular wheels which is what they came with

many owners retrofitted them to wired-ons for recreational riding

sometimes this was done by the owner themselves and sometimes by a bicycle shop, either when the machine was new or later

-----

-----


----------



## Private_SNAFU (Oct 18, 2019)

thanks , you have been a huge help. 

 the only other real question i have is about the front fork. most i see are half chrome half frame color.
whats the distinction of this one being full chrome?


----------



## juvela (Oct 18, 2019)

-----

do not recall seeing any Tdf bicycles coming with all-chrome forks

"usually" when one sees an all chrome fork it is because it is a replacement

your photos to not show the fork well enough for me to guess whether or not it is a replacement

edit: oops, i see the fork ends bear the Simplex S logo which suggest fork original

one possibility is that a previous owner wanted an all-chrome fork and so removed the finish

when new, the fork bore transfers which are now gone

-----


----------



## Eric Amlie (Oct 19, 2019)

Agree with juvela that it's a TdF.
I have two of them very similar to this bike with the Simplex fork ends & dropouts. One I outfitted with a Campag. mechs. like this bike, the other now wears Suntour Cyclone mechs. Both of them originally had Mafac Competition brakes(now changed). The head set would be another indicator. Stronglight for TdF, Campag. for Super Corsa.
I was hoping for a good pic of a stock fork as the decal is also most times a good way to tell the model. Attached are photos of the fork decals on the TdF and the Super Corsa.


----------



## juvela (Oct 19, 2019)

-----

Subject machine exhibits the stock TdF headset of Stronglight model P3.

-----


----------



## juvela (Oct 21, 2019)

-----

Meant to post this resource earlier.

Archive of year-by-year manufacturer catalogues.

The 1972 model year is skipped so you can check the 1971 and 1973 years.

https://labibleduvelocataloguesgitane.blogspot.com/p/gitane-1971.html

-----


----------



## Private_SNAFU (Oct 21, 2019)

wow what a great resource  , there is a staggering ammount of information there.
 thanks for shareing it.


----------

