L
lehmanhill
Guest
Back when I was in high school, I competed with the Flint Cycling Club in the Canusa games, originally on a Louison Bobet 
and later on a Gitane Tour de France. Being tall, I wasn't much of a race winner, but I could pull a really big hole in the air as a domestique for my team.:eek:
Over the years, I've had periods of intense cycling followed by periods of hardly any cycling at all. Recently, I decided to get the bikes out and start riding again. In particular, I put the Gitane and my later Nobilette on the road to compare them and decide which to ride. In the end, I decided that the Nobilette with its custom frame is both a better fit and a better bike. In fact, now that I'm older, the riding position of the Gitane isn't going to work. That leaves me with the question, what do I do with the old Gitane?
Since I've updated and messed with it over the years, its no pristine collector bike. From what I've read, the Tour de France isn't a real collector bike in the best condition. In addition, its got a mix of components, some from the old Bobet, some modern updates. Finally, its a big frame, 64 cm c-t seat tube. Can I assume that big frames are of less interest in this type of bike?
So what should I do with it? How do you decide to sell an old bike as is, restore it, or part it out?
I suspect that the parts have some value since if have a full set of Campy Gran Sport derailleurs and hubs, plus the Stronglight crankset. I'm torn about parting it out, because I believe that nice old bike should live on, but then I have farkled it over the years. Any comments would be helpful.
Thanks
and later on a Gitane Tour de France. Being tall, I wasn't much of a race winner, but I could pull a really big hole in the air as a domestique for my team.:eek: Over the years, I've had periods of intense cycling followed by periods of hardly any cycling at all. Recently, I decided to get the bikes out and start riding again. In particular, I put the Gitane and my later Nobilette on the road to compare them and decide which to ride. In the end, I decided that the Nobilette with its custom frame is both a better fit and a better bike. In fact, now that I'm older, the riding position of the Gitane isn't going to work. That leaves me with the question, what do I do with the old Gitane?
Since I've updated and messed with it over the years, its no pristine collector bike. From what I've read, the Tour de France isn't a real collector bike in the best condition. In addition, its got a mix of components, some from the old Bobet, some modern updates. Finally, its a big frame, 64 cm c-t seat tube. Can I assume that big frames are of less interest in this type of bike?
So what should I do with it?
How do you decide to sell an old bike as is, restore it, or part it out?I suspect that the parts have some value since if have a full set of Campy Gran Sport derailleurs and hubs, plus the Stronglight crankset. I'm torn about parting it out, because I believe that nice old bike should live on, but then I have farkled it over the years. Any comments would be helpful.
Thanks
