80's Gitane track frames - quality differences?

hi - was wondering how y'all feel about the Gitane track frame of the 1980's (or thereabouts)
from the info ive gathered so far, its a lovely frame if you get you hands on a good quality one - good sizing, manouvarability, etc.
but that, just like the pug of this era, quality varies **alot

**i guess then, my main query is how to distinguish a good frame from a bad one, preferably from viewing a photo, as it would aid online buying.

i'm hoping to build my first fixed wheel from a Gitane, as there have been so many blissfuly positive reviews of it around :-)

cheers, FrankMG

if you go to www.gitaneusa.com/catalogues.atp look at the catalogues they go back to the 60s so you can find your frame and see where it stood in their line up. i think most years they had two pistas, a super pista made fully out of 531 with chromed dropouts and a pista mexico which just had the three main tubes in 531 and normal droupouts.

i love gitanes purely for sentimental reasons but also i think the graphics from the 70s models are pretty nice.

where did you find these awesome reviews? i have never read a review of a gitane pista. i got a super pista frame recently and now have the trouble of building it up as it has french threads, ive heard they can be a bit more trouble than they're worth.

if you go to www.gitaneusa.com/catalogues.atp ...

I can't get that page to load.
I'm interested in it to find out where my beloved Gitane stood in their lineup. I'm fairly sure it was late 80's/early 90's with english threads.

http://www.gitaneusa.com/catalogues.asp
^FIXED the link..

EDIT - this one perhaps mike?

Yea, possibly. Mine was identical to other Kilo's I've seen, same lugwork, same ends, same geometry but different decals and paintjob.

p.s. I'll get back with you about those rims as soon as I can. The guy who bought them off ebay is currently holding them ransom! (so to speak)

if you go to www.gitaneusa.com/catalogues.asp look at the catalogues they go back to the 60s so you can find your frame and see where it stood in their line up. i think most years they had two pistas, a super pista made fully out of 531 with chromed dropouts and a pista mexico which just had the three main tubes in 531 and normal droupouts.

cheers for the link (and cheers for the edit, provenrad)

where did you find these awesome reviews? i have never read a review of a gitane pista. i got a super pista frame recently and now have the trouble of building it up as it has french threads, ive heard they can be a bit more trouble than they're worth.

not much doing on this forum, but theres a few lying around on the other cycling forums - [ame="http://www.cyclingforums.com/showthread.php?t=10808"]this [/ame]is the thread about quality differences - 3rd post down
and heres one complaining about the foreign threading - read the **notes
**as to high quality riding, just look around at the Gitane tracks on velospace and you'll find plenty of praise for 'em

http://www.gitaneusa.com/catalogues.asp

after due consideration, im probably going to try for a Gitane Interclub - green frame, preferably with the Reynolds 531 tubing, as its history is testament to its great craftmanship!
(if any of you guys see one, im 5"3' - around 54cm frame)

Gitane Interclub ... with the Reynolds 531 tubing

seems to be that the none of the Interclub's were made from the 531 tubing, and that to get the tubing i have to go for a 70's/80's Tour de France model

5 foot 3 and a 54cm frame!!!!????

think that might be a teeny bit big for you!

i'm 5 foot 8 and ride a 52cm frame

Depends on the legs mate. I'm 5'8 and a 54 is too small for me.

5 foot 3 and a 54cm frame!!!!????

think that might be a teeny bit big for you!

i'm 5 foot 8 and ride a 52cm frame

my inside seam is 78cm
my current bike frame is a 54cm
it is 76cm from the top tube to the ground
so yes, i suppose it is a bit too big for me, but its new so i need space to grow into it anyway :D

+im more 5"4' really :P

sorry that post seems a bit over zealous looking back at it!

was only meant as a bit of friendly advice, to help avoid making an annoying mistake.

sorry that post seems a bit over zealous looking back at it!

was only meant as a bit of friendly advice, to help avoid making an annoying mistake.

hahaha - nooooo worries - i only hope i do grow, otherwise those 2 cms may not be enough!!!! :-S

grow into it - frank, how old are you?!

grow into it - frank, how old are you?!

18 - nearing the end of my growth, but a few more inches are sure to come along, no?

seems to be that the none of the Interclub's were made from the 531 tubing, and that to get the tubing i have to go for a 70's/80's Tour de France model

No offence meant, but neither of those are track frames. If you want to build a fixed-gear conversion, carry on, but the Interclub and TdeF are road frames.

No offence meant, but neither of those are track frames. If you want to build a fixed-gear conversion, carry on, but the Interclub and TdeF are road frames.

racist

'TdeF' means 'Tour de France', you said 'France' - you racist.

No offence meant, but neither of those are track frames. If you want to build a fixed-gear conversion, carry on, but the Interclub and TdeF are road frames.

hows about the Mexico - my research sugests that its a fixed version of the TdeF, but does that still mean its better suited to my ideals, or would it be just the same as converting a TdeF myself?

• whats the matter with getting a road racer frame and only putting two sprokets on? how is a bike designed to be fixed wheel any better? (or have i just answered that with the question? :-P)
  

when you say chromed dropouts are you talking about front and rear, or just front? the reason i ask is that i've just bought at Gitane track frame and i'm trying to figure out if it's the Mexico or the Super Pista? the part of the Reynolds decal that would tell me weather it was 3 tubes or full isn't fully visable.

there is a gitane forum online which has all the catalogues, if your frame has original paintwork then you should be able to find out what model it is...