1984 Gitane Criterium

by Felix Wong | 18 Dec 2010

It’s been several years since a new machine on wheels had been added to the Garage Majal 2, but here it is: a 1984 Gitane Criterium. Yes, a bicycle even older than my ’92 Cannondale 3.0. How did this come about, you might ask.

Well, I’ve developed an interest in vintage bicycles. You can blame it on the Beautiful Bikes thread on the RoadBikeReview.com forums and the departure of my MG, which left me without any restore-and-adore activities. And while I need a big-scale restoration project like a classic car like I need a bullet through my leg, I figured an old bicycle was both manageable from a time perspective and easy enough on the wallet.

So then there was the question of which bicycle. Most people would go for Italian steel, but being something of an afficionado of all things French, I wanted something that parle français. And what French bicycle manufacturer has had a more glorious history than Gitane? It has equipped more Tour de France winners with bicycles than any other company (including Trek and Pinarello), including Bernard Hinault, Laurent Fignon and Greg LeMond—all riders who raced while I was a kid.

Now, finding Gitanes isn’t exactly easy, and I even tinkered around with the idea of creating a faux-replica of the bike LeMond won the 1983 World Championships on using a neglected lugged steel frame, Gitane blue paint and Gitane decals.

Photo by User airmailv2 on flickr.com

But then, in early December, I saw a 1984 Gitane Criterium in my size in almost completely original condition on eBay. No one bid on it except me so I got it for a reasonable, tidy sum. By mid-December it was on my doorstep, courtesy of FedEx.

I managed to get only one short ride in before my Guatemala trip, but it rode great! The friction shifters work much better than I anticipated; the drivetrain is silky smooth; and I got a feel for the “steel is real” ride quality that so many people rave about. It does seem to dampen out road chatter more than my Cannondale 3.0, although I haven’t decided if I have a preference yet for the Cannondale’s enhanced road feel or the Gitane’s “classic” lively-yet-smooth quality.

The bike is even fairly light for its day: 21.0 pounds without pedals. That is about how much my Cannondale weighed when I bought it new in 1993, even though the ‘dale’s frame and fork is significantly lighter.

The Gitane’s biggest deficiency is its braking power. The Wienmann brake levers and calipers have much less compared to today’s components. They do the job, but the brake levers do require gorilla grip strength to squeeze from hoods.

The bike actually looks pretty good right now—especially for a 27-year-old machine—but I will be restoring it over time. It won’t be just a beauty queen, however—I actually have some big plans for it this year ride-wise. More on this later in the next year.

[Update October 2011: The Gitane and I are now age-group course record holders of the Furnace Creek 508, Classic Bike Division!]

Naming the Gitane

As per tradition, the Gitane is a “she” and warrants a name. Right now her temporary name is Ginny. We’ll see if that sticks.

OEM Components

It appears that 26 years after the bicycle was manufactured, I acquired her in all-original except for the handlebar tape, tires, and possibly the chain.

*from literature (unconfirmed due to lack of markings)

From a 1984 Gitane Catalog