This is part two in the series. This article is intended to answer two basic questions: 1) what are you doing kinnath? 2) why are you doing this kinnath?
At any rate, I mentioned in the first article that I want to start riding again. I started this plan with two bikes: a Trek 7500 that I picked up in the early-2010s for riding gravel trails and the Frankenstein’s monster that I put together in ’79 or ’80 (most likely in spring ’80). Since all the trails are now paved, I wanted to ride the old road bike that I much prefer over the all-aluminum frame Trek. But the Trek could be my interim bike until I get the old road bike in useable condition.
The old road bike has not been ridden in 20 years or more and is quite sad shape – both tires flat (and probably untrustworthy at 45+ years old), wheels totally out of true and probably not even round anymore, and everything covered in dirt and grime. Some tender loving care is needed. Options include:
- Take the wheels to a shop and let someone with the proper tools and training true them back up. Replace tubes and tires. Strip off the components, clean and lubricate them, then reinstall everything. End result: a rideable bike.
- As long as the bike is dissembled, strip off the old paint that is peeling. Then repaint before reassembling the bike. End result: an attractive and rideable bike.
- As long as the bike has been stripped down, take it to professionals to have the chrome refreshed and get an awesome powder coat put on the bike (chrome is probably a pipe dream, but powder coat is doable). Then reassemble the bike. End result: a very attractive and rideable bike.
- As long as I’m going pay someone else a shitload of money to professionally re-chrome and re-paint the frame, replace all the old modest-quality components with better quality components. Then reassemble the bike. End result: a very attractive and like-new bike. {see where this is going}
- Or chuck the old bike and buy a ready-to-ride bike: a) a vintage bike already refurbished by someone else or b) a brand-new bike.
And as shocking as it might be, it’s actually cheaper to do both option 4 and option 5a than to buy an equivalent professional-grade new bicycle. Note that I have already completed option 5a by buying a 1980 Gitane Super Corsa and having it shipped from Germany (Gitane was not importing any bikes to the US in ’80). At some point, I will have to write that up as well. But not right now. Oh, and the Trek now has no purpose anymore. Anyone want a completely refurbished Trek 7500 bike?
So that is the “what I am doing”. The rest of this post is the answer to “why am I doing this”.
Note that I have spent a lot of time over the last two to three months asking queries of Brave’s AI function (which I like better that Microsoft’s or Google’s products). It would be far too time consuming to rewrite all the results into my own words. So, here comes the copy-pasta. You have been warned.
As always, feel free to skip over and go directly to shit-posting in the comments.
Why do I care about this bike?
I knew nothing of the history or cultural significance of Gitane racing bikes when I acquired this frame. I just knew the completed bike was a dream to ride. And it was far and away the most comfortable bike that I have ever ridden. That’s why I never got rid of it after we started riding the Trek trail bikes.
I genuinely dislike the all-aluminum frame of the Treks we bought to ride the gravel trails. The aluminum frame is stiff and transmits all road and trail chatter directly into your hands and buttocks. My hands would go numb when riding the Trek, and I had to start wearing gloves to combat the fatigue.
It’s only now, when I started doing research on the history of my bike, that I found that the feel of vintage Reynolds 531 frames is actually very well regarded amongst serious riders.
Reynolds 531: Magic Steel
Brave AI says:
Ride Quality
- The defining trait is what riders call “springiness” or “snap” — a lively, responsive feel where the frame flexes just enough to absorb road buzz while still transmitting power efficiently.
- This makes it ideal for long-distance riding where vibration damping reduces fatigue far better than aluminum or many carbon frames.
- One forum rider put it well: “The steel damps vibration and is snappy to transmit power to the ground.”
- Another rider summed it up: “The amazing springiness and feel on the road can only be experienced, not described.”
Another thing I didn’t understand about the bike before I started doing research was the legacy of Gitane racing bikes in the world at that time.
Gitane: Why they matter
Brave AI says:
Gitane, a French bicycle manufacturer founded in 1929, achieved legendary status in road racing by sponsoring teams that secured at least 11 Tour de France general classification victories between the 1960s and 1980s. The brand’s dominance began with Jacques Anquetil, who won the Tour in 1963 and 1964 riding for Gitane-backed squads, establishing the company’s reputation for high-performance steel frames.
Success continued through the 1970s and 1980s with iconic riders such as Lucien Van Impe (1976), Bernard Hinault (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982), and Laurent Fignon (1983, 1984). The era peaked in 1984 when the Renault-Elf-Gitane team dominated the Tour de France, and also featured American champion Greg LeMond, who won the 1983 World Championship on a Gitane frame before his Tour titles.
Beyond the Tour, Gitane-sponsored riders amassed numerous other major victories, including multiple Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España wins, as well as World Road Race Championships in 1962 (Jean Stablinski) and 1983 (Greg LeMond). The brand’s racing program, which included innovations like carbon fiber frames and aerodynamic time trial bikes, remained a powerhouse until the late 1980s, after which financial difficulties led to the team’s decline and eventual merger with Peugeot and BH Cycles in 1992.
Gitane: Why you never heard of them
So, Gitane bikes were winning big in Europe at the same time sales collapsed in the US leading to the eventual disappearance of Gitane from the US market:
Brave AI says:
- 1958 – late 1973: Mel Pinto Imports (Northern Virginia); Primary US distributor; MPI was among the first to bring European racers to the US. MPI also introduced components like Shimano Dura-Ace and brands like CLB, Stronglight, TA, Vitus, and Alan to the US market.
- 1974 – 1977: Gitane Pacific (Hawthorne, California); When Gitane Pacific in Southern California took over in 1974, the transition was botched. As one dealer put it, they “didn’t have a clue and focused on low-end bikes just as the bike boom was ending.” They assembled bikes from bare painted frames in a Hawthorne, CA warehouse, cut back on the number of European-made models, and went out of business by mid-1977.
- Early–mid 1980s: Trek / Cycles de France, Inc.; A brief, awkward partnership with Trek in the early 1980s (under the name Cycles de France) failed to reestablish the brand.
- By the late 1980s, Gitane’s US presence had effectively vanished, and the brand became a vintage/collector name rather than a retail one.
What are the alternatives:
So, if I decided not to rebuild this bike, what could I go buy that provides both an equivalent ride and equivalent quality components (Gitane was importing two professional grade road bikes to the US in the 70s – the top-tier Super Corsa and the second-tier Tour De France, and I have the Tour De France).
Brave AI says:
The “sweet spot” for a high-end steel road bike in 2026 is roughly $4,500–$7,000 for a complete bike with a mid-to-high groupset. Framesets alone typically run $2,400–$6,500, depending on tubing (Reynolds 725/853, Columbus Spirit HSS, XCr stainless) and whether it’s lugged or TIG-welded.
Here’s how the high-end steel prices stack up against equivalent aluminum and carbon bikes:
| Tier (complete bike) | Aluminum | Steel | Carbon |
| Entry | $1,000–$1,800 | — | $2,000–$3,500 |
| Mid | $2,000–$3,500 | $4,500–$6,000 | $4,000–$6,000 |
| High | $6,000–$6,600 | $6,000–$9,000 | $7,000–$12,500 |
| Top | — | $15,000–$18,000+ | $12,500–$18,000+ |
Key takeaways:
Aluminum tops out around $6,000–$6,600 (Condor Italia RC Disc, Standert Kreissäge RS, Mason Definition 3.0). There’s essentially no “luxury” tier — the material hits a performance ceiling and brands don’t push pricing beyond that.
- Carbon is the widest range. Entry carbon starts ~$2,500, the “sweet spot” is $4,000–$7,000 (Pinarello X1, Colnago V4, Trek Madone SL 6, Cannondale SuperSix Evo 2), and the top end hits $12,500–$18,000+ (Dogma F, Cervélo S5, Canyon Aeroad CFR).
- High-end steel sits between mid and high carbon in price. A $5,000–$7,000 steel bike (Ritte Phantom, Fairlight Strael, Cinelli Nemo Tig) gets you a comparable groupset to a $4,000–$6,000 carbon bike, but you’re paying a $1,000–$2,000 premium over aluminum for similar spec.
- The Colnago Steelnovo at ~$18,000 is the outlier — it’s priced at the equivalent of the very top of carbon (Dogma F, Aethos S-Works) and commands that price for its 3D-printed lugs, limited production, and brand cachet rather than material cost.
In short: You’re paying a small premium over aluminum for the ride quality, and a meaningful discount versus equivalent-spec carbon for the same groupset level.
In summary, a $5,000 to $7,000 modern steel bike should provide equivalent ride and quality of components as found on the early-70s Gitane Tour De France when it rolled off the production line. I may have too much money, but I don’t have that kind of money to spend on a bike. Actually, I probably do, but I’d rather spend it on two bikes and have a few bucks left over.
So why bother?
Heavily edited from French Bikes by Thomas Kunich
In the 1960’s to the early 80’s French bicycles were extremely popular. And to be a really popular bicycle it had to be a French bicycle made with English Reynolds 531 tubing. So popular was the 531 tubing that lesser breeds of tubing could not be sold and an entire industry arose counterfeiting the Reynolds labels.
The vast majority of these bikes were cheap transportation with hardly an artistic addition in the lot. However, there were specific models that were sold in relatively small numbers that were well worth keeping and riding to this very day. The most noted were generally the Peugeot PX-10 and the Gitane Tour de France models. Though not the very top of the line, they were the models most often found under experienced riders.
These bikes all had a certain feeling that was attractive and hard to deny. Even to this day it isn’t unusual to see well-kept PX-10s or Tour de Frances being ridden through the hills and across the dales. And the aficionados still speak of them in a hushed voice that implies that they were somehow superior to what is available today. This isn’t true, but some of these bikes most certainly had a feel and a handling that would be considered enviable even today.
There is also quite a variation from brand to brand and Gitane, for instance, had a quite modern geometry very early compared to other French manufacturers. Short wheelbase, short trail in the steering, steeper geometry, etc. These bikes tend to make a machine that is so close to a modern bike that you cannot tell the difference.
In summary
I’ve had a piece of bicycle history in my possession for 46 years or so. The original bike, and the frame it was made from, are well respected by serious cyclists, and they are sought out even today. There is a robust market on ebay for Gitane frames and full bicycles.
I loved the bike that I built with that frame 46 years ago, and it was the best riding bike I’ve ever had. I now have both the time and the money needed to restore it to its original glory.
Is it a cost-effective way to get a high-quality bike now? Probably not.
Could I ever sell the updated bike, and get back the money I am going to put into it? Very unlikely.
So, why put the time and money into it? Because, why not? It’s a project. As long as I enjoy the project and like the final product, it will be money well spent (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it).
My children can figure out what to do with it when I finally pass.
I’m going to be honest, I wouldn’t recognize any bike brand other than Huffy. And a price tag of above $100-$150 makes me go “huh?”
This is probably a result of my own inability to ride a bike.
I can understand that even if I don’t get bikes.
As I used to tell people: if it’s worth it to you, it’s worth it.
As long as I enjoy the project and like the final product, it will be money well spent
YES
THIS IS THE WAY
There are things we can’t put a price on, Kinnath.
Good that you found the one you were/are looking for.
Keep on with the narrative, it’s not the destination, it’s the ride.
September song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JQS6H2AXdM
Anyone want a completely refurbished Trek 7500 bike?
I could just put new tires on the mountain bike currently gathering dust out back. Last time I tried to ride it I could barely swing my leg over it. I should try again.
*That* was a rude awakening the first time I rode several years ago after decades.
How many of you just skipped to the summary?
I skimmed most of the top before moving to the summary.
Same, I’m in a work meeting and have to not completely tune them out.
I like the generosity of the older students passing down their skills to the younger generation.
My children can figure out what to do with it when I finally pass.
After being mowed down by a teenage girl in her mom’s 6,000 pound luxury pickup truck who is too busy hate texting her ex boyfriend to look through the windshield. The crumpled bike will make a nice commemorative art piece.
Trying not to scream at Vendor.
Overly talkative salesman selectively forgets and remembers things to push what gets himself more commissions. This does nothing but waste our time.
We’re trying to solve a technical issue preventing an upgrade. he wants to push a 6-month porject because it sells something that benefits him, not because it helps solve the issue.
Fuck off, asshole.
I have a vendor who keeps pushing v11 on us because they obviously don’t want to deal with any of the bugs in v8 any longer. Some colleagues blew a year or so trying to migrate to v10 and gave up, so no guys… we do not have any intention of migrating now.
We want to do an upgrade, but the changes they made break our environment. Trying to fix the key problem (authentication sync to AD). Salesman doesn’t want to solve the problem if it doesn’t pad his commission. So he talsk a blather of bullshit drawing out these meetings, slectively ignoring what we say.
This is making me a little nostalgic for my very early MTB racing days back in college (before I discovered practical shooting.)
If I had unlimited time, I wouldn’t mind getting back into the mountain biking scene. It was a lot of fun.
When you’re done you’ll be ready for the Eroica. https://www.eroica.cc/en/home-en/
Eroica keeps popping up in my research. Lot’s of components on ebay note that they are Eroica compliant.
This bike won’t be compliant — half of of the updated components will be modern.
But the 1980 Super Corsa I bought will be. The only things I needed to add were pedals and toes clips. Those are vintage NOS Dura Ace 7400 parts.
OT but delightful:
https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-dem-virginia-senate-president-pro-tempore-louise-lucas-arrested-for-drug-trafficking
I saw that.
How many more legislators can we nab on the crimes they’re already committing?
Since 2019 no less, or at least that’s when the investigation started. Which seems like a long time to me, but I understand, “When you come at the king, you best not miss…”
I’ve looked in to replacing my aluminum bike with steel for my longer rides, but I haven’t been able to justify the cost. Bikes have wider tires at lower pressure compared to what we used to ride, which provides a lot of comfort. Carbon forks help too. My bike also had curvy seat stays which absorb bumps too.
I never had one, but when I was in school the conventional wisdom was that aluminum frames were more comfortable than steel ones.
I briefly dated a girl that rode a Cannondale. They were both beautiful.
It helps to have bought a steel bike 46 years ago. 😉
I have a coworker who is very seriously into cycling. He was explaining that we had it all wrong back in the day and that modern wide tires have less rolling resistance than the old narrow tires. And more comfortable too.
— old man nods, and thinks whatever —
Words from the wise
I teach at the University of Pennsylvania, where new students have to take an online training about sexual assault. They are also required to participate in student-led “Consent Circles,” where they learn the so-called FRIES definition of consent: it should be freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic, and specific.
“Of course it should be,” a student recently told me. “But if you didn’t get that message before you got here, a single training isn’t going to make a difference.” Everyone knows the right answer in these sessions — to get consent — so they mouth the words and move on.
I have been thinking about this student’s comments since a former Cornell student sued the university and seven men who allegedly raped her at a fraternity house in 2024. In response, critics have called on colleges to enhance their educational efforts around sexual assault.
We should all want that. We should also be realistic about what we can accomplish.
Under the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act of 2013, every university receiving federal dollars already has to implement sexual assault prevention programs. But there is scant evidence that they reduce sexual violence.
1) Why would I bother to listen to somebody who can’t get even the most basic facts straight?
2) Consent should be reversible? When? In the moment, or days/weeks/years later?
3) If you want to talk about “sexual assault” you need to define it in clear and specific terms.
I don’t want to get my hopes up.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ilhan-omar-issues-stunning-admission-confronted-brother-marriage-rumors
“Not to my knowledge,” is good solid zero-accountability politico-speak. Fine for most questions of politics. Really inadequate for questions of fucking your siblings.
I’m not suggesting that everyone who watches pornography becomes a rapist. Nor am I pleading for censorship of pornography, which would be impossible anyhow. In the digital era, that ship has sailed.
Instead, we need the adults in the room to step up and discuss these issues with young people. That starts with parents, who are always our first educators. Ask your kid what he’s watching and what he is learning from it.
Our schools need to do the same thing. It’s enough to teach students about consent, which is now a required topic of instruction in 15 states and the District of Columbia. That’s necessary — and long overdue — but it’s not sufficient.
Get porn where it belongs; in the classroom. Study these vignettes like game films. Critique them. Break down the technique and optimize its effectiveness. Analyze every grunt and scream and moan. Focus on being the pleasure machine every woman or man dreams of.
I hope the Cornell story can inspire another revolution in our classrooms, moving us beyond safety — and consent — and into sex itself: what students see online about it, what they want from it, and why. And we can’t wait until they’re in college to do that.
Every middle and high school should sponsor lessons and assemblies about the incident at Cornell. Most of the students have already seen video about it, just like they have watched porn. The only question is whether we can summon the courage to talk to them about it, and to give them the sex education they need.
Don’t be afraid to engage in classroom demonstrations. Break the class up into groups and explore the wonderful world of carnal love. Your students will thank you.
UCS, dead thread.
I remember Java being something other than coffee in the late 90s. Some animation thing or what not.
Other than that I know nothing. Which is why I use Apple products.
Java Script, don’t know her.