South Salem Cycleworks: Gitane Frames

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Gitane frames

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Gitane frames on this page: 24" wheel Racer frameset

French bicycle maker Gitane (the name is the French feminine term for Gypsy) is a venerable company. The firm got its start in 1925 when Frenchman Marcel Brunelière started a smithy and agricultural repair works in Machecoul in western France. The next year Brunelière began making bike parts, and finding the bike business to his liking, opened another shop to assemble bikes for two French bike makers.

In 1930 Brunelière began making bicycles branded with the name he had chosen for his bikes, Gitane. In 1960 the company name was changed to "Micmo", but the bikes were still branded "Gitane".

In 1974 car maker Renault acquired thirty percent of Micmo and two years later Renault bought the rest of the firm. In 1985 Renault sold Micmo. In 1992 Gitane/Micmo, Peugeot and the Spanish bike maker BH Bicycles merged to become the Cycleurope Group. Not long thereafter Cycleurope was was bought by the Swedish Monark Group.

Shortly after the Second World War Gitane began its legendary sponsorship of some of the greatest riders to have ever turned a crank in anger. In the mid-1950s Jean Stablinski (4-time champion of France, 1962 World Champion, 1958 Vuelta a España winner) was a Gitane-sponsored racer. 1960s great Rudi Altig rode Gitanes as did Jacques Anquetil, who won the Tour de France in 1963 and 1964 on Gitanes.

In the 1970s Renault sponsored a pro team, and of course, the riders were equipped with Gitane bikes. Among the extraordinary champions riding Gitanes in that era were Lucien van Impe, Bernard Hinault, Laurent Fignon and Greg LeMond.

During the next decade Laurent Fignon, Charly Mottet and Jean-François Bernard continued to win on Gitane bikes. In the 1990s Gitane turned its attention to mountain bikes and sponsored several teams. Since 2010 Gitane has returned to road racing.

As of this writing in 2025, Gitanes are not imported into the USA. In the 1970s there were two importers. The earliest was Mel Pinto in Virginia, who began importing them in 1958. Gitane opened an assembly shop/warehouse in Hawthorne California during the 1970s bike boom. But when that era's insane demand for bikes subsided, that outlet was closed.

Greg LeMond in the World Road Champion's rainbow jersey racing the 1983 Tour of Lombardy on a Gitane bicycle and wearing Gitane shorts.

Greg LeMond was unable to ride the 1993 Tour de France.

Gitane 24" wheel Racer Frameset. Used, $150.00/frame & fork

Pinned lug construction
French thread dimensions
Top tube pump pegs
12.0cm dropouts
48cm center-to-top seat tube
51.0cm top tube
11.5cm head tube
14.0cm steerer tube
41.5cm chainstay
96.5cm wheelbase
7.0cm bottom bracket drop
6.5 lbs.
Serial# 4472

Given the foil decals we would roughly date this frameset to the early 1970s. By 1974 Gitane was applying clear mylar decals to its consumer bikes.

In the 1970s the USCF (which became USA Cycling) had class of boys 8 - 11 years old called "Midgets" racing on bikes with 24" wheels. The Gitane in this listing was particularly prized by families trying to equip midget racers back them.

As the photos below show, the paint has been touched up nearly everywhere on the frame & fork.