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Gitane Dura Ace Re-do
1980s Gitane – Reynolds 531c
When I originally listed this Gitane for sale, a prospective customer came by for a test ride. He was really interested, liking the fit, looks, and ride. But he didn’t like the Campagnolo components, preferring Shimano, so he passed. After the listing expired and various life circumstances intervened, I revisited the build a few months later. There were a couple of issues: the 30-tooth low gear stretched the limits of the rear derailleur and the crankset was missing a chainring spacer that I replaced with a not-perfect-match replacement. I decided the solution was replacing the component group completely.
I had a full Dura Ace 7700 group in the parts bin: shift/brake levers, brakes, front and rear derailleurs, crankset, and wheelset built with the series’ hubs. I gave the crankset the obligatory strip/sand/polish treatment. The rest of the parts were in good shape, so all that was left was to bolt them onto the frame. Everything built up nicely. Even for a near 30-year-old groupset, the components worked flawlessly, testament to Shimano’s engineering.
I listed the bike as newly constituted. The same customer came back and bought it. I know he’ll be happy with the way the frame rides and the components work. With the durability of the frame and parts, it’s a bike that should last a lifetime.