54cm Gazelle Race c.1968 Vintage Dutch Road Bike Frame
£450.00
✓ Original vintage frame - built in the 1960s
✓ Lightweight for the era - just 2.8 kg
✓ Suitable for historic cycling events such as L'Eroica
✓ Thoroughly checked over & photographed in detail
✓ Worldwide shipping
Gazelle are perhaps most famous today for producing workhorses, the type produced in the hundreds of millions every year in Dieren, the Netherlands. Back in the 1960s however they were a much different beast. After the introduction of their 'Special Racing Division' in the 1980s, they assembled a professional cycling team sponsored by Dutch Cigar makers, Willem II. The most successful rider in the Willem II-Gazelle team was undoubtedly Rik Van Looy, but also included greats such as Harn Ottenbros & Peter Post to name just a couple. Gazelle's greatest years were yet to come, their most famous race frame, the Champion Mondial had been introduced to the world by the mid 70s and many famous partnerships followed.
Before the Champion Mondial came the Gazelle 'Race'. Lesser known due to its scarcity but by no means less important. It was this model that Rik Van Looy & Harm Ottenbros spent the latter half of the 1960s racing on. Built from Reynold's all-conquering 531 tube set with hand-cut lugs and a race-bred geometry the Race was ahead of it's time. With ample clearance and the ability to add mudguards these frames can be built into a period correct team race bike or a really practical vintage rider.
This 1968 Gazelle Race looks like it could have been a team frame, with the lack of mudguard eyelets, Zeus dropouts and the same grey colour that was used by the Willem II team at the time. Still in great condition for the age this lovely little lightweight is ready to be put together and ridden again by its lucky new owner.
If you're taking part in L'Eroica or a similar vintage event, this frame is of the correct age, so you won't be disqualified for being a rule breaker!
The frame's been carefully checked by one of our mechanics to confirm the alignment's correct and there's no damage to the threads. If there are any minor issues worth noting we will do so in the overview section below. Please take a good look at the detailed photos so you can see the cosmetic condition of the frame before you buy.OVERVIEW
Era - 1960s
Country - Dutch
Frame Material - Steel
Weight - 2.75 kg
Stock Code - U-F-R88V
SIZING
Size Guide* - Medium (Approx 32" Inside Leg)
Seat Tube (ctc) - 54 cm
Top Tube (ctc) - 56.5 cm
Head Tube - 113 mm
Chainstay Length - 43 cm
Wheelbase - 100 cm
*This is just a guide, not a guarantee the frame will fit as every rider is different. If you're unsure of your size we'd always recommend trying out a bike with similar frame dimensions first.
TECHNICAL INFO
Rear Spacing - 120 mm
Front Spacing - 100 mm
Seatpost Diameter - 27.2 mm
Wheel Size - 700c/28"
Brake Fixing - External Hex Nut
Front Brake Drop - 49 mm
Rear Brake Drop - 63 mm
Bottom Bracket Thread - English/British/ISO Thread
Headset Thread - Standard ISO (24 TPI - British/Italian)
Headset Stack Height - 43 mm
Fork Crown Race - 26.4 mm (ISO)
Headtube Internal Diameter - 30.2 mm
Steerer Internal Diameter - 22.2 mm (Standard)
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▼SHIPPING, TAXES & RETURNS
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We've been safely sending orders around the world since 2010. There's a handy shipping calculator on the shopping cart page so you can see the cost of postage as soon as you've added it to your basket. Your order will be carefully packed and sent with tracking & insurance, we despatch most orders within 2-3 days but larger items and orders placed before the weekend can take an extra day or two to process.
We accept returns, please notify us within 14 days and ensure the item arrives back with us no later than 30 days after the order was received.
We don't charge VAT, however, if buying from outside of the UK please remember that there may be import fees to pay directly to the delivery company before receiving the order. Unfortunately we can’t advise on the exact costs as it varies from country to country, so please check your national rates before purchasing.
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▼HELP SECTION
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Seat Tube (ctc) - we measure from the centre of the bottom bracket shell up to the centre line of the top tube to give a consistent measurement regardless of frame design (ctc means centre to centre).
Top Tube (ctc) - this is measured from the centre of the head tube to the centre of the seat tube, along the centre of the top tube.
Chainstay Length - measured from the centre of the bottom bracket shell to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Wheelbase - measured from the centre of the front fork dropout to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Front & Rear Spacing - measured from the inside of one dropout to the other. The dropouts on steel frames can be stretched or squeezed a few mm but it's always best to avoid this if possible, aluminium or carbon frames should never be stretched.
Brake Drop - measured using wheels of the relevant size for the frame, as stated in the technical info section.
Headset Threads - although it's generally recommended to match threaded parts exactly, with headsets you can technically mix and match, unless you have French or the obscure old Raleigh threads, in which case you need to stick to that type.
