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{{Short description|French bicycle manufacturer}}{{for multi|the French cigarettes brand|Gitanes|the duets album|Gitane (album)}}
{{Infobox brand
| name           = Gitane
| logo           = 
| producttype    = [[Bicycle]]s
| currentowner   = Re_Cycles France ([[Grimaldi Industri]])
| country        = France
| introduced     = {{start date and age|1925|df=yes}}
| discontinued   = 
| related        = [[Cycles Peugeot]] 
| markets        = 
| website        = {{url|www.cycles-gitane.fr}}
}}
'''Gitane''' is a [[French bicycle industry|French manufacturer of bicycles]] based in [[Machecoul]], France; the name "Gitane" means [[Romani people|gypsy]] woman. The brand was synonymous with French bicycle racing from the 1960s through the mid-1980s, sponsoring riders such as [[Jacques Anquetil]] (1963–1965), [[Lucien Van Impe]] (1974–1976), [[Bernard Hinault]] (1975–1983), [[Laurent Fignon]] (1982–1988), and [[Greg LeMond]] (1981–1984). It is owned by [[Grimaldi Industri]] AB.
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Bicycle 02.jpg|thumb|right|1981 Gitane TT]] -->
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Bicycle 01.jpg|thumb|right|Vintage Gitane]] -->

== History ==

Cycles Gitane have their roots in 1925, when Marcel Brunelière opened a smith and agricultural repair works at Machecoul in the [[Loire-Atlantique]] region of [[France]]. He began making parts for bicycles and the following year opened a further workshop to assemble bicycles for G.M.B and Marbru.

Brunelière began making his own bicycles in 1930, choosing the name Gitane (meaning "gypsy" [feminine]). He added light motorcycles in the 1950s. The name changed to Micmo in 1960 but continued to sell Gitane bicycles. Nearly a third of Micmo was owned by [[Renault]], the car-maker, which had acquired 30 per cent of the shares in 1974. In 1976 it bought the rest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ebykr.com/2006/09/11/gitane/ |title=Gitane: The Dark-Eyed Wanderer
|first=Richard |last=Risemberg |work=Ebykr |date=September 2006 |access-date=2016-04-23}}</ref>

Gitane bicycles were first imported into the U.S. in 1958 by [[Mel Pinto|Mel Pinto Imports]] of Virginia, and as such were among the first European racing bicycles to be regularly imported into that country.

The arrival of a new director-general at the head of Renault in 1985, Georges Besse, led the company to sell Micmo to raise capital. Micmo continued and then in 1992 joined Peugeot and the Spanish company, BH, to form the Cycleurope group to compete with growing competition from Asia. Later, BH sold Gitane/Peugeot and the rest of Cycleurope to the Swedish [[Monark]] conglomerate.

== Sponsorships ==
Gitane sponsored its first professionals in 1948. From 1953 to 1955 it equipped [[Jean Stablinski]]. In 1960 it helped back {{UCI team code|Rapha}} and [[Rudi Altig]]. In 1963 and 1964, Gitane bicycles won the Tour de France,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.letour.fr/2007/TDF/COURSE/docs/HST_stat_fr.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930224047/http://www.letour.fr/2007/TDF/COURSE/docs/HST_stat_fr.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ridden by [[Jacques Anquetil]].

Renault sponsored a professional team in the 1970s and, since it owned Micmo, the company behind Gitane, made Gitane the co-sponsor. Riders on Gitanes included [[Lucien Van Impe]], [[Bernard Hinault]], [[Laurent Fignon]] and [[Greg LeMond]], all winners of the Tour de France.

Gitane then sponsored the {{UCI team code|SUG}} team led by Laurent Fignon, {{UCI team code|RMO}} led by [[Charly Mottet]], and {{UCI team code|LVC|1987}} led by [[Jean-François Bernard]].

Gitane sponsored mountain-bike teams in the 1990s.

Gitane returned to road cycling after several years' absence, backing {{UCI team code|FDJ|1997}} and {{UCI team code|AUB|1997}}. For 2010, Gitane sponsored the {{UCI team code|SOJ|2010}} team with its new line of Definitive Gitane "The One" ISP bicycles. Gitane bicycles are available in Europe only. The aluminum and steel Gitanes are still built in the factories in Machecoul (the original Gitane factory) and the Cycleurope facility at Romilly Sur Seine (the old Peugeot factory) in France, while all carbon bikes are built in Asia.

== References ==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.gitane.com/ Gitane Bicycles (France)]
* [http://www.gitane.it/ Gitane ITALY]
* [http://www.classicrendezvous.com/France/Gitane.htm Classic Rendezvous: Gitane]
* [http://www.biciplegable.net/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=2298 Gitane Origam E Bike review at biciplegable.net]
* [http://www.ebykr.com/2006/09/11/gitane/ Gitane: The Dark-Eyed Wanderer] on Ebykr

{{Renault}}
{{Grimaldi Industri}}
{{French bicycle manufacturers}}

[[Category:Bicycle framebuilders]]
[[Category:Companies based in Pays de la Loire]]
[[Category:Cycle manufacturers of France]]
[[Category:French brands]]
[[Category:French companies established in 1925]]
[[Category:Grimaldi Industri]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1925]]