CriticalThought

Maybe more appropriate for Saved From The Dump.... I'm working on a Gitane Tour de France and Follis, both from the early 70s, so this bike caught my eye as a "parts bike" when I saw a neighbour getting rid of it... but then I saw the rear derailleur. Can anyone confirm that this is a long-cage Huret Grand Jubile? I've seen these go for $300-$400 or more, but to my knowledge they were never standard on Motobecane Super Mirages were they? Also, the front Simplex Super LJ is unfamiliar to me. Was that stock? And if so, is it decent?

Other parts I'd like to learn about.... looks like the fork has been replaced. Anyone know what this chrome fork is? The lugs look familiar.

And the hubs as well. I am completely ignorant when it comes to Campagnolo hubs. These don't seem to match? What are they and where do they stand quality-wise?

I picked this bike up because I want to use some of the French fasteners, headset bits, and the Weinmann brake bits... and I really like the rando-style bars. I suspect they aren't stock either. I'll have to peel the bar tape off and see if I can identify them. But if this is a Huret GJ RD then this is a real score!


Anyway, any opinions on the quality of the parts would be appreciated! I'm also curious what's original to the bike. Seems like not much aside from the brakes and cranks. Thoughts?

JohnDThompson 

That's an odd collection of parts on the bike. The rear derailleur does appear to be a long cage Huret Jubilee. Both the derailleurs and the and the crank appear to be incongruously high-end for a frame with stamped dropouts. The all-chrome fork may be a replacement. The front hub is a 1950s vintage Campagnolo hub; the three piece construction suggests it may date from when FB was making Campagnolo's hubs under contract. The rear hub is a later production Record hub. There may be a date stamped on the locknuts.

CV-6 

I don't think anything is original to that bike.

RD: Yes to Grand Jubilee
FD: Excellent derailleur
Crank: Stronglight 49. Good stuff there.
Rear hub: Campagnolo Record, top of the line
Front hub: old Gran Sport Campagnolo. Like 1950s. Nothing wrong there.
Fork: yes to replacement

CriticalThought

Thanks John. It is odd isn't it? It's like a bike from some vintage bizarro world, since in my experience I usually find nice frames that have been handed down where subsequent owners ride them until parts wear out and then balk at the cost of like-quality replacements. I've found more than a handful of nice frames with much lower quality parts than stock.

Then this curiosity comes along... with a frame that weighs more than an anchor or anvil (or both together)... but with really nice (if filthy) parts. Thanks again for your perspective.

juvela

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Machine appears to have begun life as a ~1976 model Super Mirage.

Its headset, stem, bar, brakes, saddle pillar and shift levers are all original.

Drive train and wheels replaced.



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bikemig 

It's an odd combo but sometimes people upgrade bikes. I picked up a raleigh supercourse with "upgraded" parts. The frame isn't bad (reynolds 531 plain gauge main triangle) but the parts were great: campy NR headset, Shimano crane RD, TA crank, campy NR hubs, first gen dura ace brakes).

Great score on the Moto; those are nice parts for your 2 french bike builds!

TenGrainBread 

Wow, nice score. Those parts are very desirable!

CriticalThought

Thanks for all of your perspective guys. Do you think these bars are really stock? They have such pronounced curves with drops that are canted out significantly.

And even though I assumed Weinmann brakes were stock... take a look at the dimensions and labels of these. I know during the mid 70s the French were throwing whatever they could on builds to get then out of the factory but Schwinn labeled brakes? Really? I'm loving this bike for the sum of it's parts but it's definitely a bit of a Mary Shelley special...

One other thing... any thoughts on what to do with the hubs? Is it worth picking up a matching Campy front and rear to come up with two matched sets for a rainy day (or two)... or are there folks out there who would buy each as a one off?

bikemig 

I don't know if the bars are stock but it's not like the French didn't come up with the idea of a randonneur bicycle. This bike was obviously rebuilt by someone who had some idea of what they were doing given the quality of a lot of the parts. It may have been someone emptying out his parts bin.

It might be easier to match the rear than the front hub.

CV-6 

I should think you would find a buyer rather easily for the front Gran Sport. It looks like it would clean up nicely and it will be easier to find a match for the rear. The outward pitch of the bars at the drops serve a purpose. They allow you to ride in the drops with having to bend your elbow.

merziac

Looks to me like those bars came across with the levers, brakes and skewers from the donor Schwinn.