kolt54321

Hey all! I'm in need of a little help again as I've never heard of this bike company before. Owner says it's called "Bucane" but I can't find any info on such a model/company. Some Shimano parts (not sure what grade), brakes gears etc. in good working order - derailer and possibly other parts look more modern, so not necessarily vintage here. It has wheels in the ~24-26' range (39'' frame), aluminum frame. Anyone familiar with this one and whether it would be a "BCO" or a decent road bike to start out on?

I currently have a Trek Multitrack 720, but there's no drop handlebars, and the gear switchers are beyond worth fixing (using as a single-speed for now). Always wanted to upgrade to a road bike but not familiar with this one! Any advice?

Photos in my profile (sorry!) under album "Bucane" since I can't seem to attach them here.

kolt54321

Thanks! I'm seeing consensus on this brand is mixed. Do you happen to know how their road bikes hold up? I'm unsure how it compares to the Trek I already have (new to this).

juvela

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the subject machine appears to be a 1974 model Grand Touring bicycle -


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kolt54321

Wow Juvela! I would not have guessed that one at all, even with a little help. IIRC that was before they became a generic brand, and in their earlier days they made better bikes? By the advertisement of the components looking "new" I'm thinking they replaced the tires, brakes, etc (not all with better components - look at that seat ROFL) but would you peg this as a worthwhile project? Never looked into vintage bikes, so would it be a safe guess to say that I should take a lookover for excessive rust?

It was the seller's dad's, and he doesn't know too much about it. Not sure how the bike game evolved since then, and whether it's worth investing into - thoughts?

randyjawa 

I have owned, built and ridden two Motobecanes - a Grand Record (wonderful ride quality) and a Grand Jubilee (an equally nice bike that I kept for several years). Motobecanes are good bikes, in my opinion, and worthy steeds. My Grand Jubilee...

kolt54321

Nice! That definitely inspires confidence. Are yours steel? I think he mentioned this one was aluminum but I'm not sure if that time frame had aluminum frames...

bikemig 

Motobecane made fine bikes. It's worth $75 if you want an old road bike to fix up, if it fits you, and if you are willing to do your own work. You will also need to check over the bike before buying it.

Do you want to fix up and ride an old road bike?

juvela

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brakes are original

items which appear to have been changed are tyres, saddle and handlebar wrap

balance of machine appears to be original

$75 sounds like a good value


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kolt54321

Old, new, matters not. Haven't rode any older bikes admittedly, but if it's ergonomic and rides well on longer rides, I'm all for it. Don't need too many of the bells and whistles on newer ones (million gears, etc.).

Admittedly I'm far from a bike expert. If it test rides smoothly and I don't happen to see rust, are there other specifics I should be looking for? I'm not looking for a money pit but hopefully a decent bike that will ride me through some 25m scenic loops.

bikemig 

A bit of rust is not a big deal. You want the frame to be straight. Inspect the entire frame to make sure that there aren't any dents or anything that might be the sign of a crash. Feel the paint as well. It should be smooth without any dimples. Check the wheels and make sure they are reasonably true. Pick up the front wheel and spin it. Does it look straight to you as it turns? Do the same for the rear. Then ride the bike and run it through the gears.

This is a single owner bike and it looks as if the owner took some care of it. That's a good sign. This is a nice bike fully suitable for your 25 mile ride. Plus you'd be riding a cool old bike, right? We can talk you through the work you need to do. If you buy it, start a thread and ask what kind of work needs to be done to get it rideable. You'll want to post pics; we like pics. Have fun.

bikemig 

The parts on this bike are good and easy to work on. The suntour vgt rear derailleur is one of the best vintage derailleurs ever made. The bike has alloy rims and normandy hi flange hubs. The nervar sport crank will be relatively easy to work on as you won't need a fancy puller for it. The weinman center pulls are good brakes. If this were my size, I wouldn't hesitate to pay $75 for it if it were in my size and it checked out.

bikemig 

You have to love the wine in that pic. That's marketing in the 70s. Today, someone would point out that alcohol and bike riding don't mix,

cb400bill

The bike you are looking at is made of steel, not aluminum.

kolt54321

Sorry I couldn't respond earlier! It looks like newer users have a 5/24hr limit. Unfortunately, just found out the rear derailleur isn't original, but I'll be posting a thread with updated pictures in a few minutes. Kinda disappointed about that but at least the brakes are original!

The bike is indeed steel, looks like the seller didn't know all that much about the bike. I'd say it's coming in at around ~26lbs, and more or less my size..

kolt54321

Not to mention the wine glasses in the picture. Not even sure where those would go!

juvela

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new discussion thread now commenced on the cycle here -

​​​​​​https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...eded-here.html


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