Vintage Motobecane Le Champion Colors..?
10-16-19, 04:49 PM
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Vintage Motobecane Le Champion Colors..?
I'm looking at a cleaned up/ fixed up Motobecane Le Champion from 1975(ish?). The frame is black(?) with red trim and the derailuer is Suntour VGT. My question is whether the Le Champion ever came in this color with Suntour components or whether this particular bike got promoted due to modern replacement decals. The catalogs I've seen all show these colors on the Mirage, the Super Record and one I forget but not the Le Champion. Also, the Le Champion seems to have always had Campy components. I can't post pictures yet due to my newbie status but I will as soon as I can. Any Moto experts out there I would love to hear from you!
10-16-19, 05:01 PM
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I'm looking at a cleaned up/ fixed up Motobecane Le Champion from 1975(ish?). The frame is black(?) with red trim and the derailuer is Suntour VGT. My question is whether the Le Champion ever came in this color with Suntour components or whether this particular bike got promoted due to modern replacement decals. The catalogs I've seen all show these colors on the Mirage, the Super Record and one I forget but not the Le Champion. Also, the Le Champion seems to have always had Campy components. I can't post pictures yet due to my newbie status but I will as soon as I can. Any Moto experts out there I would love to hear from you!
Go around, say "Hi" AND comment on threads that interest you for ten posts, takes 2 days x 5 posts, then "pics or it didn't happen".
No real expert here so..... sounds like maybe a decal upgrade as you suspect, Campy dropouts may be a clue, S/N might help as well. 75 may be when the Japanese parts started to show up, not sure about the top models and I've never seen a Black one.
Sounds like a Grand Jubilee or maybe a Grand touring.
Other far more knowledgeable experts should be along shortly.
10-16-19, 05:02 PM
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I helped a very close friend of mine restore his '73 Le Champion and it's in red/black. However, it was all Campy NR, as it should be.
Does yours have Campagnolo dropouts? If not, it may be a re-decal'd Grand Touring or something, it came with the Suntour mech referenced. Lugs, fork crown and ends, and the rear dropouts would help us determine what it is.
Does yours have Campagnolo dropouts? If not, it may be a re-decal'd Grand Touring or something, it came with the Suntour mech referenced. Lugs, fork crown and ends, and the rear dropouts would help us determine what it is.
10-16-19, 05:09 PM
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Looks like 1973 was unique among the 70s for the Le Champion being available in black:
<------ Bicycling Magazine 10-1973 ------> Motobecane Le Champion
I’ve only ever seen the 70s Champs in blue. Perhaps the derailleur was changed for wider gearing? One more post and you can show us pics!
<------ Bicycling Magazine 10-1973 ------> Motobecane Le Champion
I’ve only ever seen the 70s Champs in blue. Perhaps the derailleur was changed for wider gearing? One more post and you can show us pics!
Last edited by noobinsf; 10-16-19 at 05:15 PM.
10-16-19, 05:26 PM
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It does have Campy drop outs- pretty ones too..!
10-16-19, 05:34 PM
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I think I just hit the magic post nmber! Woo Hoo!
10-16-19, 06:11 PM
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Alright, let's see some pics then 
Just so we can try to confirm it's not a Grand Record or something.
It's possible someone pilfered the Campy stuff off the bike also. That's what happened to my buddy's. I have a stockpile of Stronglight cranksets and BB in French thread to replace the Shimano someone put on, and managed to score him a full Campy NR drivetrain date-correct with guides on eBay for $100+ship after trying to WTB one here at a reasonable CV-junkie-to-CV-junkie-support price, but best offer I got here was $220. Pics below of post-install, but before we buffed out, rerouted brake cables, and re-taped bars.
@noobinsf I'm pretty sure it was available in 72 and 73, not just 73 (at least). Totally admit I may be wrong.
Pics:
Just so we can try to confirm it's not a Grand Record or something.It's possible someone pilfered the Campy stuff off the bike also. That's what happened to my buddy's. I have a stockpile of Stronglight cranksets and BB in French thread to replace the Shimano someone put on, and managed to score him a full Campy NR drivetrain date-correct with guides on eBay for $100+ship after trying to WTB one here at a reasonable CV-junkie-to-CV-junkie-support price, but best offer I got here was $220. Pics below of post-install, but before we buffed out, rerouted brake cables, and re-taped bars.
@noobinsf I'm pretty sure it was available in 72 and 73, not just 73 (at least). Totally admit I may be wrong.
Pics:
10-16-19, 06:14 PM
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Da' Bike!
Da' Drop Outs..!
Da' Suntour
Da' Pics!
10-16-19, 06:19 PM
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Yeah. That's a real LC. Probably '72 or '73 just like my buddy's.
And I suspect someone pilfered all the Campy NR and replaced with Suntour stuff. Not unheard of. And it may not have been greed, it may've been functionality but I suspect they got the Suntour for half what they got from the Campy.
And I suspect someone pilfered all the Campy NR and replaced with Suntour stuff. Not unheard of. And it may not have been greed, it may've been functionality but I suspect they got the Suntour for half what they got from the Campy.
10-16-19, 06:25 PM
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I agree! And thanks for the I.D. If this survives un-bought until the weekend, I think I'll snag it!
10-16-19, 06:37 PM
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A very nice bike, in lovely shape. Build it up how you like. I suspect that's what the previous owner did, and I bet it goes great as built. Congrats.
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10-16-19, 06:37 PM
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It's obviously missing the Campy NR everything - calipers, levers, derailleurs, guides? - so maybe that's a price-talk-down point. Basically would cost you almost $200-250 to replace all that got snatched off it and may take you a little while to score it all at that low of a price. Again, I really suspect whoever installed all that Suntour stuff probably snatched all the Campy for some other project, bike, or to make another couple hundred out of the sale after selling the bike at a "market" price.
10-16-19, 07:05 PM
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these are not uncommon bikes. you could wait for one that is unmolested. Having said that the Suntour works well.
they also came in turquoise and white (same year as yours) and then lilac (73 and later). the lilac ones are very, very nice bikes.
Mark Petry
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they also came in turquoise and white (same year as yours) and then lilac (73 and later). the lilac ones are very, very nice bikes.
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
10-16-19, 07:11 PM
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The suntour derailleurs are an upgrade over the campy. This bike is very, very clean. You don't see one this clean all that often pop up.
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10-16-19, 08:12 PM
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That’s a great looking bike if you can get it! I recently acquired the exact same bike in black and red and it still has the Campy Record derailleurs on it. The rear mech is dated 1972 though that’s not really enough to go on if you wanted to date it exactly. Safe to say early 70s and that’s close enough. The paint on your example looks really nice!
As an aside, it does appear that this bike may still have its kidney bean Campagnolo Tipo hubs. Some nice forum members were kind enough to educate me about these. Very tough to find if they’re missing. Apparently they were made by Campagnolo exclusively for the Le Champ for one year only in 72/73. If they’re the correct hubs they will not say Record on them but will instead have a wing logo. Here is a photo of what they look like.
As an aside, it does appear that this bike may still have its kidney bean Campagnolo Tipo hubs. Some nice forum members were kind enough to educate me about these. Very tough to find if they’re missing. Apparently they were made by Campagnolo exclusively for the Le Champ for one year only in 72/73. If they’re the correct hubs they will not say Record on them but will instead have a wing logo. Here is a photo of what they look like.
Last edited by Pcampeau; 02-10-21 at 12:06 AM.
10-16-19, 08:37 PM
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This is one of the best colorways in C+V IMO along with the inverse Red with Black which is getting the nod for a future project of mine.
10-16-19, 08:39 PM
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Right. those are Record hub shells at a lower finish level and ground (but not hardened) races.
Mark Petry
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Mark Petry
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10-16-19, 08:40 PM
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I actually have some Campy stuff but it currently is intended for an Austro Daimler " Unnamed Bike". I'm hoping to convincingly recreate their Ultima. Having said that, if I do get this, 
ill ride it for a bit and then decide if I want to build it any differently.
ill ride it for a bit and then decide if I want to build it any differently.
10-17-19, 10:58 AM
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Update: I pick this up Saturday morning. I will post an "Old Guy" review after I ride it.
10-17-19, 11:20 AM
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It's the clean that sucked me in! I'm curious, I've often heard Suntour preferred to Campy back in the day but I've never known what the comparison was. I've ridden Suntour but only recently had any experience with Campy.
10-17-19, 11:33 AM
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The Suntour stuff prolly shifts a little better than Campy and can handle a wider gear ratio.
which is not a bad thing !
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
which is not a bad thing !
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
10-17-19, 12:02 PM
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I think there may be a lot of confusion about this era of Le Champion. I lived through it and bought a used one in 1973 that was a year old. I bought it because I lusted after one in a LBS. It came with Campy but Stronglight 93 crank and Universal 61 centerpull. The black and red I associate with Grand Records post 1972 The equipment varied from year to year.
The 72 was sold with sew-ups (what we called them back then) with Campy hubs. They were specially made for Motobecane and maybe a couple of other manufacturers. They look like record but are actually Tipo's with Record slots instead of Tipo round holes on the flanges. No oil hole or cover.
2008-06-01 15.25.53, on Flickr
2008-06-07 15.40.51, on Flickr
2008-06-15 00.30.48, on Flickr
2008-06-14 08.03.51, on Flickr
2008-06-14 08.03.51, on Flickr
LC_FrntCrnr_02, on Flickr
The 72 was sold with sew-ups (what we called them back then) with Campy hubs. They were specially made for Motobecane and maybe a couple of other manufacturers. They look like record but are actually Tipo's with Record slots instead of Tipo round holes on the flanges. No oil hole or cover.
2008-06-01 15.25.53, on Flickr
2008-06-07 15.40.51, on Flickr
2008-06-15 00.30.48, on Flickr
2008-06-14 08.03.51, on Flickr
2008-06-14 08.03.51, on Flickr
LC_FrntCrnr_02, on Flickr
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10-17-19, 12:18 PM
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That bike is gorgeous! It looks like it just came home from the Bike Store!
10-17-19, 01:06 PM
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My '76 Grand Touring has all the original Suntour derailleurs, SR crankset, and DiaCompe brake components. They're pretty bulletproof, stay in adjustment, and function flawlessly. You've got a beautiful bike with a great group set! No need to search for vintage Campy stuff if what you have works!
10-17-19, 01:11 PM
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