Motobecane 72 Le Champion and 72 Grand Record
#26
aged to perfection
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: PacNW
Posts: 1,773
Bikes: Dinucci Allez 2.0, Richard Sachs, Alex Singer, Serotta, Masi GC, Raleigh Pro Mk.1, Hetchins, etc
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 819 Post(s)
Liked 1,219 Times
in
643 Posts
I'm with you, obsession over getting all the date codes correct down to the hub locknuts is wasted effort unless we're talking about an all correct, 100 point, display quality bike. Remember that parts may have sat on factory shelves for years before going onto a finished bike.
Interesting point about those tipo hubs with the oval holes - I did not know that ! maybe a special run done just for Moto ? You think it's the Record hub shell with Tipo axles ?
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
Interesting point about those tipo hubs with the oval holes - I did not know that ! maybe a special run done just for Moto ? You think it's the Record hub shell with Tipo axles ?
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,505
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5877 Post(s)
Liked 3,445 Times
in
2,066 Posts
I'm with you, obsession over getting all the date codes correct down to the hub locknuts is wasted effort unless we're talking about an all correct, 100 point, display quality bike. Remember that parts may have sat on factory shelves for years before going onto a finished bike.
Interesting point about those tipo hubs with the oval holes - I did not know that ! maybe a special run done just for Moto ? You think it's the Record hub shell with Tipo axles ?
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
Interesting point about those tipo hubs with the oval holes - I did not know that ! maybe a special run done just for Moto ? You think it's the Record hub shell with Tipo axles ?
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
Apparently those Tipo hubs with oval holes were special to Motobecane; I didn't know that before reading this thread either.
https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=13613d0a-8b52-4120-8deb-6a5a69f2d766&Enum=110
Last edited by bikemig; 08-28-19 at 12:11 PM.
#28
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 933
Bikes: 1968 Raleigh Super Course, 1972 Raleigh Professional, 1975 Raleigh International, 1978 Raleigh Professional, 1985 Raleigh Prestige, 1972 Schwinn Paramount, 1980 Schwinn Voyageur 11.8, 1960 Carlton Franco Suisse Peugeot PX10, 1972 Motobecane Le Champ
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 321 Post(s)
Liked 677 Times
in
349 Posts
Other inconsistencies: The chainstay cable stop is Shimano not Campy and the Brooks Professional saddle has been displaced in favor of this one that looks like it’s been chewed on by mice. I also need to find some pedals.
Here are the serial numbers
Grand record: 1775312
Le Champion: 1754034
Possibly July of 71? I don’t know.
#29
Friendship is Magic
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 22,930
Bikes: old ones
Mentioned: 304 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26245 Post(s)
Liked 10,228 Times
in
7,097 Posts
...if you have to strip both of these down to accomplish the restoration mechanically, it's honestly not that hard to learn enough about painting to do a pretty good job of either "cosmetically improving" (the paint on the Le Champ doesn't look that bad), or repainting and rebadging (in the case of your GR, where the paint is worse.) Doing this on a bare frame and fork increases the chances that you'll end up with something you like as a result. I know that people are all over the map on "original paint", and the "devaluation" that automatically occurs with repainting. I honestly don't get it, but that's just me.
I have a Richard Sachs that is a repaint, and it is worth no less to me because of that.
I have a Richard Sachs that is a repaint, and it is worth no less to me because of that.
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,755
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 132 Times
in
78 Posts
For instance, if that Cinelli stem does have a patent date on its underside,
it's quite a rare find if it is French sizing. And a pre '73 add on, likely.
But , no matter.
Serial numbers won't help with the dating as there is no Moto date data base as such.
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,505
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5877 Post(s)
Liked 3,445 Times
in
2,066 Posts
...if you have to strip both of these down to accomplish the restoration mechanically, it's honestly not that hard to learn enough about painting to do a pretty good job of either "cosmetically improving" (the paint on the Le Champ doesn't look that bad), or repainting and rebadging (in the case of your GR, where the paint is worse.) Doing this on a bare frame and fork increases the chances that you'll end up with something you like as a result. I know that people are all over the map on "original paint", and the "devaluation" that automatically occurs with repainting. I honestly don't get it, but that's just me.
I have a Richard Sachs that is a repaint, and it is worth no less to me because of that.
I have a Richard Sachs that is a repaint, and it is worth no less to me because of that.
I agree. If you're buying a bike to ride, who cares if the paint is all "original" or not?
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,755
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 132 Times
in
78 Posts
You can tell these are not Record hubs by the stamping. Flying wheel stamp as opposed to the word "Record".
And then Campagnolo. To my (our) knowledge, these were only used on Motobecane Le Champions,
and maybe only for one year.
There is a Record skewer, sans nut however, on the rear wheel....if that's not being too obsessive.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
rideandgoseek
Classic & Vintage
44
07-09-21 08:10 PM
AlphaDogg
Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals.
22
06-14-11 04:35 PM