Moto love
08-14-23, 09:27 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ontario
Posts: 2,648
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 478 Post(s)
Liked 634 Times
in
336 Posts
Moto love
I have been seeing a lot of Motobecane love in the past little while, and stumbled across this old article so thought I would post. I know SpeedofLite would have eventually posted this one but thought I would just show the Moto.
Likes For markk900:
08-14-23, 09:53 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Central Florida, USA
Posts: 1,992
Bikes: Litespeed (9); Slingshot (9); Specialized (3); Kestrel (2); Cervelo (1); FELT (1); Trek (2)
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 436 Post(s)
Liked 3,475 Times
in
1,000 Posts
What you mean "eventually", Kemosabe? 
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...nd-jubile.html
And then there's these too:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...d-touring.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-prolight.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ge-models.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...echampion.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...nd-jubile.html
And then there's these too:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...d-touring.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-prolight.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ge-models.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...echampion.html
__________________
WTB: Slingshot bicycle promotional documents (catalog, pamphlets, etc).
WTB: American Cycling May - Aug, Oct, Dec 1966.
WTB: Bicycle Guide issues 1984 (any); Jun 1987; Jul, Nov/Dec 1992; Apr 1994; 1996 -1998 (any)
WTB: Bike World issue Jun 1974.
WTB: Slingshot bicycle promotional documents (catalog, pamphlets, etc).
WTB: American Cycling May - Aug, Oct, Dec 1966.
WTB: Bicycle Guide issues 1984 (any); Jun 1987; Jul, Nov/Dec 1992; Apr 1994; 1996 -1998 (any)
WTB: Bike World issue Jun 1974.
Likes For SpeedofLite:
08-14-23, 11:43 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,082
Bikes: '72 Peugeot PX-10 '78 Motobecane Le Champion '83 Motobecane Grand Jubile '85 Trek 830 '88 Merckx Team ADR Corsa Extra
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 471 Post(s)
Liked 1,214 Times
in
651 Posts
I wouldn't mind seeing the Moto love continue. Maybe all of the above could be consolidated into one Moto Appreciation thread.
__________________
Likes For Sedgemop:
Likes For markk900:
08-14-23, 01:58 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,435
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5888 Post(s)
Liked 3,471 Times
in
2,079 Posts
The review says that the 70s Motobecane Jubilee had straight gauge Reynolds 531 but I thought they came with a double butted 531 main triangle. Here's a link to the '74 catalog:
https://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?...geViewsIndex=1
https://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?...geViewsIndex=1
Likes For bikemig:
08-14-23, 02:46 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ontario
Posts: 2,648
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 478 Post(s)
Liked 634 Times
in
336 Posts
bikemig : Agreed and the dropouts are supposed to be Huret....Mr Jow listed them as Campy. One of the things I love about the early days of Bicycling is that the magazine was clearly put together by enthusiasts....
Likes For markk900:
08-14-23, 03:42 PM
#7
blahblahblah chrome moly
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,994
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1181 Post(s)
Liked 2,576 Times
in
1,076 Posts
Ugh, bars and saddle too high, saddle not level, was he trying to make it look ugly?
Bike portraits are always supposed to be taken with the chain on the big ring, and having the pedal near the dead spot of the stroke makes it look weak. I like it best with the pedal about 2 o'clock, entering the power zone.
Then there's his lame words. "Spearpoint" lugs dissipate stress more efficiently? 70° frame angles? (I don't think so!) "This is not a very fast machine"? — Try pedaling harder.
"...fair amount of flexture vertically in the rear triangle"?? OK you're not an engineer, I get it.
Yes I'm overly picky and oipinionated, so what?
It must be a very hard job, to find something new to write each month, when bikes change so little over decades. If they only wrote smart, insightful things, the articles would be very short.
Likes For bulgie:
08-14-23, 04:09 PM
#8
small ring
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: PNW
Posts: 1,025
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 438 Post(s)
Liked 925 Times
in
370 Posts
The first batch of Grand Jubilee frames had Campy dropouts. (I have one)
__________________
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
Likes For droppedandlost:
08-14-23, 04:39 PM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ontario
Posts: 2,648
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 478 Post(s)
Liked 634 Times
in
336 Posts
cool - just to satisfy my curiosity is it single or double butted 531 on yours? Clearly detail items changed from initial batch to the catalog specs, and the article described an early one. Could the first batch also be straight gauge 531?
08-14-23, 05:26 PM
#10
small ring
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: PNW
Posts: 1,025
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 438 Post(s)
Liked 925 Times
in
370 Posts
Best guess is that all the parts weren't available yet, so they assembled bikes from what they had available.
__________________
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
Likes For droppedandlost:
08-14-23, 05:27 PM
#11
small ring
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: PNW
Posts: 1,025
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 438 Post(s)
Liked 925 Times
in
370 Posts
Another thing I just noticed... Look at the head tube angle in the article compared to mine.
__________________
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
Likes For droppedandlost:
08-14-23, 07:04 PM
#12
Full Member
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: California's capital
Posts: 467
Bikes: Litespeed Firenze, Spot Acme, Specialzed S Works Pro Race, Davidson Stiletto, Colnago Superissimo
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 133 Post(s)
Liked 302 Times
in
173 Posts
Is the Gary Fisher of the Grand Touring review
THAT Gary Fisher? If so, they grow up so fast.
My HS graduation money went to a Grand Touring a few years before this one. It was legit prettier than the review bike, if modest specs by today's standards, or 1985's for that matter. Rode the utter hell out of that bike, then donated it when I figured I'd not ride it again.
Cheers,
Rick
My HS graduation money went to a Grand Touring a few years before this one. It was legit prettier than the review bike, if modest specs by today's standards, or 1985's for that matter. Rode the utter hell out of that bike, then donated it when I figured I'd not ride it again.
Cheers,
Rick
08-15-23, 05:41 AM
#13
Death fork? Naaaah!!
Top
__________________
You know it's going to be a good day when the stem and seatpost come right out.
(looking for a picture and not seeing it? Thank the Photobucket fiasco.PM me and I'll link it up.)
You know it's going to be a good day when the stem and seatpost come right out.
(looking for a picture and not seeing it? Thank the Photobucket fiasco.PM me and I'll link it up.)
08-15-23, 06:50 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,453
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 878 Post(s)
Liked 2,296 Times
in
1,283 Posts
Motobecane are nice bikes. I have a couple in my stable, one is a 1978 GJ mixte that I bought for my daughter as her first real , full sized bike. It got her into vintage ten speeds. I had ridden it only, as I was setting it up for her, to test. It was way too small for me but there was enough seat post for me to do a couple test rides . I was mildly impressed. I mean , wrong size , mixte, it was unfair to the bike. She loved that bike and we did many miles together before she got her eye on a Super Grand Prix Raleigh. It is in the shed with her other bike. When she moved out and back east , she left it with me (both bikes) and bought a Moto Grand Touring. I have since bought a $20 Grand Sprint with Vitus 888 tubing and it rides very nicely. I guess we are a 3 Moto family!
08-15-23, 07:38 AM
#15
ambulatory senior
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Peoria Il
Posts: 5,998
Bikes: Austro Daimler modified by Gugie! Raleigh Professional and lots of other bikes.
Mentioned: 76 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1955 Post(s)
Liked 3,661 Times
in
1,679 Posts
Mine is tretubi double butted. I have a later model as well that has double butted 172 and a 172 fork.
Likes For 52telecaster:
08-15-23, 04:58 PM
#16
vintage motor
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
Posts: 1,596
Bikes: 48 Automoto, 49 Stallard, 50 Rotrax, 62 Jack Taylor, 67 Atala, 68 Lejeune, 72-74-75 Motobecanes, 73 RIH, 71 Zieleman, 74 Raleigh, 78 Windsor, 83 Messina (Villata), 84 Brazzo (Losa), 85 Davidson, 90 Diamondback, 92 Kestrel
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 164 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 102 Times
in
79 Posts
I was also surprised by just how laid-back the angles on the review bike appear. Shortly afterwards they got much more upright. The same is true with the Grand Record's and Le Champion's, with regards to angles and clearances as well.
Likes For kroozer:
08-15-23, 05:16 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,467
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 801 Post(s)
Liked 754 Times
in
411 Posts
I've always been drawn to Motobecanes, especially the older, metric Reynolds 531 double butted frames. But I imagine it's just getting harder and harder to keep French bikes in good working condition? I'm confident in my ability to install/monitor threaded headsets, so I'm thinking the only wear item to be worried about is the bottom bracket. Yes/no?
Likes For Piff:
08-15-23, 05:29 PM
#18
small ring
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: PNW
Posts: 1,025
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 438 Post(s)
Liked 925 Times
in
370 Posts
I've always been drawn to Motobecanes, especially the older, metric Reynolds 531 double butted frames. But I imagine it's just getting harder and harder to keep French bikes in good working condition? I'm confident in my ability to install/monitor threaded headsets, so I'm thinking the only wear item to be worried about is the bottom bracket. Yes/no?
__________________
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
08-15-23, 10:08 PM
#19
Senior Member
Likes For due ruote:
Likes For El Chaba:
08-16-23, 08:41 AM
#21
small ring
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: PNW
Posts: 1,025
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 438 Post(s)
Liked 925 Times
in
370 Posts
Good to hear parts are available. Last time I checked (a while ago) things were out of stock for a long time.
__________________
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
08-16-23, 09:13 AM
#22
ambulatory senior
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Peoria Il
Posts: 5,998
Bikes: Austro Daimler modified by Gugie! Raleigh Professional and lots of other bikes.
Mentioned: 76 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1955 Post(s)
Liked 3,661 Times
in
1,679 Posts
