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Motobecane Super Champion - who knows about these?
I have heard a couple of versions of this story.... one is that this is basically the European market equivalent of a Champion Team/Team Champion.... You be the judge...
I just got this from someone out here in Colorado who bought it used in 1977 in Fort Collins. He had swapped out many of the original parts, but I was able to see these parts, and determine:
The components that I got with the frame include an original 26.6 NR seatpost, original NR headset, original NR bottom bracket. It has Campy barcons, which he said were on it in 1977, but my guess is that they are not original. It also has a nice Ideale 90, which I think is original. The wheels on it were Nuovo Tipo hubs, with an AVA rim on the front and a Mavic CdM on the back - I suspect the bike originally had Record hubs...? The frame has a lot of the same features as a '73 Team Champion I have seen, along with a Super Champion. They include:
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...83cf2ce2d.jpeg Number 9442 https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cafed65e2.jpeg 54 refers to the size, I think... same number on the steerer tube... https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...15b6e3047.jpeg Wood insert in the steerer tube... https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...44fc1fe3f.jpeg Different crown from my '75 Champion Team and '75 Le Champion... https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...610436675.jpeg Campy dropouts, no serial number... https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e86633f0b.jpeg Super Champion.... https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3c4bc15ae.jpeg Black painted seat stay ends... https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...12dedb85b.jpeg Bit different treatment on the rear derailleur cable stop... https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c438b2c2b.jpeg Chrome socks, like my Le Champion, but not the Champion Team... https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bdf1c24b0.jpeg As found, a hodgepodge of parts, but basically in decent shape... |
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crown a BOCAMA pattern used widely on some Brit machines of the 1960's and early 1970's; one such was the Raleigh Competition of 1969-1970 here shown in Bertin Milremo guise, courtesy of Daniel Rebour - https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a543d783e0.jpg ----- |
@75lechamp
I am as big a fan of these as anyone, not that you would know it from me sitting on our venerable obrentharris's restored Champion Team frame from several years ago. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c11ca894b0.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8395ce62fa.jpg I don't know any more than you do about these but I did find some good threads back when I got it. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-progress.html http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...pion-team.html https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-champion.html Mine has a fork crown that we were unable to identify that I speculate may have been used for the large size of the frame, maybe. I am looking forward to another spirited discussion about these right here. ;) |
Crickets?
:( |
In praise of the lowly Tipo...
Jim, there's a bit of a discussion on this over on the CR list.... and also in my other post on my other build, a '72 Le Champ, someone acquired a Champion Team that has many of the features of this Super Champion. Still not quite sure what the Super Champion story really is.... Hugh Thornton, who has one of the original Bic team bikes, doubts this is a European version, but still would be fascinating to know "when is a Super Champion a Champion Team, and vice versa?"
Still trying to figure out what hubs to use. It came with these Nuovo Tipos, the rear is smooth as any Campy I've ever had, and the front is a bit dry, we'll see after the repack. These are not the special ones with the kidney cutouts, so probably this bike came originally with standard Records. Anyway, I went ahead and cleaned them up, they sure cleaned up nice. I think I am going to build them up for this bike anyway.... https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...82abdaa39.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7d405ba5f.jpeg |
Progress....
Making a good bit of progress on my build....
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a36f1ffaf.jpeg Touched up the black painted seat stay caps. Note on my Champion Team, these are not painted black... https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...312b5f182.jpeg Steel Campy NR pedals, Christophe clips and Binda Extra straps... https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cbeb30ee5.jpeg Super Champion... https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dac0965a5.jpeg The "M" on the head tube is original (or so I think), and somewhat different from the silver/black "M" on my Champion Team and Le Champion... https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9bc715c18.jpeg I used the Tipos laced to Mavic CdMs, which came with the bike, though I do not think the hubs are original. They really came out nice though. I am using some Rino rings that are not original, but look good against the orange frame. Oval logo Cinelli 1A and Campione del Mondo bars. It came with an Ideale 90, which I believe to be original as well. |
Fini! Road Test
Well, finished with the Super Champion, and took her on the road today for a shakedown and subsequent adjustments....
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...df609d5ee.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c23ddf6ee.jpeg I built up the wheels from the Tipos it came with, laced to Mavic CdMs.... https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d03e5c1b3.jpeg Still with the Tipos, but later switched over to low flange Records laced to Super Champion Medaille d'Ors.... https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d030de68a.jpeg The ride is sublime... |
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