Show your Motobecane Grand Record
10-29-12, 09:39 PM
#51
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Here it is before I swapped pedals and had the spokes changed out to DT stainless.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/61726328@N03/7769467304/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/61726328@N03/7769467304/
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10-29-12, 10:04 PM
#52
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Original decals from Canada. The white one used to be the Canadian flag, all bleached out now. The rest are shiny ones (were) from provinces. Yeah, leaning against the garage, I just took a quick pick and forgot drive side protocol. Funny, I always considered the red far more eye catching than the silver GR in the bike "show room". If the GR had been red...yikes, would've had to sell my 350 SL Honda MC.
Jim
Jim
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10-29-12, 10:40 PM
#53
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^ Well, as the guy who started this thread, I'd be glad to go root out any evidence of snobbery or 'not playing nicely with others' if it were pointed out to me. However I can't recall any, nor can I recall anyone saying anything at all negative, until today. 
Mostly we have been sharing info, complimenting each others' bikes and pictures, and some of have swapped some parts: the usual C&V camraderie. Maybe that's not apparent to someone who has never posted in this forum before, yet feels it's appropriate to start off with an insult.
Mostly we have been sharing info, complimenting each others' bikes and pictures, and some of have swapped some parts: the usual C&V camraderie. Maybe that's not apparent to someone who has never posted in this forum before, yet feels it's appropriate to start off with an insult.Apologies, I overreacted to the dued post "I was praying it wasn't a Jubilee or something low end, as they all shared the same paint it seems, from the GR on down". $200 from a college student in '73 wasn't exactly low end, about 2X average bike ($100). I could put old gruupo gear on my GJ and it'd take a sharp eye to tell it wasn't a GR with the lack of BB Nervex cutouts the most telling, also front fork is a bit different. Of course the cantis now make it look like some crazy retro cross. I put them on for wet winter stopping power in '77 and the MaFacs are friggen antiques now! And rear Jubilee derailluers are jewels.
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10-29-12, 10:48 PM
#54
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Ha! Ok. I'll dredge up a few pics. Here's a wild start: Princess Marguerite ferry from Seattle to Victoria WAS the start. It was all downhill from there. Well, that's totally true, we started from Winslow (is that old or what?). Took three ferries to leave, return to NA continent (in Canada). I had like $375 in cash to get across the continent. Out initial goal was Alaska but hmmmm, that was wishful thinking once spokes started breaking and tires flattened going up Yellowhead Highway.
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10-30-12, 06:35 AM
#55
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Apologies, I overreacted to the dued post "I was praying it wasn't a Jubilee or something low end, as they all shared the same paint it seems, from the GR on down". $200 from a college student in '73 wasn't exactly low end, about 2X average bike ($100). I could put old gruupo gear on my GJ and it'd take a sharp eye to tell it wasn't a GR with the lack of BB Nervex cutouts the most telling, also front fork is a bit different. Of course the cantis now make it look like some crazy retro cross. I put them on for wet winter stopping power in '77 and the MaFacs are friggen antiques now! And rear Jubilee derailluers are jewels.
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10-31-12, 06:34 PM
#56
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Nice find. Great bike. Too bad about the clear coat. I'm working on an old Moto right now and the clear has yellowed some. I removed if from the chrome fork ends with citrus stripper. On the paint? Be careful and be sure to check it in an inconspicuous place like under the down tube, but I noticed that alcohol removed part of the clear coat on mine. You need the strong stuff. 90% rubbing alcohol, but try 70% first. May work. The problem will be around the decals, which were actually silk screened, not decals at all. You can't do those as the alchohol would probably remove them. A dilemma. Good luck. That's a cool bike.
BTW. That foil head badge is exactly the same as on the 74-75 Le Champions. I would think a 72 or so would probably have a plastic or metal head badge. But the script letter and painted seat stay caps certainly seem to indicate early 70's
BTW. That foil head badge is exactly the same as on the 74-75 Le Champions. I would think a 72 or so would probably have a plastic or metal head badge. But the script letter and painted seat stay caps certainly seem to indicate early 70's
Its a pat 71 rd which is how I ballparked the vintage with the script letters. I'm 90 pct done with a redo of this bike. It rides great, looks a bit different though! The paint and decals were trash so I reprinted and got decals from Cyclomondo, which are excellent.
11-02-12, 09:37 PM
#57
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Tonight I took a leisurely cruise through the searchable archives at bikelist.org, especially the classic rendezvous mailing list. Looking under 'Motobecane Grand Record' I came upon LOTS of posts referring to the bike as one that the posters owned, or used to own and missed, or wished they could afford when they were younger. The black/red/gold GR was frequently mentioned as a favorite or classic color scheme and model. And several compared the GR to the Peugeot PX-10; though the latter was full 531 while the GR was '3 Main Tubes' up to '76 or so, the GR was arguably better equipped with NR. There were also several comments that the Motobecanes had a better level of finish as far as paint, lug filing, etc than French makes like Peugeot and Gitane, which were much bigger names in the early years of the boom. There was at least one mention of an early 70s GR, a yellow one I think, having a problem with the clear coat deteriorating!
Apparently Motobecane entered the US market late; they were a much smaller outfit than Peugeot, which was an industrial powerhouse. The importer was Ben Lawee, who also imported Bianchi for some years, and Follis, and I think other lesser names. Lawee also developed some marques made for him in Italy and elsewhere, like Italvega. Later he turned to Japan with Univega. Several guys on the CR list had been in the bike industry at the time, one had even worked with Lawee I believe, and they attested to his genius for marketing, for choosing popular colors and graphics, and for mixing and matching components to hit just the right price points. For example the GR has Campy drive components but Weinmann brakes. I got the impression that it might have been Lawee who got Motobecane to start using Japanese components, as they were doing with Nitto bars as early as 1974.
By the way, this is probably obvious to everyone but me, but the Grand Record was named for the Record derailleurs...three guesses what the Grand Jubile was named for.
Apparently Motobecane entered the US market late; they were a much smaller outfit than Peugeot, which was an industrial powerhouse. The importer was Ben Lawee, who also imported Bianchi for some years, and Follis, and I think other lesser names. Lawee also developed some marques made for him in Italy and elsewhere, like Italvega. Later he turned to Japan with Univega. Several guys on the CR list had been in the bike industry at the time, one had even worked with Lawee I believe, and they attested to his genius for marketing, for choosing popular colors and graphics, and for mixing and matching components to hit just the right price points. For example the GR has Campy drive components but Weinmann brakes. I got the impression that it might have been Lawee who got Motobecane to start using Japanese components, as they were doing with Nitto bars as early as 1974.
By the way, this is probably obvious to everyone but me, but the Grand Record was named for the Record derailleurs...three guesses what the Grand Jubile was named for.
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I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds.
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Last edited by Chicago Al; 11-02-12 at 09:41 PM.
11-02-12, 10:18 PM
#58
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11-03-12, 11:06 AM
#59
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^ Nice 'reverse' paint. You mention it being PC'd...obviously that didn't include the gold lug lining, but how about the black lugs, did you paint that over the PC?
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11-03-12, 02:09 PM
#60
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I had nothing to do w/ it Al. I only pulled it off the net. Although, I prefer the orig Grand Record Blk/Red color combo & the all red refurb doesn't look that bad...mine's staying Silver as it came to me...!
11-03-12, 03:35 PM
#61
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^ Ooops...sorry, I thought that was your site. Heck, that guy should be on C&V!
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06-21-13, 01:07 PM
#62
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06-21-13, 02:19 PM
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Welcome to the forums, jdmbird. Thats a very nice bike you have there, and it's always nice to see bikes that get ridden so often and upgraded with better stuff as time goes by.
oh, and btw, this is mine.. the basket case. Needs a new stem, a new head set, a new seatpost, heck, a new everything! slowly gathering parts but HS/stems and 26.6 seatposts are hard to come by for cheap.
Untitled by ctjr, on Flickr
oh, and btw, this is mine.. the basket case. Needs a new stem, a new head set, a new seatpost, heck, a new everything! slowly gathering parts but HS/stems and 26.6 seatposts are hard to come by for cheap.
Untitled by ctjr, on Flickr
06-21-13, 04:32 PM
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C'mon Italoomineeum...we gotta set that buff colored beauty in a better light. With some clothes on and what not.
With maybe some blue tires!
With maybe some blue tires!
06-21-13, 05:22 PM
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Motobecane Grand Record 650B by djk762, on Flickr
It would be interesting for one of you intellectual types to explain what makes a Grand Record a Grand Record. Was the geometry consistent through the years?
This one is 58 ct. X 58 CC Reynolds 531 and in a French fit way fits me beautifully. My favorite long ride ride.
Easy on the eyes as well.
-D
06-21-13, 06:27 PM
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Hey, nice to see some new examples! Great looking bikes...black (and red) goes with anything, you know.
DJ, the designation apparently came from the Campy Record derailleurs and shifters, just as the Grand Jublile had the Huret Jubile setup.
If you can spot your frame's SN, likely on the non-drive dropout, please contribute it to Tmar's thread.
DJ, the designation apparently came from the Campy Record derailleurs and shifters, just as the Grand Jublile had the Huret Jubile setup.
If you can spot your frame's SN, likely on the non-drive dropout, please contribute it to Tmar's thread.
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I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds.
- Dr Samuel Johnson
I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds.
- Dr Samuel Johnson
06-22-13, 01:55 AM
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yeah, yeah... I'm still very much undecided on what I want to do with it. Half of me wants to build it into a fat tire 650B fixie, the other half of me wants a Retrodirect gearing system, and a very tiny sensible voice in my head says to just go the sensible route with Shimano 600.
06-22-13, 05:27 PM
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Motobecane Grand Record 650B by djk762, on Flickr
It would be interesting for one of you intellectual types to explain what makes a Grand Record a Grand Record. Was the geometry consistent through the years?
This one is 58 ct. X 58 CC Reynolds 531 and in a French fit way fits me beautifully. My favorite long ride ride.
Easy on the eyes as well.
-D
09-26-13, 08:29 PM
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09-26-13, 09:07 PM
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09-26-13, 09:36 PM
#73
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........I also finally finished the strip and reassembly of a Raleigh International
I got from Jack a couple of years ago as a bike-in-a-box. It is very pretty, and
I hope to ride it in the Tweed Scum ride this Saturday.
You should come if you can.
(one obligatory picture even though this is a French thread ......hee hee, he said French thread.)
I got from Jack a couple of years ago as a bike-in-a-box. It is very pretty, and
I hope to ride it in the Tweed Scum ride this Saturday.
You should come if you can.
(one obligatory picture even though this is a French thread ......hee hee, he said French thread.)
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09-26-13, 10:05 PM
#74
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........I also finally finished the strip and reassembly of a Raleigh International
I got from Jack a couple of years ago as a bike-in-a-box. It is very pretty, and
I hope to ride it in the Tweed Scum ride this Saturday.
You should come if you can.
(one obligatory picture even though this is a French thread ......hee hee, he said French thread.)
I got from Jack a couple of years ago as a bike-in-a-box. It is very pretty, and
I hope to ride it in the Tweed Scum ride this Saturday.
You should come if you can.
(one obligatory picture even though this is a French thread ......hee hee, he said French thread.)
-D
09-27-13, 12:06 AM
#75
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..............I thought straight to the bar was the whole ride ?And that "clapped out three speed" you so cavalierly dismiss has both patina and panache, words you will doubtless have to look up.
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