Lascauxcaveman 

Due to the INSANE workload I've had in the last two years, I've been largely absent from these pages for that period. Also, I'm not riding, basically, at all

Today I had a rare day off from work, and while sipping tea and browsing the net got a cryptic (and probably fraudulent) series of messages from the email address of a forumite I haven't been in touch with for about four years, resulting in a funds solicitation. Between the first "Can you do me a favor" message and the second "send money" request, I figured "Oops, there's something nice on the local CL that someone wants me to scope out."

So there was this...

Lascauxcaveman 

Of course at $250, it was too cheap to not buy.

That horrible saddle will have to go, of course, but I've got a big box o' suspended French and English leather to dig into for a suitable replacement. Super clean and original all around, just pedals and the saddle are wrong. That indestructible rubber-leather bar wrap looks like it was put on there yesterday.

Lascauxcaveman 

Bag o' bits included the original and very spinny Kyokuto Top-Run pedals with Christophe clips, some new Soma straps and all the original mounting hardware for that mess, as well as all the original reflectors.



Does this serial number make the bike a 1983?

rgvg

I have a 79 that looks very much like that. The paint on mine doesn't look that good though.

stardognine

Howdy, stranger! Pull up a tombstone, & sit a spell. 😁😉

Everyone tries to say, "Hello, Moto" these days, so I'm not gonna do it. 😉 At least you got the right derailleurs, and those hubs don't say Gyro-Master, or something similar, do they? 🤔

Lascauxcaveman 

Anybody know what's the deal with the turkey levers? Not sure how the G-J's came equipped, now that I think about it. Maybe that dates the bike better. The black rubber hoods are apparently integrated into the black rubber bar wrap. I'm trying to figure out how this kind of set up is installed in the first place?

Lascauxcaveman 

No, they look like the basic Normandy Hi Flange hubs you see on tons of mid-range French rides from the 70s. Not the fancier ones, and definitely not Helicomatics, if that's what you're thinking. The rear hub is stamped Normandy M 51 78.

Maybe 78 being the year of mfg?

SurferRosa

- So is this for you, Timmae, or for somebody else?
- If full 172, that's a sweeet bike.
- Yes, the turkey levers are for the recycling bin.
- But better put the bar wrap in the garbage.
- KKT Top Run are among my faves, especially if you can find them with the aluminum cages.
- And stop working so hard!

Classtime 

Lovely. My n may stabilize. I took my 78 off the market. That Vitus tub set combined with the geometry of the Jubile, while a bit hefty compared to the 531on my Grand Record, is sooooosweet. Is yours a 24”? The 78 skipped that one and only offered 23 and 25.

Lascauxcaveman 

GAAAAHHH! Next thing you'll be telling me to ditch the dork disc! Blasphemy!!

Man, I hope so, soon. We finally have a group of new kids in our office, so theoretically I get two days off a week (instead of the usual zero) soon as we get them trained up.

And yeah, the bike is for me; just need some time to ride it, and the many others, languishing these past two years.

rccardr 

Nice to hear from you, Tim.
See you next week?

RustyJames 

I have that bar “wrap” on my Schwinn Super Le Tour and when I brought the bike home I thought “Geez, I dunno….” I have barely ridden the bike but it is my understanding that removing that stuff intact involves a lot of warm water, dish soap, optimism, profanities, etc. Removing it un-intact involves a utility knife and satisfaction.
It’s kinda fun in a kitschy, retro kind of way and some people love it. The jury is still out at the Chateau du rust.

Lascauxcaveman 

I hope so, Doc. AndyK sent me an email about a Seattle group ride on th-fri but I haven't found the thread on it.

Is there a thread? I'm scheduled to have Thursday off - so far.

rgvg

Here's the 79 catalog pages from bulgier.net

Dfrost 

Nice find, Tim! Glad to know you’re still out there.

Andy_K 

Did I send you the wrong dates? The group is in Seattle on Friday and Saturday. Heading to Port Townsend on Monday, I think.

That's a gorgeous bike. I'm a bit partial to Motobecanes, as you may know. Those shifters, derailleurs, and cranks were the stock components on my last two Clunker 100 bikes, which I really liked once I finished grinding all the rust off of them. The most recent was this 1979 Centurion Elite. I think it had those Top Run pedals too, which I thought were pretty good. You're just missing the Dia Compe 500 brakes.

gugie 

I suppose it's time for me to start a new thread. I'm usually good at pimping these early and hard, but work has been eating my brain the last few weeks.

rccardr 

We arrive in Seattle late Friday. Ride around Seattle Sat and Sun. Leave for Vancouver Monday morning. Some of us are driving back from Bellingham on Weds am in a rental to catch a plane/go back to work.

stardognine

Be careful about that, the brain-eating zombies have a union now. 😲

Sorry, but you set yourself up there. 😉

gugie 

Damn, that explains everything.