Show your Motobecane Grand Jubile
01-13-19, 08:09 PM
#101
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I have some barcons and a cable stop, and I might have a wheel that will at least work, if not match the front (those were cool rims).
-John
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01-15-19, 03:39 PM
#102
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Well, I received my GJ frameset in the mail yesterday.
I tore it all apart last night and started the process of cleaning it up. Thankfully everything came out without a fuss. The frame tubes are clean on the inside, and all the bearings were adequately packed with grease, just over time the grease turned into a color and consistency very similar to peanut butter. What a mess!
I measured the angles and fork geometry, coming out with 73° for HTA and STA, and ~46mm fork offset. I'm honestly a little disappointed that it doesn't have more rake, but I guess I will have to live with it or have someone rework the fork.
French bottom bracket came out without a nicely. Crankset is an SR Apex 5. What on earth were they thinking with a 118BCD? I got excited thinking that it might be a 110, but no luck.
Overall the bike is very, very clean for its age, it now holds the award for "Cleanest Original Paint" in my stable.
It is, however, a bit grimy, and has grease stains around the headset races and BB shell.
What would be the best way to clean this paint up without damaging it? I did a little bit of work with mineral spirits and that seemed to be fairly gentle, but I didn't want to start working on a large area and screw up the decals or anything like that.
Anyone have any suggestions for getting grease discoloration out of the paint, and a good way to polish this old girl up?
Here's some pictures to show the kind of stuff I'm dealing with:
I tore it all apart last night and started the process of cleaning it up. Thankfully everything came out without a fuss. The frame tubes are clean on the inside, and all the bearings were adequately packed with grease, just over time the grease turned into a color and consistency very similar to peanut butter. What a mess!
I measured the angles and fork geometry, coming out with 73° for HTA and STA, and ~46mm fork offset. I'm honestly a little disappointed that it doesn't have more rake, but I guess I will have to live with it or have someone rework the fork.
French bottom bracket came out without a nicely. Crankset is an SR Apex 5. What on earth were they thinking with a 118BCD? I got excited thinking that it might be a 110, but no luck.
Overall the bike is very, very clean for its age, it now holds the award for "Cleanest Original Paint" in my stable.
It is, however, a bit grimy, and has grease stains around the headset races and BB shell.
What would be the best way to clean this paint up without damaging it? I did a little bit of work with mineral spirits and that seemed to be fairly gentle, but I didn't want to start working on a large area and screw up the decals or anything like that.
Anyone have any suggestions for getting grease discoloration out of the paint, and a good way to polish this old girl up?
Here's some pictures to show the kind of stuff I'm dealing with:
01-17-19, 09:32 AM
#103
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Grand Jubilé 1974/75, frame number 2535917. Don't know the exact name of the colour (yeah, green!). In pretty good shape. Working on the rebuild now. Steel Reynolds 531 double butted. Specialites TA front. Weinmann 999 brakes. Pivo steering. Dropouts front Huret, rear Campagnolo. It has a Campagnolo nuevo record grand sport derailleur and 6 speed pinion. 
01-17-19, 10:48 AM
#104
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I've always had good luck with WD40 as a degreaser along with scrubbing with a toothbrush. Don't be too concerned about the "decals" because they're not really decals (except the Reynolds 531 one). Motobecane used a process similar to screen printing to paint their brand and model names on the frames, then clear coated over them. That's why most of the silver Motos have a yellow discoloration near the frames junctures and bottom bracket. Pretty much all of them did also but that discoloration is most visible on the silver frames. Enjoy your GJ!
I went easy with the cleaning at first and just used warm soapy water, after getting most of the dirt off I came to the same conclusion that the discoloration is in the clear coat, and there is nothing I can really do about it. It's kind of growing on me, I like the patina betraying its age. After its bath I treated the frame with a cleaning wax. It brought out a bit of gloss, and the frame is really starting to look nice.
01-20-19, 09:00 PM
#105
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My GJ also has the yellowing of the clearcoat. Call it the "patina of experience" !
Lucas- Where on your bike did you find the frame number? The only number I found mine was on the underside of the BB tube. It's partly obscured and only 4 characters- D7D4 or something similar.
Lucas- Where on your bike did you find the frame number? The only number I found mine was on the underside of the BB tube. It's partly obscured and only 4 characters- D7D4 or something similar.
01-20-19, 09:46 PM
#106
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Grand Jubilé 1974/75, frame number 2535917. Don't know the exact name of the colour (yeah, green!). In pretty good shape. Working on the rebuild now. Steel Reynolds 531 double butted. Specialites TA front. Weinmann 999 brakes. Pivo steering. Dropouts front Huret, rear Campagnolo. It has a Campagnolo nuevo record grand sport derailleur and 6 speed pinion.
01-23-19, 09:11 AM
#107
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Grand Jubilé 1974/75, frame number 2535917. Don't know the exact name of the colour (yeah, green!). In pretty good shape. Working on the rebuild now. Steel Reynolds 531 double butted. Specialites TA front. Weinmann 999 brakes. Pivo steering. Dropouts front Huret, rear Campagnolo. It has a Campagnolo nuevo record grand sport derailleur and 6 speed pinion.
01-23-19, 05:20 PM
#108
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Thanks guys! Yes, it is a European edition, as I live in the Netherlands. The frame number was on the right rear dropout, on the inside. It will probably be on the BB too, underneath the paint. Not sure though and I don't want to scratch it... Work is in progress. And I agree: it's the colour that gets you.
01-23-19, 05:39 PM
#109
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Here is a pic I took today of the 1973 Grand Jubile frame and fork that I am building up. Obviously I still need to add a freewheel and chain; less obviously I need to work on the rear derailleur so that it mates correctly with the Simplex dropout.
I am not aiming at anything like originality, but all parts are more or less correct for the era.
I am not aiming at anything like originality, but all parts are more or less correct for the era.
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01-23-19, 11:27 PM
#110
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Have you had the fork re-raked on that? Looking through this thread tonight I was struck by just how straight most of the forks are, but yours has a nice French bend to it.
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01-24-19, 11:15 AM
#111
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It is an original fork. If I remember correctly from what I have read, 1973 was the last year that Motobécane used this fork bend.
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01-28-19, 04:06 PM
#112
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I more or less finished my 1973 GJ 
this morning. As you can see, originality is not very important to me. As you also can see, to get it together I put on a used chain that is several links too short! I also need to get the right Huret-specific washer for the rear derailleur. The only other change I am likely to make is to swap the Campagnolo Front derailleur with a nice Huret model.
Also, to my relief, the Weinmann Vainqueur brakes work quite well, very much like a nice set of Mafacs.
this morning. As you can see, originality is not very important to me. As you also can see, to get it together I put on a used chain that is several links too short! I also need to get the right Huret-specific washer for the rear derailleur. The only other change I am likely to make is to swap the Campagnolo Front derailleur with a nice Huret model.
Also, to my relief, the Weinmann Vainqueur brakes work quite well, very much like a nice set of Mafacs.
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Keeping Seattle’s bike shops in business since 1978
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01-28-19, 05:28 PM
#113
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I more or less finished my 1973 GJ this morning. As you can see, originality is not very important to me. As you also can see, to get it together I put on a used chain that is several links too short! I also need to get the right Huret-specific washer for the rear derailleur. The only other change I am likely to make is to swap the Campagnolo Front derailleur with a nice Huret model.
Also, to my relief, the Weinmann Vainqueur brakes work quite well, very much like a nice set of Mafacs.
Also, to my relief, the Weinmann Vainqueur brakes work quite well, very much like a nice set of Mafacs.
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01-29-19, 09:50 AM
#114
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I just realized that I hadn't updated this thread since I fixed up my '76 Grand Jubile in Reynolds 531. She's been a real labor of love. I put in almost 2000 miles on her last year, mostly bike commuting. Easily the finest bike I've ever ridden.
Lots of little changes, but much is still stock. The original pedals were in need of a rebuild, so I used a set of MKS Sylvans that look great. The original toe clips were lost, so I replaced them with MKS toe clips and M-Wave black leather straps. The Pivo stem and handlebar were swapped for a Nitto Technomic and Nitto Noodle. The brake levers were swapped for a set of Tektro RL341 short reach levers; and in an act of heresy I threw on a set of Tektro RL720 cross levers as well. My old Brooks B17 topped it off. I tried a few different bar end plugs, but finally settled on some champagne corks.
I rode the original tires until the sidewalls cracked, and then tossed on some 27" X 1 1/4" Panaracer Pasela Pro-Tites. While I was at it, I tracked down some original reflectors off of eBay, added the brass Crane bell, and the Zefal HPX-4 frame pump. The Velo Orange Moderniste bottle cage moved around a lot, but finally settled in on the down tube.
I'll be tearing down the cockpit in the next few weeks, to install a shorter Nitto Technomic stem, new brake cable and Brooks black microfiber bar tape. I should also have a look at the bottom bracket, while the bike is torn down, but could use some advice on that. I don't really know what I'm getting in to on the bottom bracket.
I'm also considering changing the brake calipers. I love the idea of keeping the original Weinmann brakes, but they're just so weak, even with Kool Stop salmon pads. And I happen to have an old set of Shimano 600 sidepull calipers that are far stronger. I'm conflicted.
PS - Forgot to mention that I had to swap out the absurdly short seat post for a Kalloy 26.6x350mm post. My legs are freakishly long.
Lots of little changes, but much is still stock. The original pedals were in need of a rebuild, so I used a set of MKS Sylvans that look great. The original toe clips were lost, so I replaced them with MKS toe clips and M-Wave black leather straps. The Pivo stem and handlebar were swapped for a Nitto Technomic and Nitto Noodle. The brake levers were swapped for a set of Tektro RL341 short reach levers; and in an act of heresy I threw on a set of Tektro RL720 cross levers as well. My old Brooks B17 topped it off. I tried a few different bar end plugs, but finally settled on some champagne corks.
I rode the original tires until the sidewalls cracked, and then tossed on some 27" X 1 1/4" Panaracer Pasela Pro-Tites. While I was at it, I tracked down some original reflectors off of eBay, added the brass Crane bell, and the Zefal HPX-4 frame pump. The Velo Orange Moderniste bottle cage moved around a lot, but finally settled in on the down tube.
I'll be tearing down the cockpit in the next few weeks, to install a shorter Nitto Technomic stem, new brake cable and Brooks black microfiber bar tape. I should also have a look at the bottom bracket, while the bike is torn down, but could use some advice on that. I don't really know what I'm getting in to on the bottom bracket.
I'm also considering changing the brake calipers. I love the idea of keeping the original Weinmann brakes, but they're just so weak, even with Kool Stop salmon pads. And I happen to have an old set of Shimano 600 sidepull calipers that are far stronger. I'm conflicted.
PS - Forgot to mention that I had to swap out the absurdly short seat post for a Kalloy 26.6x350mm post. My legs are freakishly long.
Last edited by AlmostGreenGuy; 01-29-19 at 10:03 AM.
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01-29-19, 01:55 PM
#115
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Does anyone know of official colours for Motobecanes in the 70s?
01-29-19, 03:45 PM
#117
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...as already stated, Google up some catalog pages. My impression is that the US bikes came in colorways chosen by the importer at that time, (Lawee).
Motobecane was the first French maker to start using Japanese parts, in the late 1970s. This was a very good move on their part, because at that time Japanese derailleurs and crank sets were much better than the older French designs common on mid-priced 10-speeds. The change was largely due to the influence of their U.S. importer, Ben Lawee. The frames on Motobécane's mid-to-upper bikes were typically double-butted lugged steelmade from Vitus or Reynolds 531 molybdenum/manganese steel tubing with Nervex lugs. Unlike most French makers of the era, Motobecane used Swiss thread bottom brackets for most models. Motobécane finished their frames in beautiful and high-quality paint, a practice not often followed in the French industry.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motob%C3%A9cane
01-29-19, 03:52 PM
#118
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...
I'm also considering changing the brake calipers. I love the idea of keeping the original Weinmann brakes, but they're just so weak, even with Kool Stop salmon pads. And I happen to have an old set of Shimano 600 sidepull calipers that are far stronger. I'm conflicted.
I'm also considering changing the brake calipers. I love the idea of keeping the original Weinmann brakes, but they're just so weak, even with Kool Stop salmon pads. And I happen to have an old set of Shimano 600 sidepull calipers that are far stronger. I'm conflicted.
01-29-19, 05:19 PM
#119
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...you should be able to set those brakes up to work at least as well, and probably better, than Shimano 600 sidepulls. They were the original dual pivot brake. Some of the things you might want to check is whether your pads are glazed or contaminated, whether the straddle cables are pulling at an inefficient angle, and whether you have good quality, lined, self lubricated cable housing and die drawn smooth cables installed. Anyway, that's been my experience, and I run probably a dozen sets of them on a variety of bikes.
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01-30-19, 03:38 AM
#121
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Posted elsewhere, but here's mine: Love at 1st sight BID, much later got a red, bare frame, sold as a 78 but been I.D. by experts as 75-77. Vitus tubing, SunTour dropouts, I think 1976 now, but who knows? Came with a Stronglight headset and 3 Huret clamps. Swap meets & trades for French parts & Shimano Arabesque DR's & brake levers, got the wheel set from Bill Stevenson at Bike Stand in Olympia, WA, my first B17 Saddle, I later carved to be Swallowesque, Giles Berthaud SS fenders & leather mudflap installed by Corey Thompson at the Bike Stand. Bag is a Rivendell, no longer avail. that I got for $5 at Recycled Cycles.(It had a Minoura bar /frame mount bottle holder attachment inside!)
It's a great, smooth, ride which I always brought along when we traveled, so ridden all over the Western U.S. Gets lots of positive comments and questions, best was "You're not from around here, are you?" from a roadie, on a Colnago, outside Tucson, AZ.
Also have a 1975 Mixte I got in 2016 & just finished the overhaul. Will take and add a few pics soon. Don
edit: adding the Mixte pics. Paint touched up, Cleaned, Lubed all bearings. Still need to find better tires and swap the brooks for a much better one currently on my Raleigh Superbe. Don
It's a great, smooth, ride which I always brought along when we traveled, so ridden all over the Western U.S. Gets lots of positive comments and questions, best was "You're not from around here, are you?" from a roadie, on a Colnago, outside Tucson, AZ.
Also have a 1975 Mixte I got in 2016 & just finished the overhaul. Will take and add a few pics soon. Don
edit: adding the Mixte pics. Paint touched up, Cleaned, Lubed all bearings. Still need to find better tires and swap the brooks for a much better one currently on my Raleigh Superbe. Don
Thank you/
01-30-19, 10:12 AM
#122
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Some more pictures of the 1974 edition. Beginning to look like a real bike.
02-03-19, 09:29 PM
#123
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Given to me..
I'm grateful to the couple who gifted this to me to restore. Avocet triple 45-42-28 and added Mafac brakes and a Brooks team pro. Thanks to @@jeirvine for the shifters...
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02-03-19, 09:31 PM
#124
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I'm grateful to the couple who gifted this yo me to restore. Avocet triple 45-42-28 and added Mafac brakes and a Brooks team pro. Thanks to @jeirvine for the shifters...
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03-03-19, 05:45 PM
#125
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I finally got around to starting the rebuild of my uncle's old GJ originally mentioned in this post the other day! I stripped all the parts off the frame and fork, cleaned up as much of the rust and dirt as I could, and sprayed the inside of the frame with Frame Saver. The plating on the outside of the Stronglight headset was flaking off, so I decided to replace it with the NOS Specialized French-threaded headset I had around, but I ended up discovering that the Specialized headset came with a 26.4mm crown race, and the fork has a 27mm crown! I ended up using the bottom cup and crown race from a lightly-used Tange headset I had around, and used the Specialized parts for the top. Bottom bracket got replaced with an IRD Quad with French cups. The saddle is a NOS Ideale that I found online last summer. I took the brake calipers apart and cleaned them up. Most of the parts have cleaned up quite nicely! I still have a few things left to do, and I expect to need to make some changes to the cockpit (stem length/handlebar reach/brake levers - maybe TRP?). My goal right now is to set it up to be rideable as-is, so that I can then figure out exactly what I need to do to make it more usable for me. Possible changes include wheel size (addition of fenders as well, specifics to be determined after I decide on wheel/tire size). 
