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New Build: 1972 Motobecane Le Champion

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New Build: 1972 Motobecane Le Champion

Old 09-10-21, 07:41 PM
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New Build: 1972 Motobecane Le Champion

Well, you can never have too many Motos, right?

Here goes....



Frame with original paint....

Cool bike shop sticker will remain...

Script logo still in 1972, classic crazed paint....


Universal 61s, need new pads, this is after cleaning. The best part is the gum hoods, nice and supple, much better than the repros I found....

Original 3TTT Record stem and Grand Prix bars...

Cool original sticker....

The best part - the original Campy Nuovo Tipo hubs, specially made just for this generation Le Champion. Basic Tipo hubs, but with kidney shaped cutouts rather than circular....

Straight seatpost (original) with Brooks clamp...
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Old 09-10-21, 08:17 PM
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Originally Posted by 75lechamp
Well, you can never have too many Motos, right?

Here goes....



Frame with original paint....

Cool bike shop sticker will remain...

Script logo still in 1972, classic crazed paint....


Universal 61s, need new pads, this is after cleaning. The best part is the gum hoods, nice and supple, much better than the repros I found....

Original 3TTT Record stem and Grand Prix bars...

Cool original sticker....

The best part - the original Campy Nuovo Tipo hubs, specially made just for this generation Le Champion. Basic Tipo hubs, but with kidney shaped cutouts rather than circular....

Straight seatpost (original) with Brooks clamp...
Crackle paint FTW and the coolest stem in all of cycling IMO.
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Old 09-10-21, 09:03 PM
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Love the pics, but I only needed one set of them on this page.

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Old 09-11-21, 10:15 AM
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That bike shop was on Narbonne Ave in Lomita, CA, which is pretty random because Lomita is a small “city” in LA county. I lived on Narbonne ave for a few years but that shop was long gone I assume. The only bike shop in Lomita is called Smith’s and it’s been there years but that’s on Pacific Coast Highway. Super cool bike and yes that sticker has to stay!

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Old 09-11-21, 04:11 PM
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Continuing the build... I got quite a few parts with the frame, which helps, but also a lot of other parts laying around (like the crank, derailleurs, etc.)....



Stronglight 93...

Stronglight spindle....

Was glad to discover the threading in the bottom bracket was French - I think in some cases they were Swiss....



What is it about Stronglight non-anodized alloy that really shines when you polish it up...?

Universal 61 rear...

Universal 61 front...

3TTT stem and bars....

Patent 72 NR...
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Old 09-11-21, 05:47 PM
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Originally Posted by SurferRosa
Love the pics, but I only needed one set of them on this page.

Luckily for you, you only had to endure one full set.
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Old 09-11-21, 06:40 PM
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Originally Posted by merziac
Luckily for you, you only had to endure one full set.
Thanks for not quoting post 6 in full right below it!
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Old 09-12-21, 07:42 AM
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Originally Posted by 75lechamp
Was glad to discover the threading in the bottom bracket was French...
There's something you don't hear/read too often.
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Old 09-12-21, 07:43 PM
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That is turning into one of those classic "if only they've had built them that well when they were new" builds. Which is what I'm usually used to in vintage British motorcycles.

Gives me inspiration for the late 70's PX-10 I'm currently working on.
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Old 09-12-21, 08:50 PM
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Originally Posted by LibertyFLS
That bike shop was on Narbonne Ave in Lomita, CA, which is pretty random because Lomita is a small “city” in LA county. I lived on Narbonne ave for a few years but that shop was long gone I assume. The only bike shop in Lomita is called Smith’s and it’s been there years but that’s on Pacific Coast Highway. Super cool bike and yes that sticker has to stay!
Last shop on Narbonne was Bike-o-Rama
they moved- cruiser, fixie, BMX

Smith’s is there, the elder knows what dead inventory they have. I did clean them out of step down furreles. Some odd sized bearings that I attempted to set up a ti spindle bottom bracket, 1/4” too big, 3/16” too small.
nothing happy yet.
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Old 09-14-21, 04:39 PM
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picked this one up today, a late 60's Team Champion, orig owner bought it from a store in eugene oregon that had it hanging up for many yrs. he built it up in old campy, then eventually converted it to a fixie with intact rear der dropout. still has its orig campy headset and bb, campy record crank(needs the large ring) and seatpost/binder. 170.00 for the whole bike, in great shape with orig dirt patina and good paint/logos. this guy is a rider, racer, used this bike as a fixie and had cyclocross tires on velocity wheelset on it, and a mtn bike bar/br levers.

I'll be converting it back with mostly orig campy parts, i think.





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Old 09-15-21, 05:36 AM
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Wow, great find! That looks a lot like the Super Champion I recently picked up (see different thread for that build) - unlike my '75 Champion Team, this Super Champion has the script logo and the black painted tops on the seat stays, along with the chromed fork ends, just like yours. I could not see the fork crown on yours, but I would bet it is also like my Super Champion's:


I would also be interested to know if there are any numbers anywhere. Mine has 9442 on the bottom bracket, along with a "54" (also 54 in the steerer tube, which I believe is the size in cm)....



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Old 09-15-21, 02:17 PM
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How do you get the polished finish on the components, excellent work..
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Old 09-15-21, 09:59 PM
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For me, it's a single word: "Simichrome". I have not found anything that works better....
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Old 09-18-21, 11:11 AM
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Nearing completion.....


Universal 61s with Kool Stop pads

These are the special Nuovo Tipo hubs with the kidney shaped cutouts, apparently only on early Le Champions...

Found a set of Lyotard Model 65 pedals....

Patent 72 NR

NOS Mavic CdM rims, built with color coordinated turquoise alloy nipples, a little bling but I like it...



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Old 09-18-21, 11:45 AM
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Originally Posted by 75lechamp
For me, it's a single word: "Simichrome". I have not found anything that works better....
Mothers Billet metal polish is all I’ve ever used over Semichrome. Give it a try…!

Your Moto is a beauty btw…! I’ve had a ‘74 Grand Record since the late 70’s. A fine riding bike…

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Old 09-18-21, 04:17 PM
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Beautiful bike, and an excellent job building it back better than new! I miss mine, same year and color, sold because it was too small, but we had some fun times together and I LOVE the aesthetics. FYI, takes 650 x 42b tires fine, F&R, with room for fenders. But it's a road racer at heart.

I have just one suggestion, maybe you know this already but that piece of stainless gear cable housing at the rear needs ferrules.

Without a ferrule, the housing can enter at a slight angle

Real Campy ferrules came in 2 styles, plain and step-down:


You want the plain ones, #619, qty two needed.

Don't use the similar step-down ferrule, which is only for use with a brazed-on "diver's helmet" chainstay housing stop, part #621:


Actual Campy ferrules are a bit scarce, but you can find them from some vintage dealers, such as on ebay. Example here.

Using some newer or non-Campy ferrule is fine if they fit, but some super-anal concours judge might dock you a point for it (oh the horror!)
Real ones are made of very thin metal (brass I think) with a dull grey plating. They are a very snug fit over the housing, allowing zero slop, and also fit pretty nicely in the socket in the rear mech. So ferrules made of any thicker material won't go in. Newer ones tend to be aluminum or plastic and too thick to fit.

Mark "Ferrule Nazi" Bulgier, in Seattle
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Old 09-19-21, 02:43 PM
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The Bicycle Peddler seems to be gone. In fact, my Yellow Pages search says there are no bike shops in Lomita, CA, at all. There appears to be a region between San Pedro, Long Beach, Carson and Torrance where there are no bike shops listed.
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Old 09-19-21, 07:20 PM
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cool!
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Old 09-19-21, 08:12 PM
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Good looking bike. Nice job!
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Old 09-19-21, 08:40 PM
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Thanks Mark, yes you are right. I actually just stuck that housing in there so I wouldn't lose it. But I do have an old ferrule, albeit a little tarnished, and you are correct, not a step down.....



Old and tarnished, but it works...
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Old 09-19-21, 09:27 PM
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This the former location of The Bicycle Peddler. I was never at this shop. It is located in a part of old Torrance which has gone through a bit of a renaissance after a few decades of decline.

I miss the old bike shops more than I miss the old bikes. I think the last "old timey" shop in these parts was Ted Ernst's shop in Manhattan Beach. I was once there when it was in a little "shack" on Manhattan Beach Blvd. Shortly thereafter, the business was sold off and relocated out to Pacific Coast Highway. It just wasn't the same.

I am reminded that I liked Campagnolo because you could always get spare parts at your local shop. The thing is, you never needed spares because the quality was so high. I never considered stocking up and storing because of long-term wear out. Now, I find myself without replacement parts for so many things. No, even I do not think it is reasonable to expect Campagnolo to still be producing spares for 50 year old components (is it???).


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Old 09-19-21, 09:28 PM
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Here's a link to a news article from The Easy Reader, a free, local newspaper around here.

I hope it's not too far off topic. It's not about Motobecane or The Bicycle Peddler but it IS about bicycling history in the South Bay area, of which that Moto and its original shop are a part.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Link to Easyreader Article
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Old 09-24-21, 11:47 AM
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Almost finished...


Found the correct brake hanger; the one I got with the brakes was unique and specific to Legnano frames....

All I need now is derailleur cables and chain. Using an Ideale 80 saddle, and a set of the Servizio Corse tubies (from Yellow Jersey - will be my first time on these)...
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Old 09-26-21, 08:49 PM
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whats that, paint dribbling down the fork? can't be...
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