Repack Rider

bulgie 

Thanks for that! I "imprinted" on this bike when I was a baby cyclist @ 16 y.o. Couldn't afford it, not even close, so I saved for a year to buy a Grand Record in '74, the same black with red. Much later, I did manage to buy my dream '73 Le Champ in teal with white accents, rode it as a touring bike. I don't remember toeclip overlap, but mine was a larger frame size. Funny that he says 17" chainstays are long; seems to me that was very normal for racing bikes back then.

The quality of the frame workmanship was amazing for a factory-made bike, totally put to shame most of the competition like Peugeot PX-10 or Raleigh Professional. I worked in a shop that sold a lot of them, and I don't recall ever seeing a flaw, alignment problem or warranty return. Sure can't say the same about the top of the line Gitane, Bottecchia, Crescent... Bike boom years had some pretty ugly "top of the line" bikes coming it, but Moto kept their quality control close to impeccable.

Mark B

3alarmer 

...I think that might be the year of the one I bought here, and repainted lavender.
I always thought those pretty, and I decided I was never going to find one that color here, in my size.

Having stripped the frame of paint, I can echo the above on the quality of the brazing and lug work.

Mine is set up for sport touring, to ride during the rainy season here.

majmt 

One of the most beautiful bikes - the black and red ones especially so.

repechage

That is a 74 degree head tube?
oh, yeah, take the importer’s word.
these were nice bikes.

repechage

Masi was in the 412-415mm range.
I have some French bikes of the time that were longer, some shorter.
Quality? Yes, variable from many manufacturers.

just took a ruler to two others- both 1972-
Lejeune CdM 16.5” 419mm
Bertin C-37 16.6 or 421mm My original C-37 was bigger and longer than this one.

both the French bikes handle really well- different approaches same good result.

52telecaster

I've got a white one in 25". I should get it running again. Room for fenders and 35s plus it's a great feeling frame.

Sedgemop 

What's your list of bikes look like, anyway? Like to see it. You seem to have a little of everything. And, yes, Le Champions are special.

kroozer 

So many of the factory-built racers from that period seem more like sport tourers, which is fine with me. One nice thing about these early LC's is that they will comfortably accommodate 650Bx42 tires. The mid-70's lilac-colored LC's seem much racier.

52telecaster

The ready to ride bunch is,
Gugified austro Daimler super light. 650b and all that jive.
Raleigh professional also setup in a reversible 650b, this also has my hitch for towing music gear in an IKEA trailer.
Mercier mixte with hybrid 3speed hub but two chainrings.
Raleigh supercourse 73 set up as sturmy archer three speed.

When someone wants to ride 20+ miles I generally take the austro Daimler but the professional is a great choice too. In addition I have a 76 motobecane grand jubilee that's a killer ride with 700cx35 tires on it.
The basement is full of frames. If you know anyone who needs a 58ish cm frameset I am very generous with them. Happy to give em away if the recipient rides.

Sedgemop 

Thought the list of complete bikes was much bigger than this. Don't you have two complete Grand Jubiles? Nice that the '76 has so much tire clearance. It's much tighter on my "83 GJ.

I'll keep that in mind on the 58cm frames. Everybody I know seems to ride 56cm or smaller, though.

gugie 

Love he way mine rides. I put 33-1/3s on for gravel riding, and it could fit even wider. Brian Chapman has done a 650b conversion on one.


Arizona near the Mexican border - you an see the wall in the upper right corner