liverunbike

i just picked up a 71 moto mirage frameset from i guy on craigslist.
can anyone give me some detailed info on the bike? thanks a bunch.

mswantak

Aw, you didn't buy it from that crook in San Leandro, did you?


Heheh -- Hi, Eric.

dbakl

Bottom of the barrel Motobecane.

alicestrong

What are you planning on doing with it? I love Motos. Look how purty these Mirages are...

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=285973

Mirages are popular as fixed gear projects, also.

https://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005...arterSkemp.htm

mswantak

Bottom of the barrel Motos are Nomads, Orlys and Astras.

dbakl

Ok, the one on top of the one at the bottom of the barrel! Move up the barrel to 531 frames and alloy cranks and we'll have something to talk about!

mswantak

You've become jaded in your old age. Don't discourage people (myself included) who still find amusement in more common things.

dbakl

Nah, I became jaded at a young age.

Best thing I ever did in my life was replace that hunk of #@$%^& Gitane with an old 60s Carlton in 1972! Never looked back to the bottom of the barrel. Plenty of medium and higher quality old bikes available for reasonable prices, why waste time on the junk, ah, fine quality lower-end bike-boom French hunkadechit? If you like steel cottered cranks (and nothing wrong with them), find 50s bikes, they seem less desirable but oh so cool!

See the thread on my recent score:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=297760

dbarnblatt@usa.

One of the Mirages I restored in the link above has an alloy crank. Also weinmann Centerpulls, nice suntour components. Stuff you find easity on a mid range bike... so the Mirage is not so bottom of the barrel. They ride very nice, and convert nicely to the city bikes as pictured. And they were less than $80 each... in original spotless, literally showroom, condition.

The complements I get on them are numerous... you'd think I restored a couple of Rene Herse's! Now they are not a Grand Jubile or Grand Record (or equivalent) but to restore one of those you are looking at well over twice the price.

liverunbike

i considered a ss/fixie buildup, but after seeing how nice those bikes came out, i might change my mind to a full restore. it'll be a ton of work, but then i'll have that bike forever.

all i have is the frame, fork, and headset. the bb is still there, but it needs so much work i'm considering replacing it, especially if cranks that fit are a pain to find.

any tips on where to get the remaining parts?

oh, and howdy mike.

alicestrong

First you have to decide what you want to do with it.

A friend of mine cannibalized a Cannondale to convert her Mirage into a commuter. If you go the fixie way there's a forum you can post on that will point you to ways to get help with that.

I have a pristine 85 Mirage that I'm putting Soma moustache bars on. I put whitewall tires on it and a 80's vintage white Vetta box and rack...

mswantak

You won't have any trouble finding a crank, since you've already got the cups and spindle. I've got an appropriate stem and bars, probably a seat post, and if you want an original-type crankset we can piece together an old Nervar -- cotter-type spindle included. Give me a ring if you want to come over and scavenge.

bigbossman 

And if you need centerpull's and/or derailluers and other parts, I've got big box-fulls. Heck, bring it over and we can build it out. Between Mike and I, we can surely piece together a whole bike.

Hey Mike - issat the frame you got from me a while ago?

alicestrong

Define "reasonable price". For just a little more than what you spent on your bike in the condition it's in, dbarnblatt did a complete makeover on a "lesser" bike but nonetheless has a real head-turning bike. I'm sure that he had fun, too and enjoyed passing it on.

How much more will you have to spend to get your bike in comparable condition?

I personally don't have $300 to drop on a project bike right now, nor am I educated enough about pedigrees to buy the way you do. But I can have fun with my $25 thriftstore Moto and after I switch out the bars and levers it'll be a bike I can show off with pride. It already gets compliments as it is.

You seem pretty immune to the Moto Mojo but alot of people like them on any rung of the ladder...

Yeah I also drive an old VW.

mswantak

Certainly is. I'm glad it's finally going to get built up again.

Hey Eric -- c'mon over some weekend and we can run over to bossman's and raid his parts bin. He's right; between the two of we can almost certainly come up with everything to get the Mirage going.

liverunbike

sounds great, but before i build up the bike, i've got to build up some funds.

mswantak

Heck, you can owe me for anything you get from me. Now, that tightwad bossman -- that may be a tougher nut to crack...

dbakl

"Define "reasonable price". "

Well, the $300. was because it was on ebay, but I've found bikes like that for $45, including the Girardengo complete before it was restored.

"How much more will you have to spend to get your bike in comparable condition?"

I don't know, haven't seen it yet. The parts are all there, and they should clean up ok. That leaves tires and cables, maybe paint.

"I personally don't have $300 to drop on a project bike right now, nor am I educated enough about pedigrees to buy the way you do. But I can have fun with my $25 thriftstore Moto and after I switch out the bars and levers it'll be a bike I can show off with pride. It already gets compliments as it is."

Good for you. I finally got paid after waiting months, so had a little money to play with.

"You seem pretty immune to the Moto Mojo but alot of people like them on any rung of the ladder..."

I've had Gran Jubillees and Grand Records and would love a Le Champion.

"Yeah I also drive an old VW."

I drive an old Volvo, 209,000 miles.

bigbossman 

Yeah? Well, how does "FREE" sound..........

Seiously, I've got more parts than I know what to do with - you'd be doing me a favor....