[CR]Re: Mobobecane 753 Champion Team

(Example: Framebuilders:Jack Taylor)

Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2001 22:42:57 -0700
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Bicycle Classics inc" <bikevint@tiac.net>
Subject: [CR]Re: Mobobecane 753 Champion Team

Regarding the 753 Champion team, my guess is that closer to 50 of these came to the US - based on my gut feeling of currently having two in my possesion and of knowing someone that was familiar with seeing them in the US. I've also heard that supposedly the frames were really not built with 753 - does anyone know about this?

If anyone is interested, there is a really small beat one with dents in the top tube (but supposedly low miles - like it really matters)kicking around in our storage site. My guess is that it is about a 50 or 51 to top. We would sell it for $ 135 plus shipping to a CR member. Contact Bicycle Classics inc. http://www.bicycleclassics.com for info or to purchase this tired and beat relic.

FYI, we did have the really nice one on our web site a while back and nobody bit on it - no worries, for now it rests and keeps its Raleigh 753 soulmate company. Mike Kone


>>Perhaps covered before, but what was the 753 fiasco?
>>
>>Tom Adams in Kansas City
>>
>Tom, what I am about to tell you is unsubstantiated and I do not know if it
>is totaly accurate. It was explained to me by an old Motobecane dealer from
>Upstate New York after showing him my NOS '77 753 Team Champion. It was not
>covered on the list by me so here goes. Motobecane was using Reynolds
>tubing up to, and including 1977. Reynolds new revolutionary 753 was also
>introduced in '77. As we know, Reynolds required all 753 users to be
>Reynolds certified. Motobecane submitted their test kit but before they
>were certified, they began building the "Champion Team". It was a custom
>order only Motobecane that was built with 753. No one that I have talked
>with knows how many of these actually made it to the US. I have heard as
>little as 10 and as many as 50. Either number is small. Supposedly the
>reason for this low number is that Reynolds got wind of Motobecane building
>these frames that they took orders for, without being certified yet, so
>Reynolds yanked their endorsement from Motobecane. That would also explain
>the reason why Motobecanes were built with Columbus and Vitus until the
>early eighties. This new Model was to go toe-to-toe with the Peugeot PY-10.
> Things starting going down hill for Motobecane after that point. I don't
>know if the 753 fiasco had anything to do with that. If anyone on the list
>has any info to back this up or contradict, please expound.
>
>Plug for Mike Kone - Mike sold me the NOS frame N fork with the box. I
>needed money after our second child was born and Mike was gracious enough to
>buy it back for what I had paid him for it. Even after I had hung parts on
>it. It is a beautiful piece of French framework and I believe Mike still
>has it for sale. It would be well worth someones while. If anyone on the
>list buys it, let me know and I will ship you the original box for free.
>
>Don Andersen
>Columbia, MD
>
>PS. It was great to put some faces to the words at the Westminster show. I
>just wish I could have spent more time there. Larry's area was spiritual to
>say the least.