Re: [CR]Motobecane Dilemma

(Example: Framebuilding:Norris Lockley)

Date: Sat, 04 Oct 2003 05:13:11 -0400
From: "Joe Bender-Zanoni" <joebz@optonline.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Motobecane Dilemma
To: CyclArtist@cox.net, 'Kris Koller' <krcomet3@sbcglobal.net>, Dwhitney@sheridancorp.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
References: <014a01c38a2f$f4115b20$c1c96f44@HOME>


I have a 1974 catalog with the Team Champion shown. I think Jim is right that this is a Le Champion based on the long stays, fork rake and eyelets. The Motobecane brochure photographs are not great, with respect to the Le Champion but Ocana is shown in nice climbing form on the Team Champion.

The Le Champion is all silver, no panels as shown in the catalog.

Joe Bender-Zanoni
Great Notch, NJ


----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Cunningham
To: 'Kris Koller'


<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2003 12:28 AM Subject: RE: [CR]Motobecane Dilemma


> I have a Motobecane dilemma,
>
> I client has sent this bike, which we custom painted about 1986, and asked
> that it be repainted to its original colors.
>
> http://www.cyclart.com/photos/MotoTC.jpg
>
> My record do not indicate the frame model, the client says the frame is a
> Team Champion. I'm not sure that is what it is. I'm hoping someone has a
> Motobecane TC to check this against.
>
> What make me think it might not be the TC model is that it has dropout
> eyelets, the chain stays and fork seem rather long. Photos of Luis Ocana's
> bikes I have seen, seem to show more aggressive geometry and I cannot make
> out weather the frame has eyelets. I suppose Luis frames would have been
> customs anyway not identical to production Team Champions...
>
> Anybody have a Motobecane Team Champion to compare to?
>
> Jim Cunningham
> Vista, CA
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
> [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Kris Koller
> Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 9:19 PM
> To: Dwhitney@sheridancorp.com; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: Re: [CR]Motobecane History
>
> Thanks for sharing your info on Motobecanes. I too own several of them
> myself including a early 70's "Peacock Blue" and white Le Champion and a 75
> Black and Red Grand Record. The Grand Record is not only my favorite in my
> collection but it is the Crown Jewel of my collection. I received as a high
> school graduation present in 76' and have kept it in immaculate condition
> ever since!
> Thanks again.
> Kris Koller
> in Martinez, CA.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Dwhitney@sheridancorp.com>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 9:44 AM
> Subject: [CR]Motobecane History
>
>
> > I'm a new lister that hasn't introduced myself yet, so I thought I'd share
> > some fun info I received from a former Motobecane sales rep - Mike
> Edgerton.
> > I purchased a Nuovo Record headset for my 1973 Grand Record frame to
> replace
> > the original Stronglite Competition, and he sent me the following note:
> >
> > I was the first Motobecane sales rep in the state of Oregon many years
> ago.
> > I worked for a company called RH Brown that was the distributor for that
> > bike. The guy that imported the bikes into the US was a guy named Ben
> Lawee
> > that had a company in Long Beach, Ca. The original Grand Record
> (pronounced
> > Reh-coord) had three tubes of Reynolds 531(the main tubes), the rest was
> > chrome moly. It had a Stronglight cotterless crank set, Weinman center
> pull
> > brakes, Campy NR deraileurs front and rear, and clincher 27 X 1 1/4 tires.
> > The original model came in two colors, silver and black, and yellow and
> > black. A few years later they added Black with red and dropped the yellow.
> > The first Grand Champion ( the Luis Ocana bike, he won Le Tour that year)
> > that came into the country came in as a special order for me. I was racing
> > track primarily but trained on the road (as everyone else did). This
> little
> > French guy that was the factory rep measured me like I was buying a suit
> and
> > entered the order. That would have been an orange BIC colored bike. The
> next
> > year I got the first purple one. I also owned every Le Champion model.
> > Motobecane finally died in the US when they tried to eliminate the
> > distributors and main importer and go directly to the bike shops, hoping
> to
> > sell them mopeds as well. Becane is a slang word for bicycle in France and
> > Motobecane is the name they gave their mopeds. That was their big
> business.
> > I actually interviewed after I came to New jersey for a job with
> Motobecane
> > USA. They were real A-holes. Now if you're really eager to find a treasure
> > trove of vintage Motobecanes, an entire ocean container full (300 bikes)
> > fell off a ship in the port of Le Harve in about 1975. I'm sure it's still
> > there.
> >
> > And there you have more history than you ever wanted. I can't remember the
> > name of the distributor that was in New England, I believe they were
> Boston
> > based. I met the owner at a function once.
> >
> > I think if I couldn't get the right bearing races for your old headset I
> > would simply use loose
> > balls. Put in one less than fills the entire race and hold them in place
> > with grease. Chances are your Stronglight would have come that way. By the
> > way, if I can find the e-mail, there was a woman looking for a French
> > headset. I don't think she was tied to Campy. I'll forward it to you if I
> > still have it.
> >
> > Mike.
> >
> > I asked Mike if I could share this with the Classicrendezvous list, and he
> > obliged.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Dave Whitney
> > Portland, Maine