Hi Rich,
I'd have to agree that the bike is early 70's. I have a '72 "Le Champion" which used the same riveted-on plastic "shield" shaped headbadge. I'm pretty sure they began using the round brass plates around 1973 - on the 50th anniversary of the company.
French Reynolds decals:
There is a list member in Australia who produces absolutely beautiful duplicates. Just run a search on eBay for "Reynolds 531 decals" and you'll find them. They're VERY reasonably priced, and are adhesive backed, yet very thin... so they do clear-coat over quite nicely on a re-paint. [~ And, thanks for reminding me, I need to order some more, as well.]
Lack of chrome:
My "Le Champion", one notch higher in their line, also has no chrome. Although chrome certainly looked nice, it did add a bit of weight so it was sometimes left off of some of better quality bikes. - But really, I think it just amounted to Motobecane's preference for that year's GR model.
~ Just as a point of interest to anyone else fond of Grand Records: I've noticed that one of mine (circa1973) definitely has lower clearances at the fork and rear brake bridge than those on my 75-76ish GR.
On the earlier bike I would just barely be able to squeeze in a set of SKS/ESGE fenders. On the later bike a set of full fenders would be no problem at all. The earlier bike is still fitted with Weinmann 999s front and rear - with the shorter (610) version for both wheels... and they still have plenty of adjustment range left in those calipers. I suspect the later model actually might require the longer 750 calipers.
Curious if anyone else has noticed this.
Regards, Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Rich Pinder wrote:
Thanks to all who have spurred me on today. I'll be SOON riding my other french bike (brand that starts with a P) on my 22 mile dash home from the salt mines - and when I get there I am going to do a few more pics of the frame, put them up on my website, and post re some of the offline comments I've gotten. But this decal discussion gets me thinking ahead. As all posts seem to concur that my frame is indeed of the Reynolds variety, - can someone help me translate to french: "Where would you recommend the best source for these French, 531 decals to be found?"
Thanks Rich Pinder Van Nuys, CA
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Jerry Moos wrote:
"Guaranteed built with Reynolds 531 butted tubes, forks and rear stays"
Pretty much a straight translation of the language on the English
language 531 decal. Except that in French, because of the relative
position of adjectives and nouns, it is a little clearer than in English
that only the (main) tubes are butted, not the forks and stays.
>
> Regards,
> Jerry Moos
> Big Spring, TX
>
>
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Dicky Greer wrote:
>
Some one who can read French please decode this:
> Ganti construit avec Reynolds 531 Tubes renforces fourrreaux de
fourche et arrieres
>
>
> This decal was on a 1973 and a 1974 Motobecane Grand Record. I bought
both from a bike shop the 74 in 1974. My decal was in French and said (
Ganti construit avec Reynolds 531 Tubes renforces fourrreaux de fourche
et arrieres ). The frame decal has 531 and Reynolds at an angle across
the sticker. And the fork blades had the lil 531 triangle decal on each
blade. Please post so I'll know,Thanks alot.
Dickey Greer
West Monroe,La