[CR]RE: Motobecane Le Champion, Team Champion color choices redux

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Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 06:59:30 -0800 (PST)
From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
To: Mark Ritz <ritzmon@sbcglobal.net>, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
In-Reply-To: <200611161435.kAGEZJVm004579@flpvm23.prodigy.net>
Subject: [CR]RE: Motobecane Le Champion, Team Champion color choices redux

Orange for the 70's for sure. In the 80's there were a lot of Team Champions in blue, either like mine or a darker, almost midnight blue. Not sure if any sponsored top European teams rode the blue ones though.

I didn't mention it before, but the Lilac LeChampions are probably my favorite ones, although I don't have one. Looks much better than it sounds. not sure if Team Champion ever came in Lilac.

Regards,

Jerry Moos Big Spring, West Texas

Mark Ritz <ritzmon@sbcglobal.net> wrote: v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } Thanks, Jerry, for filling in the blanks. I do remember the Black, gold, and red that you mentioned. As you said, it was usually reserved for the Grand Record, and I couldn’t remember accurately whether the LC came that way. I worked for Lawee (the west coast distributor for Motobecane) in the early seventies and sold them at shops until they were no longer imported. My brother raced on the Turquoise/white combo.

All that said, if John’s bike is a Team model, I would still refinish it in orange…

Cheers, Mark Ritz Rainy Arcata, CA, USA http://www.kinetic-koffee.com

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From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos [mailto:jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net] Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 7:13 PM To: Mark Ritz; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR]Re: Motobecane Le Champion, Team Champion color choices redux

Actually, I have a late 70's Team Champion in metalic blue. And I have an early 70's LeChampion in metallic silver with gold lug lining. This was a very common paint scheme on LeChampion at the time. My favorite of my LeChampions, though, is a rather strange one in the black, gold and red scheme usually associated with Grand Record. The Le Champion in these colors was once reviewed by Bicycling! In The Day, the test bike being mostly Huret equipped IIRC. My example is even more unusual in that it has very large brake clearances and geometry more sports/touring than racing. Yet the original decals, the 531 DB throughout and the use of chrome all support this as a LeChampion. This bike was originally sold in Canada, so maybe they had different model specs there.

Regards,

Jerry Moos

Big Spring, TX

Mark Ritz <ritzmon@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

John Redmond wrote:

I hear that there are a few Moto experts here. I would really like help in choosing the color my frame will (soon) be. I'm not fond of orange.

Well John, if it's a Team Champion, that's the only color that I have ever seen. But, if it's a Le Champion, I've seen them in Turquoise w/white lugs (c. '71), all Turqoise ('72), all Lilac ('75). I can't remember the other years. I always thought the Lilac was pretty elegant with Motobecane's understated graphics.

Cheers, Mark (wouldn't call me an expert) Ritz Arcata, CA http://www.kinetic-koffee.com Hoping to see some CR folks at Veloswap on Saturday (booth 246)