This isn't bike anyone would consider a classic, I don't think, but it is kind of interesting (and French!). It's a rather oridinary Motobecane mixte-frame (followed me home from the recycling center), but what caught my eye was the Stronglight 49D crank. Some interesting features:
The Mafac Racer brake levers have the half-hoods, and the cable anchors ride in J-shaped slots that appear to be intended as a quick-release device. One the levers has little plastic knobs on the ends of this anchor; the other has lost its knobs. Is this really a quick-release? It seems very hard to operate.
The wheels are alloy, with high-flange hubs (unmarked, presume Atom), and the Atom QR levers are straight.
The tubing sticker is mostly illegible, but appears to have a four-digit number starting with a "1". I bet it's 1020. The sticker assures me that applies to the "Tubes, forks, and stays".
What strikes me is the realtively nice wheels, cranks, 460D pedals (I think, maybe should recheck those) on a high-tensile frame. The Pivo stem is rather crude, and seems more in keeping. Derailleurs are SunTour, so you know *that's* been changed.
So... how old might this thing be? Should I feel guilty if I raid it for parts? The crank might be fun on my Riv... though I may need rings (I have some Nervar rings that would work - how's that for odd).
Oh yeah, one of the stamped emblems on the Pivo bar is driven in really deeply. Did these ever break there?
Karl Frantz Sterling, Massachusetts ------------------------------------- Karl.Frantz@juno.com
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