>Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2001 21:25:32 -0500
>Subject: [CR]Motobecane or what?
>
>I have my new mystery french frame home from the shop after emergency sur=
>gery to remove a stuck stem and chase out the steerer threads.
>
> Seat tube is 26.4 mm, BB shell and pedal holes on cranks are french thre=
>aded. Lug work is roughly finished. Lugs are smooth edged with short po=
>ints on top, large spoons on the underside of the tubes. No sign of head=
> badge rivet holes. Tubing is seamless, the steerer is seamless and unri=
>fled, and the entire frame is fairly light. Bottom bracket has no brand =
>mark, but has a large ugly longitudinal seam on the bottom, along with a =
>small drain hole. Mitering seems adequate, although the down tube protru=
>des 1/2 and inch into the bb.
It could possibly be a mid- to late-80s Motobecane, which looked they were brazed by monkeys. My '77 Moto has a 26mm seat tube, SWISS-threaded BB (as were all early Motobecanes), riveted headbadge, nicely finished Bocama lugs, Vagner fork crown, and decent mitering. Seat stays/seat tube junction is really nice. It's a mid-range bike (Super Mirage) and it's a little on the heavy side.
Can't remember what the original dropout were, since I bent mine and had to have new ones (Campy touring) welded in, but I'm sure they were not Simplex. I've never seen a Moto with Simplex parts or components- they were either Huret, Campy or SunTour (later ones used Shimano).
I'd guess you have a 1980's Peugeot, or maybe a Gitane, that may have had additional braze-ons added prior to the repaint.
Herb Langston