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