Joe,
Can you scan that catalog and email the scans to Mark Bulgier at <mark@bulgier.net> so that he can add them to his growing catalog offerings on his web-site?
See: http://www.bulgier.net/
Best,
David
David -- I sooo appreciate the growing research resources on the web -- White Burlington, VT
Joe Bender-Zanoni wrote:
>I have a 1974 catalog with the Team Champion shown. I think Jim is right
>that this is a Le Champion based on the long stays, fork rake and eyelets.
>The Motobecane brochure photographs are not great, with respect to the Le
>Champion but Ocana is shown in nice climbing form on the Team Champion.
>
>The Le Champion is all silver, no panels as shown in the catalog.
>
>Joe Bender-Zanoni
>Great Notch, NJ
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jim Cunningham" <Cyclartist@cox.net>
>To: "'Kris Koller'" <krcomet3@sbcglobal.net>; <Dwhitney@sheridancorp.com>;
><classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2003 12:28 AM
>Subject: RE: [CR]Motobecane Dilemma
>
>
>
>
>>I have a Motobecane dilemma,
>>
>>I client has sent this bike, which we custom painted about 1986, and asked
>>that it be repainted to its original colors.
>>
>>http://www.cyclart.com/photos/MotoTC.jpg
>>
>>My record do not indicate the frame model, the client says the frame is a
>>Team Champion. I'm not sure that is what it is. I'm hoping someone has a
>>Motobecane TC to check this against.
>>
>>What make me think it might not be the TC model is that it has dropout
>>eyelets, the chain stays and fork seem rather long. Photos of Luis
>>
>>
>Ocana's
>
>
>>bikes I have seen, seem to show more aggressive geometry and I cannot make
>>out weather the frame has eyelets. I suppose Luis frames would have been
>>customs anyway not identical to production Team Champions...
>>
>>Anybody have a Motobecane Team Champion to compare to?
>>
>>Jim Cunningham
>>Vista, CA
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
>>[mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Kris Koller
>>Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 9:19 PM
>>To: Dwhitney@sheridancorp.com; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>>Subject: 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