Mark,
If the steerer is built to French specifications, it's 25mm
in diameter rather than 1 inch (i.e. 25.4mm), although people
sometimes also refer to the French spec steerer as "1 inch".
I would say that it's _nearly_ certain that the headset on
this bicycle is French threaded. The reason I would not say
it's 100% certain is because of an astounding experience I had
this past weekend.
I was working on a lightweight Peugeot from the same period
as your Motobecane and found that the steerer tube was threaded
for an English headset. Nevertheless, the inside diameter of
the steerer was 22mm - i.e. the French standard. This was the
opposite of my previous experience with "mixed-spec" steerers.
That is, in the past I've worked on French bikes whose steerer
tubes had French threading although the inside diameter would
take a 22.2mm (i.e. "rest of the world") stem.
I still have not fully recovered from this experience.
Cheers,
Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia
> Hey,
> I currently have listed on Ebay a 1972 Motobecane Grand
> Record frameset,
> including a Stronglight Competition headset. Being a deeply
> rooted
> Italianophile, I cannot answer a couple of questions asked my
> about the items, so I
> humbly bring them to y'all ...
>
> 1) Is the headset definitely French threaded?
> 2) Is the steerer 1" like English and Italian?
>
> View the Motobecane in question here, at Ebay #368115051,
> or try this URL:
>
http://ebay.com/
> %3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1>
>
>
> Thanks very much for the info kids!
>
> Ciao,
> Mark Agree
> Southfield MI
>
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