Having owned this bike (silver and black, campy NR record, tubies, 531 throughout), I regret selling it. I put many, many miles on it. Put a Blackburn rack with Blue Panniers and it made a fast, comfortable touring bike. It was a great all-rounder, sort of like all-mountain skis. In the end, the frame I was sold was a bit too big and the offer was too good. To answer your question...sorry about the nostalgia...any decent, sturdy tubie is going to do from Tufo, Vittoria or Conti. I used Conti, Vittoria and Clement on mine...whatever was on sale, aged or that I could get a 4 fer deal on.
I may be going counter here, but the Grand Record was a great upper mid bike (when we couldn't afford a Masi, DeRosa or Colnago). I wouldn't sweat the wheels on this. Clinchers for this type of bike are more in tune with the practicalities of doing mileage on it. I am refurbing my Cinelli SC ('82) and have two pairs of tubie wheels. I am building one up for clinchers. So, IMHO, I don't think the tubies are an attraction or detraction. If I recall, the GR was also sold with clinchers.
Seth Romanow
Bellevue, WA USA
periodcorrectness, does it matter?
>I agree with Jerry on both points, but foremost would urge you to strongly
> consider keeping the bike for the sentimental value. I sold off my first
> "dream bike", a 1980 Bianchi, in the early 90's to a friend of mine, and I
> have been trying to get it back for a long time now. I think we finally
> have a trade worked out for a 1980 Woodrup, which I also really like and
> hate to give up. The Woodrup is a better frame, fits me better, and I
> really enjoy riding it. Such is the price of sentiment, at least for us
> sentimental types.
>
>
> --
> John Wood
> Washington Island, Wisconsin, USA
>
> On Wed, May 21, 2008 at 10:13 AM, Charles King <kingcharles3@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I am the proud owner of a 1974 Motobecane Grand Record. I purchased this
>> bike in high school and am in the process of cleaning it up after many
>> years
>> of non-use. The bike has not been ridden since approximately the mid-80s
>> when I purchased a De Rosa.
>>
>> I will probably try to sell the Motobecane, but have almost offered it
>> for
>> sale several times in the past. Needless to say, this was my first good
>> bike and it holds great sentimental value for me, but I can't escape the
>> reality that, mostly because of fit issues, I prefer to ride my other
>> bikes.
>>
>> The Motobecane is all original, except for the seat post which I had to
>> replace when the original broke in half. The bike came with tubular
>> wheels
>> which I still have. In the early 80s, I purchased a pair of steel
>> clincher
>> wheels when the cost of replacing tubular tires after frequent flats
>> became
>> too costly for me. If I sell the bike, I will put the tubular wheels
>> back
>> on. Both tires had flats when I put on the clinchers, so I will have to
>> buy
>> new tubular tires. Repair is an option for only one tire; I threw the
>> other one away.
>>
>> Here is my question for you collectors out there: do I need to find
>> period
>> correct tubular tires, or will a modern set suffice? In other words, how
>> much of a difference will the period correctness of the tires matter to
>> a typical collector/purchaser of this kind of bike? I know it's a matter
>> of
>> opinion, but I'd be appreciative if you would share your opinion.
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Charles King
>> Westchester County, New York
>> USA