Re: [CR] Motobecane and Columbus tubing question.

(Example: Framebuilding:Paint)

Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:06:12 -0700
From: "verktyg" <verktyg@aol.com>
To: michael D'Arcy <dorchaidhe@hotmail.com>, <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, <verktyg@aol.com>
References: <BAY128-W129E9B27FC14EEB117CC79DCDF0@phx.gbl>
In-Reply-To:
Subject: Re: [CR] Motobecane and Columbus tubing question.


Michael,

Your bike is most likely a model that wasn't offered in the US.

Is it a solid color green or does it have horizontal stripe decals on the bottom of the seat and down tubes? Sometimes the plastic stripe decals have been removed.

Here's a link to the 1979 Motobecane US catalog: http://equusbicycle.com/bike/motobecane/1979/index.html

Motobecane produced bikes with the horizontal lines for several years in the late 70s. My 1978 Team Champion is light metallic blue with dark blue stripes. The frame is made of metric diameter Columbus tubing with Columbus decals in French.

I also had a silver and dark blue striped Le Champion. The the 3 main tubes and forks were Reynolds 531, an odd combination to save a few centimes??? The workmanship on that frame was nowhere near as nice as my Team Champion.

I've seen photos of higher end Motobecane frames or bikes with the horizontal stripes in the following colors:

gold with dark blue or black stripes silver with dark blue stripes silver with gray stripes dark metallic gray with silver stripes light pink metallic with purple stripes

I recall seeing a light green Motobecane frame or bike on one of the European eBays a while back. I thought that maybe it was light blue or gold and color in the photos was off.

The Team Champion models (or Champion Team on some European bikes) came with Campy NR or NR/SR components from 1974 until the early 1980s when they switched to mostly French components with Weinmann brakes.

Here's the partial time line I've found for Team Champion frames:

1974-1976 Luis Ocana team replica orange*, Reynolds 531 tubing 1977 Light metallic blue with dark blue stripes, Reynolds 753 tubing 1978 Light metallic blue with dark blue stripes, Columbus SL tubing 1979 Light metallic blue with dark blue stripes, Columbus SL tubing 1980 color?, Columbus SL tubing 1981 color?, Columbus SL tubing 1982-1984? Dark metallic blue, chrome rear triangle, Columbus SL tubing

From 1974 until at least 1984 the Le Champion model came equipped with all Campy or Campy with some other make of brakes.

Le Champion time line (1974 to 1977)

1974-1976 Lilac metallic or silver, Reynolds 531 tubing 1977? Silver with dark blue stripes, 3 tubes & forks Reynolds 531 tubing 1979 Champagne with blue or black stripes 3 tubes & forks Reynolds 531

If anyone can fill in the time line gaps, please do.

Ocana supposedly rode a re-badged Italian frame and they had different decals on the bikes in the 1973 TdF

Chas. Colerich Oakland, CA USA

michael D'Arcy wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I recently bought a lime green Motobecane bicycle with Columbus tubing. It has been ridden just once. The parts are
> Campagnolo Nuovo Record, the crank arms indicate 1977. The rims are Super Champion, Saddle is S.Marco Supercorsa
> Lugs are longpoint, with cutouts, Fork crowns are Chromed.
>
> Can anyone tell me what model this was? And, was it common to build Motobecanes with Columbus?
>
> Best regards,
>
> Michael D'Arcy,
> Lyon, France