Classic & Vintage - Well the deal fell through..

I had been looking at a Raleigh Super Grand Prix ca. 198x's here locally, but the guy ended up backing out. And I recently lost an eBay auction for the one up in Mn. somebody on here had listed. Oh well!

Anyway, I just scored a 74 Schwinn Le Tour on eBay for $50. Very nice bike in the appropriately hideous yellow etc.. Turns out it is too big. A 35" for my 32" body. Oh well x2!

So here comes the good part. My brother in law has a 78 Moto Grand Jubilee (in my size) collecting dust in his garage. He's been wanting to get back into riding, but the bike needs work, and is too small for him anyway (he's 6'4"). So we're just going to swap. The Le Tour for the Grand Jubilee. Certainly the Moto will need more work, but that's what I was looking for anyway, a project.

My luck finally turned good! Sweet!

So my question is, will both of these bikes be suitable retro rides? I've read Sheldon Brown's site, and his knock on the Schwinn was it's weight. I didn't find much on the Moto specifically. I'm looking at doing some ~100 mi. type touring. Hopefully these bikes will be suitable for both myself and my ride partner.

BTW- I'm not interested in resale value. So no worries there.

Great score! Sounds like your cloud had a silver lining. You ought to love that Motobecane; I've got a '76 Grand Touring (a couple models lower). The Vitus tubing is comparable to Reynolds 531; light, with a nice ride. Definitely a couple notches up from a Super Grand Prix. A '78 is new enough that you don't have to worry about screwy thread sizes on the bottom bracket and elsewhere. Way more curb appeal than the Le Tour, too. If your brother-in-law is 6'4" he can likely manage the Schwinn's extra weight, no problem.

What kind of work does the Moto need? Pictures! Show us pictures!

I'll have to get pics up Friday. I have to find time to get over there and get it out. I know the front wheel needs truing at least. He says it needs to be replaced, but I'll try truing it first. Also, it needs paint. I'm not riding a purple bike. So I'm thinking a nice custom paint scheme. The rest of the components probably just need cleaning, repacking etc... Good summer project at least.

Pics of the Le tour are here: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=107703

Sorry I sniped the guy, but I was bidding on it for 6 or 7 days. It wasn't until after the auction I figured out it was too big. And I don't think the weight will be an issue either. We're not racing, just riding.

It is good to know that the age of the Moto will help with finding components that will work just in case!

Size is reasonably easily adjusted on these steeds. My '72 frame is probably 3 or 4 cm too big (maybe more), but I just ride the saddle a little low and angle it down a bit. Enjoy the bike, it looks like it's in good shape!

Okay quick update. I got over to pick up the bike, and it's not a Grand Jubilee....

It's a Le Grand. With original Campy Nuvou Record Deraileurs and Weimar(?) brakes. I'll get pictures up soon.

Okay quick update. I got over to pick up the bike, and it's not a Grand Jubilee....

It's a Le Grand. With original Campy Nuvou Record Deraileurs and Weimar(?) brakes. I'll get pictures up soon.

That's an even better model. The derailleurs alone are worth more than what you paid for the Schwinn.

It's a Le Grand. With original Campy Nuvou Record Deraileurs and Weimar(?) brakes. I'll get pictures up soon.
Grand Record? Le Champion? The Grand Record used Weinmann brakes. Le Champion might have used Universal... Both used Nuovo Record derailleurs, and both are nice bikes.

Well, here are the pics. It's crusty, but everything seems to work. Definitely needs an overhaul, a new headset(?) bearing, and the wheels relaced, but it's a project!

Deraileurs are Campy Nuvou Record, and the brakes are Weinmann (see pics). And I do have the original Brooks saddle for it, but not shown in the pics. My brother in law is quite a bit too large for the frame, so he had extensions put on the head tube(?). That'll come off!

Other specs I can see are:
Moto Le Grand ca. 1974-1979 (he's not sure and I haven't found the serial # yet)
Weimann Carrera brakes and brake levers
Bars have an inscription on them that read "Guidone (sp) Phillipe" with an engraving of a cyclist, and "Atax Proffesionale" each on opposing sides.
Stronglight crank "Made in France"
531 tubing sticker
OG steel toe clips, but I can't read the inscription
OG wheels with no rust! (no inscription I can find)

My B-I-L's father bought this bike back in the 70's for racing, so some of the components may have been upgraded when purchased. I'm just going to clean everything and use what I can.

Sorry about the pics. It's getting dark and they're not great.