Classic & Vintage - So I picked up a Motobecane today

and I don't really know anything about it. It's a Grand Touring with Suntour components and Rigida wheels. It seems like a pretty decent bike, but I am afraid it may be a bit big for me. Even so, I plan on just using it for short distance errands and whatnot so I think I'll make do. Does anybody know about these bikes? I'd like to know how nice of a bike it was in its day. The frame seems decent but I have no idea what kind of steel it is. Any info is appreciated.


Oh and pics can be posted in a day or two if you guys are interested.

I've got a 1975 GT, so would love to see others.

Search the classic and vintage section for "motobecane hierarchy" (I think), there's a whole thread about where different models lie in the moto lineup. The grand touring is a decent bike with I believe a full chromoly frame. It was, I think, their entry-level "good" bike. that thread will tell you.

I just sold my '77 Grand Touring a couple months ago. It was a great bike. Good paint and chrome, which is a miracle on a French bike; Vitus 172 double butted tubes. It was a mid-level model one notch above the Mirage. Never gave me a lick of trouble that I didn't cause myself.

I have one with a Vitus 888 frame & fork. Surprisingly good ride & not very flexy either, only odd thing is the word "Motobecane" in plastic which is glued on to the drive side of the top tube near the seat tube junction. I was told it is a mid eighties bike. Don

Shill! ;)

Shill! ;)


Okay so I don't know what that means.

Normally it means that you're promoting something you're selling. So to mention one of your own ebay auctions is to Shill, and to come on and post a long praise-filled review of a bike made by a company you work for is most definitely to Shill. I don't see how it can possibly apply to this though.

Normally it means that you're promoting something you're selling. So to mention one of your own ebay auctions is to Shill, and to come on and post a long praise-filled review of a bike made by a company you work for is most definitely to Shill. I don't see how it can possibly apply to this though.

It applies, at least in jest - assuming you follow the "road" forums. It seems that there is a company called Bikes Direct that has bought or othwerwise acquired the Motobecane marquee. These new Moto's are Moto's in name only - they're Tiawanese bikes built and then shipped to a US address in Texas, and then distributed (unassembled) largely through web sales.

The "shill" part comes into play because there always seems to be a fresh "review" posted in the road forum every couple of days, by a poster noone knows, that just "discovered" what an incredible value the new Moto's are. They write an effusive post praising the bike and telling everyone what incredible bargains they are.

This has happened so often that each new thread invariably turns into a flame war, with the chief component being some variation of people shouting "SHILL!" - "AM NOT!!" - "ARE SO!" for several pages, until the whole thing peters out...... only to be reborn again in a new thread in a couple of days.

Yep. same thing happens in the SS/FG forums with their Dawes and other brands. I don't believe they've bought those brands, since Dawes is still trading in the Uk. Shady operation, says I. This time it must have been in jest though, since it's a very old 'Becane!

Betes, I have a 1976 Moto Grand Touring and my wife has a 1975 Grand Touring Mixte - both use main tubes of Vitus 172 double-butted tubing. I have, however, spotted GT's using both 2040 and 1020 tubing, as well as the 888 Vitus previously noted. So, it's kind of a crap shoot if there's no frame decal, but the older frames are generally made of pretty good stuff. I'd suggest you look for date codes on your wheel hubs - the Normandy high flange hubs had a date code consisting of the week and year, like 15 77 for the 15th week of 1977.

It's a Grand Touring with Suntour components and Rigida wheels.
Betes, I have a 1976 Moto Grand Touring and my wife has a 1975 Grand Touring Mixte - both use main tubes of Vitus 172 double-butted tubing. I have, however, spotted GT's using both 2040 and 1020 tubing, as well as the 888 Vitus previously noted. So, it's kind of a crap shoot if there's no frame decal, but the older frames are generally made of pretty good stuff. I'd suggest you look for date codes on your wheel hubs - the Normandy high flange hubs had a date code consisting of the week and year, like 15 77 for the 15th week of 1977.I'd say with the Suntour components and rigida wheels, it's somewhere between a '76 and a '79, probably a '77, with Vitus 172 double-butted main tubes. One step above the Super Mirage, one step below the Grand Jubile. There are also date codes on the back side of the SunTour rear derailleur. Go to Vintage Trek to decipher the code.


It seems like a pretty decent bike, but I am afraid it may be a bit big for me.If you have an inch or two of clearance between the ground and wheels when you straddle the bike and lift into your crotch, the bike fits fine.


I'd like to know how nice of a bike it was in its day.A very nice, very sweet riding mid-level bike.