Road Cycling - can you help identify this frame?

I recently bought this frame off of E bay and am wanting to see if anyone can help me determine how old it is. I have not received it yet, but it should be here in the next few days. I will hopefully have a serial number then to maybe help figure out what it is.
It is a Motobecane, and the ad said it is made of 2040 Hi-resiliency tubing...whatever that is. I guess I am crazy for buying something that I am not sure of what it is, but I have never been told I was the sharpest knife in the drawer.:lol:

Can anyone help me on this?

Thanks

Here's another pic

I did a search on google and came up with a bunch of stuff, but I did'nt find anything on 2040 tubing ........Motobecane has been making bikes since 1923 , so as you can imagine there are lots of models !!.... I'll try some more ...:)

apparently it seems Motobecane used swiss and french threading, which in turn(no pun intented) makes it tricky to find replacement parts !!??

Motobecane Jubilee comes to mind, should have been made somewhere around 1973. I believe it was a mid-line "sport touring" model. I could be wrong, I may be able to confirm or find out what it really is.

Ride Old Bikes Too
Pat

My own weak guess as to age is based on the lugs, geometry, and front forks......I would say 1981 to 1983.
Frame material could be Reynolds 751.........

Thanks for your help so far...I knew with all the great people on here someone would know more about it.:thumbup:

Originally posted by Buddy Hayden
apparently it seems Motobecane used swiss and french threading, which in turn(no pun intented) makes it tricky to find replacement parts !!??
That's a problem for the BB, crankset, freewheel and headset. Fortunately, Harris Cyclery has a pretty good selection of vintage French components (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/french.html). Ideally, you'd build the bike up with high-end Simplex or Sachs-Heuret derailleurs and Mafac brakes...

The wheels might be a problem, since I'll bet it takes 27" wheels. On the other hand, if you shop around, you can find some pretty good used 27" aluminum wheels out there for $15 apiece...

The range of 1970s Motobemanes is describes here.
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/France/Motobecane_Hm.htm

Yours is the Nomad model, so its nothing special, but a very rideable machine.
http://ln.doubleclick.net/adi/tr.ln/member;h=misc;sz=468x60;ord=118351295622888?

BB thread is only a problem if you need to replace the unit, but these old ones are maintainable.

Ah ha.......so that was why I was seeing the Raleigh in this frame!

Actually it'd be Nomade. I owned one from about 1977 thru the early 1990s or so. Nomades were solid colored when I bought one, your paint scheme reminded me of a Mirage actually but the tubing is appropriate for a Nomade. Your frameset is made of a pretty ordinary hi-tensile steel. Moto used all sorts of 2000 numbers for their plain tubing. Not very special but Motos rode pretty well.

That Nomade was my first good roadbike and I had a Moto catalog that probably disintegrated from the drool.

:beer:

Sorry, Walter, but Midwesternmtnbkr's frame is probably a Mirage or Super Mirage like mine. My 1977 Super Mirage has the 2040 tubing. Mine is black with gold trim and the 2 bands around the seat tube are red.

It came with Suntour V-GT rear derailleur, Takagi Tourney crankset, Weinmann 610 Vainqueur 999 centerpull brakes, and Weinmann wheels. Unfortunately, the shifters were mounted on the stem rather than the downtube: a bad idea that seemed like a good one back then. I bought it new in 1977 for about $250. When you get your frame, Midwesternmtnbkr, we can exchange serial numbers and see if that helps date your frame.

I still use for going to the market, or going surfing, or any situation where my bike will have to be chained to a stand for a while.

Have fun,
Rich

Originally posted by Stinger9oh
Sorry, Walter, but Midwesternmtnbkr's frame is probably a Mirage or Super Mirage like mine. My 1977 Super Mirage has the 2040 tubing. Mine is black with gold trim and the 2 bands around the seat tube are red.

It came with Suntour V-GT rear derailleur, Takagi Tourney crankset, Weinmann 610 Vainqueur 999 centerpull brakes, and Weinmann wheels. Unfortunately, the shifters were mounted on the stem rather than the downtube: a bad idea that seemed like a good one back then. I bought it new in 1977 for about $250. When you get your frame, Midwesternmtnbkr, we can exchange serial numbers and see if that helps date your frame.

I still use for going to the market, or going surfing, or any situation where my bike will have to be chained to a stand for a while.

Have fun,
Rich

Stinger...thanks for the info. I will efinately post the serial number when I get it. Does your bike use 27" wheels of 700c? That is one of my main questions and concerns now that some of these wonderful people have helped determine what it is.
I would like to once again thank ALL the folks that have given their opinion and ideas on this frame.

:p :p

Oh well can't get them all. After I posted I looked at the pic again and noticed the chrome on the forks that should have clued me in. I thought it looked like a Mirage. I guess there's a reason why.:)

:beer:

that is a cool looking 70's frame.

all you need now are the woolen shorts and jersey and some huge sideburns!

fantastic! in fact it's almost as cool as a raleigh chopper!


cabledonut.

The wheels are 27 x 1.25. I am having trouble reading the serial number because of small chipping of the paint around the numbers. I will give it a little more careful study as soon as I can.

It's a great looking bike and you're just gonna love the lugs. The lugs should be edged with gold paint.

One thing is missing from Cabledonut's picture. You need a Bell helmet that's shaped like a bowl. Wanna buy mine?

Rich

Originally posted by cabledonut
all you need now are the woolen shorts and jersey and some huge sideburns!

Hey! What the.........

I'm telling Joe you're making fun of me.

Originally posted by cabledonut
that is a cool looking 70's frame.

all you need now are the woolen shorts and jersey and some huge sideburns!

fantastic! in fact it's almost as cool as a raleigh chopper!


cabledonut.

Wool jerseys:

http://www.longscycle.com/cycling.wool.clothing.htm

(I hope RainmanP doesn't think I've pinched his job ;))

Richard

Originally posted by Stinger9oh
The wheels are 27 x 1.25. I am having trouble reading the serial number because of small chipping of the paint around the numbers. I will give it a little more careful study as soon as I can.

It's a great looking bike and you're just gonna love the lugs. The lugs should be edged with gold paint.

One thing is missing from Cabledonut's picture. You need a Bell helmet that's shaped like a bowl. Wanna buy mine?

Rich

I GOT IT

The lugs ARE edged with gold...The paint is an "eggplant" purple color The serial number is 4520836 It came with a Sakae SR-SC 35xP1 bottom bracket.
NO markings or name on the headset
Now all I have to do is decide WHAT the H*%& to do with it?!!

A friend of mine, who has been heavier into riding, been at it longer than me, worked in more shops, and has superior knowledge of cycling history, has a frame in his basement of ( apx.) the same angles, chainstay length, same paint job and with the SAME tubing and it IS a 1973 Grand Touring model Motobecane. We both agree that the Mirage frame mentioned earlier in the thread does not have the "2040" tubing.



Ride Oldies
Pat

Glad to hear that you have the frame. The serial number on my 1977 Super Mirage is 3929456-706 (-106?). There is another number above that, but not as deeply embossed: 609.

What kind of stem is on there? Mine is an SR.

Have fun restoring it.

Rich