Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Motobenace Model a mystery

http://picasaweb.google.com/arbez.zebra/MotobecanePublic#

This Motobecane is the first one we fixed. I just finished its first 30 mile ride and it is as smooth and lovely as it was some 40 years ago.

We think it is from the late 70s based on the Reunolds decal and some of the components. However, the model is a mystery (and the year maybe off as well).

The components:
- Reynolds 531 tubing
- Phillips stem and heandlebars
- Weinmann 605 brakes (pretty late, maybe not original?)
- Falcon derailer at the front and Maillerd in the back
- Huret cluster
- Stronglight crankset
- Mavic wheels

Would appreciate some comments from the experts here.

I think you're right about late 70's

model I don't know, but 531 limits it to a few of their upper ones.

Late 70s, maybe 80s. I think that's the 531 3 tubes decal isn't it? If so, my guess would be Grand Jubile.

Thanks. Any idea where I can find some catalogs from those years? The 1979 catelog is the only one I found.

I have the 1980 and 1981 catalogs. I can look later. I also have the 1977 catalog, borrowed from another bf member so I can scan it. I will look at that one too.

That's not a 3 tubes decal. 76 is the last 531 Grand Jubile. The graphic on that bike is late 70's. It can't be 79 since 79 has brazed on cable guides. My guess, probably a 78 Le Champion.

A few years back I found an original Motobecane Mirage from your period out with the trash, and wanted to get a definite date of manufacture.

Someone ('alicestrong'?) cleared-up the issue fairly definitively, imo. The Maillard hubs on Motobecanes from this period, front and rear, are stamped with a small 2-digit number, giving the date of manufacture:
in my case, 1983.

If you have the original hubs, check them for this stamp. I can't say if this was consistant throughout all manufacture of these hubs, but it's the most reliable way that I'm aware of, confirmed by others on BF.