Classic & Vintage - Motobecane Mirage Year?

I got it for $20 and it is in pretty rough shape, but I couldn't pass it up. Anyone know what year it might be?

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Japanese components point toward 70's bike-boom timeframe. If it were older, it would likely have all european parts.

^I agree. Here's the Mirage from the '75 catalog:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1048/1385046872_f605afe368_b.jpg

And from the '74 catalog:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1096/1385546908_1b8d9b736b_b.jpg

The one thing that threw me off thinking it was possibly older was the rear derailler but as per the catalog pictures the RD may not be the orginal.

The frame is from the years before they used Japanese components, so this bike has had component replacements. I think it's from the early 70's. I had a 1975, and yours looks a little bit older.

It is a bit odd. The FD/RD and shifters are all Huret and the pedals are Lyotard, but the crankset is Japanese and the Brakes are Dia Comp. I am not even sure what to do with this one. I was going to flip it, but the paint is in terrible shape and I most certainly don't want to keep it. What to do?

It pre-dates my '74 Grand Record. I'd say, very early '70's...

Pre-'73.

I just noticed when I was taking it apart, but it is common for older RD jockey wheels to have no teeth? See pict above.

Yes, Huret made toothless jockey wheels. The wheels also had ball bearings, so they worked great.

Motobecane never supplied bikes with Dia Compe brakes.

As for what to do with the bike, I don't know. Part it out? Frames sell for surprisingly high prices, even basically worthless frames like these. You could start an ebay auction at $20 and see where it goes. If you get $20 for it, you've basically broken even, and anything else, for the frame or parts, is profit. You may find something on it worth keeping.