Classic & Vintage - Query: '77 Grand Jubile with Vitus tubing

A friend found on CL a '77 Motobecane Grand Jubile with many nice parts and a frame sticker that says "Light Weight Vitus 172 Steel Tubing". This would be a competitor of Reynolds 531, no?

http://capecod.craigslist.org/bik/2985691643.html

He's looking to upgrade afrom a UO8 ~1980 and with a better fit.

It's fine tubing. Does it directly compare to 531? I don't know, but it's not that important. Any bike that fits better is an upgrade and that Grand Jubile trumps a UO-8 in every way. Ratcheting Power Shifters controlling first gen Cyclone derailleurs is a winning friction combo if there ever was one.

Agree with ColonelJL. It's a fine bike and it looks to be in good shape. Here is some info on vitus tubing: http://www.classicrendezvous.com/France/Vitus_history.htm. I've worked on this model bike before; it's a good bike.

It's fine tubing. Does it directly compare to 531? I don't know, but it's not that important. Any bike that fits better is an upgrade and that Grand Jubilee trumps a UO-8 in every way. Ratcheting Power Shifters controlling first gen Cyclone derailleurs is a winning friction combo if there ever was one.
Thanks. I gave him a bunch of things to check for such as a bent fork and other possible frame damage, but otherwise advised him that that was a great bike, one that 'd love to have (if I hadn't just built up two great bikes so that Sharon is complaining about the bikes in the livingroom). Just the alloy wheels will be an upgrade for him, and the saddle.

FWIW I've owned my 78 Grand Jubilé since new and I have no complaints. Currently, it's my nicest non-"Frankenbike" (if you don't count drivetrain & peripheral mods - otherwise, it's a Frankenbike too - but it still sports the Suntour Cyclone Derailleurs & PowerShifters). Here's a fairly recent photo.

https://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pnPmMkJjnbzgB6hKbobQAjIYKFRivlWceRu-Yn1nLYE3DpYSm7yCvfO4fWXy0qOPKVXU9aT7dSndQrpuWDVz-nA/latest%20pics%20002.jpg?psid=1

I think that Vitus 172 is actually a lighter tubeset than Reynolds 531. That's a good or bad thing, depending on how much one weighs, and how much one plans to punish the bike.

A great bike. I have an '81 Grand Jubilee, also with Vitus 172 frame & forks. In my limited experience I like it better than Reynolds 531 (my previous bike was a Raleigh Super Course). A Grand Jubilee will eat the lunch of a UO-8. Then it will order dessert, buy a round for everybody in the restaurant, and leave with the UO-8's girlfriend.

I hope he moved fast, as the listing is gone. +1 I have a 1979 GJ mixte in the project queue right now.

A great bike. I have an '81 Grand Jubilee, also with Vitus 172 frame & forks. In my limited experience I like it better than Reynolds 531 (my previous bike was a Raleigh Super Course). A Grand Jubilee will eat the lunch of a UO-8. Then it will order dessert, buy a round for everybody in the restaurant, and leave with the UO-8's girlfriend.
I like that description! :) I sent a copy to my buddy Eric.

Actually, I like the bike too. Before I posted here I had already mentioned to Eric about the derailleurs, the shift levers, the drilled levers, the alloy wheels, and the tubing. I posted it here partly out of curiosity about Moto's quality control in the late 70's, it being post-boom after all. A lot of things in the world changed from the early to the late 70's.

Umm, what threads would that bike have? I'm assuming French. I asked Eric to ask the buyer but apparently the buyer had bought it a month ago with the intention of flipping it, and had no idea. It might matter to me because I might end up doing maintenance on it!

I hope he moved fast, as the listing is gone. +1 I have a 1979 GJ mixte in the project queue right now.
+1

I assumed he snagged it within 20 seconds of the Colonel's initial reply. -At least I hope so! The GJ is a very fine ride as previously noted. The later Suntour stuff beats the dickens out of the earlier Jubile shifters for shift quality.

Eric called him yesterday and made plans to see it tonight. Apparently the seller couldn't make it any earlier. With luck it is gone because Eric bought it. I'll find out tomorrow.

I have owned and ridden lots of Reynolds, Columbus, Carbolite, Vitus and a few alloy wonders, some of which I actually did wonder about. Anyway, none of the above mentioned tube sets takes first place every time. A bicycle is a lot more than the tube set. That said, and that said was/is my opinion, the vintage bicycle I ride the most. these days. is my 1978 Motobecane Grand Jubilee (http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Feature_Bicycles/Feature_Bicycles_France/Motobecane_Gran_Jubilee/MOTOBECANE_GRAND_JUBILEE_1_Start.htm) and it features Vitus tubing also...

Umm, what threads would that bike have? I'm assuming French. I asked Eric to ask the buyer but apparently the buyer had bought it a month ago with the intention of flipping it, and had no idea. It might matter to me because I might end up doing maintenance on it!
Motobecane loved Swiss bottom brackets, so this one could have one. My 1979 has one. Just about everything else will be french threaded. Mine came with Cyclone gen 1 derailleurs, one of my favorites.

I bought a Grand Jubilee when I was a freshman in college ('77) and rode it till it got crushed in a bad wreck ('85?). I've got a bunch of nice bikes now but I still miss that GJ and plan to find another one someday. I still have all the equipment that came off it. It was the red and black paint scheme which I really liked. Vitus 172, cyclone derraileurs, etc. I kept it in tip-top shape til the day I got run over.

I assumed he snagged it within 20 seconds of the Colonel's initial reply.
I got a note from Eric this morning. The bike is resting in his garage. He got it.

Thanks, all.

I got a note from Eric this morning. The bike is resting in his garage. He got it.

Thanks, all.

A big step up from his UO-8.
Oddly, my Moto Grand Sprint came off CC CL.

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A big step up from his UO-8.

Yeah. He likes it already. As I recall, it was you who wrote not long ago that we had to upgrade his bike. :thumb:

If I had seen the listing it would be resting in MY barn! I miss having a Moto. Mine was a couple of steps down from this ('81 Grand Sprint built on seamed straight-gauge Vitus 888) but still a good all-day rider. Rode the 2008 Trek Across Maine on it.

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