redhatlx09

Hello, i recently bought a 1970's? (i am not sure of the decade) Motobecane Mirage 10 Speed Racing Bike.

It came with a few problems including the back wheel being lose (moving side to side) the brakes are very lose and the cables have corrosion as well as the handle bars need to be adjusted.

My question is, Is it worth putting the 100-150$ dollars into the bike i spent 150$ on, or would it be worth trying to resell the bike for same amount of money or even a small loss and buying something in the 300$ range? I do not have more money to spend and i really love riding bike as exercise.

sonatageek

If you are willing and interested in learning the fix the bike up yourself, nothing that you mentioned sounds like an expensive fix.

What you describe sounds like rear wheel bearings are loose, the cables and housing are shot, along with the cable replacement the brakes need adjustment and the handle bars need a little futzing with and likely new bar tape. Oh, and the tires are most likely not in great shape. None of those are big dollar items (the tires could be but don't have to be) and none of those things requires any expensive specialtiy tools, although you would need cone wrenches for the bearing adjustment on the wheel. Quick search shows cone wrenches can be had for under $10.

Post a picture if you can.

OldsCOOL

I'm very interested is seeing a pic or two. Back in '73 I bought a '72 Mirage and that was my entry into road biking. Mine was yellow, had chrome rigida rims (with the "cheese grater" sidewalls for braking), chrome forks, Huret Allvit rear derailleur, heavy steel cottered crank, and dia-compe centerpulls with the turkey levers.

These bikes were a big step above the Huffy's with their 26" wheels and cheapy shimano (eagle??) derailleurs but still an entry level foreign bike. Dont put any more money into it than you have to and as already suggested, strive to do the work yourself.

Welcome to the world of Motobecane!

wrk101

$150 for that bike as is would be very high around here. If you can fix it yourself, what you described might cost $10 to $15 to address. Your choice. I would certainly not put another $150 into this bike. It was pretty much entry level back at a time when entry level was pretty low.

treebound 

Here's another Motobecane Mirage thread that might show a few details:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...obecane+mirage

If that 150$ is $150 U.S. dollars then it does sound high, but since the OP put the dollar sign after the numbers I suspect he/she isn't in the U.S. so whatever denomination the 150$ is in might not be a bad deal. Pics would help, as would location.

Enjoy the bike in any case, it should be able to be made ridable for much less than $150.

due ruote 

Are you saying that with the wheel not turning you can move it side to side (that's a hub problem), or that when you turn the wheel you can see it go side to side (that's a spoke/truing problem)? Either problem can be fixed fairly easily, though both would require specialized, though inexpensive, tools.

redhatlx09

If i take the wheel and jiggle it it moves side to side a lot. 150 US dollars in Miami Florida.

treebound 

Check the parktool.com web site for repair tips and tutorials, as well as sheldonbrown.com and other sites.

You'll need the proper freewheel remover tool, some cone wrenches, a bit of grease, and not much else to clean and regrease and adjust the rear wheel bearings assuming nothing is broken or worn out.

Everything else you should be able to do with a decent multi-tool like a Topeak Alien II, or with better stand-alone bike and non-bike-specific tools.

Do a search for "repair books" in this section of the site for good "vintage" repair books to look for, I see them regularly at used book stores and sometimes at thirft shops and rummage/garage sales. There are always some for sale on ebay and various craigslist sites.

Have some patience, take your time, and try to enjoy the learning process.

I know there are one or more people on the site here down in your area, but I'm not them so I can't volunteer their time. But perhaps offering to buy a pizza or a nice lunch in exchange for a mechanic lesson or two might do well for you. Once you can become somewhat self-sufficient on repairing your own bikes then this whole hobby can become very enjoyable. It could even lead to a part-time job at a local bike shop where you'll learn even more, and get an employee discount on top of that. If you have the interest and desire to learn, then pursue that goal.

TimmyT 

Just to follow up on what treebound said.

You can jiggle the wheel because the cones aren't tight enough. The cones push the bearings into the cups to give you a smooth, tight ride. You will need to take out the axle, clean everything, regrease everything, and reassemble. Taking it apart and putting it back together are the reverse of each other, so if you can do one, you can do the other. This is not hard at all. It just takes some patience and willingness to learn. If you search on adjusting wheel cones, you should find what you are looking for.

The cables and handlebars are dead easy to adjust. You will probably want to replace the cable housings (they get gummy and/or corroded on the inside). In Manhattan, bike shops charge 15-30 for a set of cable housings. It's about $5 per cable. Adjusting the bars is free, if you have a wrench.

SteveSGP

Great bike to learn on and low end or not it'll be a nice ride when you're done.

You certainly aren't going to make a killing on it by fixing it and selling it but the experience you'll gain in rebuilding it will be invaluable.



.

Chicago Al 

You might also look online to see if there's a bike co-op you can go to for use of a repair stand and tools, at minimal cost...and likely free advice as well. There are at least three such places in Chicago, got to be one down there.

ps: looks like there was one which closed, Firefly (did everyone wear cool duster coats in the shop?), but another is in the works, possibly open now.

https://www.transitmiami.com/bicycles...unteers-wanted

Ex Pres 

I grabbed a bigger version for you

OldsCOOL

Let us know what you think of the ride when you get it fixed up. As a first roadie it was just fine for me and I put many miles and trips on it back in high school days.