How old are these 2 oldies?
11-25-07, 03:02 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA and surrounding islands.
Posts: 8,521
Bikes: Cannondale R500, Motobecane Messenger
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
The guys over in the Classic and Vintage Forum would probably know.
11-25-07, 03:58 PM
#5
The Improbable Bulk
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA
Posts: 8,379
Bikes: Many
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
7 Posts
They both look like mid 70's to me based on components etc. Date codes on the components can be checked at https://vintage-trek.com
EDIT: Classic & Vintage has one regular that really likes mixtes... So I am sure there will be good information over there. And I think he is from the bay area too.
EDIT: Classic & Vintage has one regular that really likes mixtes... So I am sure there will be good information over there. And I think he is from the bay area too.
11-25-07, 04:05 PM
#6
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,362
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6219 Post(s)
Liked 4,218 Times
in
2,365 Posts
The Bridgestone is probably around 1982 or 83. The Suntour ARX was a low end mountain bike group if I recall correctly.
The Motobecane is a little older...probably 1977 to 1980...and likely with Suntour VxGT derailers.
Both bikes are okay but nothing to write home about. Entry level bikes. And the mixte design was a mistake from the beginning.
The Motobecane is a little older...probably 1977 to 1980...and likely with Suntour VxGT derailers.
Both bikes are okay but nothing to write home about. Entry level bikes. And the mixte design was a mistake from the beginning.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Last edited by cyccommute; 11-25-07 at 04:10 PM.
11-25-07, 04:13 PM
#7
Old biker
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Radium Springs, NM
Posts: 252
Bikes: Custom Cammack touring road and 1987 Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The Bridgestone is probably around 1982 or 83. The Suntour ARX was a low end mountain bike group if I recall correctly.
The Motobecane is a little older...probably 1977 to 1980...and likely with Suntour VxGT derailers.
Both bikes are okay but nothing to write home about. Entry level bikes and the mixte design was a mistake from the beginning.
The Motobecane is a little older...probably 1977 to 1980...and likely with Suntour VxGT derailers.
Both bikes are okay but nothing to write home about. Entry level bikes and the mixte design was a mistake from the beginning.
11-25-07, 05:28 PM
#8
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 27
Bikes: 66,67 or 68? Bottecchia w/ "Campione del Mondo 1966" decal
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'm surprised that no one said anything about the neon green handle grips.
11-25-07, 07:21 PM
#9
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,362
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6219 Post(s)
Liked 4,218 Times
in
2,365 Posts
Neither are entry level bikes. Entry level bikes didn't have forged dropouts with integral derailer hangers nor cotterless aluminum cranksets. They are at least mid level quailty. The mixte design was popular with families that only had one bike for both male and female riders. I Rivendell still makes mixte bikes. I have a female friend who just bought one.
The mixte design was marketed to small women because it gave better standover height but the problem with the design was that they pushed the front end further out and made the effective top tube length longer than a corresponding mens frame. For small women that have shorter arms to begin with, this lead to all kinds of comfort and handling issues. My wife had at least 2 of them (about the same level as those pictured) and was never comfortable with them. Things got much better when the bike makers started to 'really' design bikes for women.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
11-25-07, 07:32 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,487
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 140 Post(s)
Liked 162 Times
in
89 Posts
Here's a site that might help you determine the age of the bikes, assuming the components are mostly original. My guess is that they are. Click on "component dates" and you'll find date codes for the major component brands you can match to the date codes stamped on your components. www.vintage-trek.com
My guess is the Bridgestone is from around '84, I have an all-original 1984 Schwinn le tour that has Suntour ARX derailleurs on it. I think the Motobecane is likely a few years older than the Bridgestone. The Bridgestone is indeed the "better" bike, it's a chromoly frame with forged dropouts, whereas the Motobecane appears to have a high-ten tubing decal, and it also has stamped dropouts with an adapter claw derailleur hanger. The components seem to be better on the Bridgestone as well.
edit: I see that Little Darwin already posted the link to vintage trek, sorry-
My guess is the Bridgestone is from around '84, I have an all-original 1984 Schwinn le tour that has Suntour ARX derailleurs on it. I think the Motobecane is likely a few years older than the Bridgestone. The Bridgestone is indeed the "better" bike, it's a chromoly frame with forged dropouts, whereas the Motobecane appears to have a high-ten tubing decal, and it also has stamped dropouts with an adapter claw derailleur hanger. The components seem to be better on the Bridgestone as well.
edit: I see that Little Darwin already posted the link to vintage trek, sorry-
Last edited by well biked; 11-25-07 at 09:06 PM.
11-25-07, 08:44 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Pinole, CA, USA
Posts: 17,392
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 443 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 27 Times
in
25 Posts
Entry level bikes...that's bike store bikes not department store bikes...of the late 70s had everything you see on those two bikes...including forged hangers and aluminum cranks.
The mixte design was marketed to small women because it gave better standover height but the problem with the design was that they pushed the front end further out and made the effective top tube length longer than a corresponding mens frame. For small women that have shorter arms to begin with, this lead to all kinds of comfort and handling issues. My wife had at least 2 of them (about the same level as those pictured) and was never comfortable with them. Things got much better when the bike makers started to 'really' design bikes for women.
The mixte design was marketed to small women because it gave better standover height but the problem with the design was that they pushed the front end further out and made the effective top tube length longer than a corresponding mens frame. For small women that have shorter arms to begin with, this lead to all kinds of comfort and handling issues. My wife had at least 2 of them (about the same level as those pictured) and was never comfortable with them. Things got much better when the bike makers started to 'really' design bikes for women.
Either is this one:
The Bridgestone has the edge with its cromoly frame and forged Suntour dropouts, but the Motobecane has the distinction of being made in France
11-25-07, 08:50 PM
#12
the bike made me do it
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Paris, of the prairies
Posts: 528
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
To most people those bikes are probably nothing special. They would make great fixed gear conversions though. I am pretty sure that there are a few people looking for such bikes in the fixed gear forum. Just can't remember who though.
11-25-07, 09:27 PM
#13
rebmeM roineS
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Metro Indy, IN
Posts: 16,216
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 653 Post(s)
Liked 347 Times
in
226 Posts
I think mixte has always (since at least the 70's, anyway) meant Ladies Bike in the US.
11-26-07, 12:40 PM
#14
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 27
Bikes: 66,67 or 68? Bottecchia w/ "Campione del Mondo 1966" decal
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
11-26-07, 03:43 PM
#15
.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,860
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
That Bridgestone would make a great singlespeed conversion. May or may not be a hassle in finding a better saddle because you might also need a new seatpost.
Oh and "Mixte" is French for "mixed" (if you couldn't guess). It's unisex, like all bikes, but mixed by means of halfway between a "traditional" men's and women's frame. Only slightly heavier than a regular frame but also a bit stiffer in the drivetrain (and that's good).
Oh and "Mixte" is French for "mixed" (if you couldn't guess). It's unisex, like all bikes, but mixed by means of halfway between a "traditional" men's and women's frame. Only slightly heavier than a regular frame but also a bit stiffer in the drivetrain (and that's good).
__________________
https://blicksbags.com/
https://blicksbags.com/
11-26-07, 10:26 PM
#16
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 27
Bikes: 66,67 or 68? Bottecchia w/ "Campione del Mondo 1966" decal
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
That Bridgestone would make a great singlespeed conversion. May or may not be a hassle in finding a better saddle because you might also need a new seatpost.
Oh and "Mixte" is French for "mixed" (if you couldn't guess). It's unisex, like all bikes, but mixed by means of halfway between a "traditional" men's and women's frame. Only slightly heavier than a regular frame but also a bit stiffer in the drivetrain (and that's good).
Oh and "Mixte" is French for "mixed" (if you couldn't guess). It's unisex, like all bikes, but mixed by means of halfway between a "traditional" men's and women's frame. Only slightly heavier than a regular frame but also a bit stiffer in the drivetrain (and that's good).
One drawback of the mixte when I first got it was the weight, esp. the rear end.
11-28-07, 10:11 AM
#17
Senior Member
how old?
The Motobecane (sp) is probably in the 1973 range, no idea on the other
