Originally Posted by
SJX426
Not sure how you would discern between a Le Champion and GR frame set. My 1972 has different head lugs but still has the semi wrap SS's. Don't know the diameter of the seat post but it is a 531 DB frame set. IIRC it is a metric version of the frame set for Moto.
2008-06-07 15.42.52, on Flickr
From the beginning to the mid 70's Le Champion frames used long point Prugnat Type S lugs like the ones pictured above.
My 1974-75 Le Champion with those same Prugnat lugs. In 1974, Motobecane seriously upgraded the Le Champion frames. They are the same as the BIC orange 1974-76 Team Champion/Champion Team frames including Fischer? fork crowns.
In 1977 they lowered the frame quality in a lot of ways. They continued the trend until the early 80's. My 1977 Le Champion with Bocama long point lugs.
Grand Records came with proprietary Nervex lugs until the late 70's. The early 70's bikes came in silver and black or yellow and black. They were only 3 main tubes butted Reynolds 531 (3 TUBES RENFORCES); the forks and stays were Motobecane gaspipe tubing. They came with Campy dropouts and fork ends.
Repop sticker from Cyclomondo.
In 1973 Moto did a major upgrade to the Grand Record bikes. The frames became all Reynolds 531 with 1/2 chrome plated "socks" on the forks (the Le Champions had chrome socks on the rear stays in 1972-73). They also introduced the elegant black with red trim color combination but silver and black was still available.
1974 Grand Record catalog page.
Here's a rare early 70's brown and black Grand Record, probably a European model??? Someone has upgraded the components with Campy cranks and DuraAce brakes and hubs.
Here's another rare Grand Record with long point Prugnat lugs instead of Nervex. Probably a 1973 or 74 model. It may have been a Le Champion frame labeled Grand Record at the factory just to fill out an order???
[MENTION=17926]unworthy1[/MENTION] thanks for the kudos...
BITD, especially during the bike boom fad, there were so many variations because of component availability issues and other things that it's hard to say for certain about any French bike. They were pushing them out the door as quickly as they could box them up!
Add to that, makers like Motobecane, Peugeot, Gitane, Raleigh and Bianchi made models for specific markets like France, Germany, Holland, the "East Bloc", the UK, the US, and Canada plus OZ, Japan and other places.
Is it wrong... or just French!
verktyg
