Sedgemop 

Been enjoying checking out French bikes the last handful of years. I've tried out several Peugeots, Gitanes, and Motobecanes and a couple are keepers, for sure. I've never ridden a Moto from this era, or a Vitus tubed bike and am curious about this one. It's super dirty and a little crusty, but it's got some things going for it, including the Simplex drivetrain and a serviceable Unicanitor. Should clean up pretty well and I've confirmed with the seller that the seat post and stem are not stuck. Going to have a look at it this week. Most likely clean it up, do some minimal work on it and ride it a few months. Probably let it go in the summer if I pick it up. Question is, what's the going rate for these later Vitus tubed Jubiles, in good condition, with fresh cables, etc? Maybe try to get it for $200 as is and sell for around $250, clean and ready to ride? I dunno.

Motobecane Grand Jubile $250

TugaDude

Nice bike underneath all that crud. Never ceases to amaze me how lazy folks are. On the one hand, maybe I prefer they leave it alone for fear they might screw something up, but on the other hand how long would it have taken to grab a couple of paper towels and at least wipe away the cobwebs?

Yes, I'd try to get it for less. Reason being it is NOT ready to ride and in order to make it so you will have a decent investment, especially if you put on some quality tires and not $10 Kendas.

As far as the frame, it appears to be in excellent shape and I always liked how Moto was able to provide nice details like lug lining and pinstripes. Both appear to be in great shape. Likely wasn't ridden much.

I own an older Jubile', from the 70s so that doesn't count as it is Reynolds but I do also own a Grand Record from around '82 that has Vitus tubing and rides extremely well. In fact, I need to ride it more (or sell some bikes!) as it is wasting time hanging in the garage.

Everybody has a different approach on how to haggle, but I generally just tell them that in my experience the bike might be worth that much but only after servicing and replacement of cables, tires, probably tubes, etc. So if you subtract all of that, you'd be more realistic around $150.00 plus or minus. Chicago is higher priced than my area I believe, so factor that in. For comparison I bought the circa 76 Jubile' for $150.00 in ready-to-ride condition and the Grand Record in nearly RTR condition for $125.00. Both were good deals at the time.

Good luck!

Mr. 66

Clean and ready to ride about $250-275. That one as-is ~ $60 +/- as a Goodwill price.

Those are excellent performers punch well above expected value.

Sedgemop 

Thanks for the responses. The bike has been for sale for quite a while now and started at $350. Bike belonged to the seller's dad and he doesn't know much about it. It's that type of situation. I suspect it might never sell in its current condition.

Sedgemop 

$150 does seem like a fair price after I have "the talk" with seller.

zukahn1

One minor issue to check is are the faux leather bar covers with integrated hoods in good shape there a nice feature but if cracked bad from age can be tough to replace.

roadcrankr

Lower level Motobecanes make for a tough sell. Serious cyclists did not ride those, back in the day.
When you get ready to sell it, slap an el cheapo rear rack and bungee a cable lock to it.
Then sell it as a going-away-to-college bike. Maybe even post for sale bulletins outside some dorms.
Some big 6-2 dude would dig it. Tell him to park it inside and lube the chain often. It might last four years!

obrentharris 

TA pedals? Looks like it from the blurry photo. If they are TA and in good shape you could recoup $100 right there... from me.
Brent

Sedgemop 

Motobecane catalog says SR pedals, but it's hard to tell from the photo as you said. You can get a better look at one of the pedals in this photo.

obrentharris 

Thanks for the photo.
Unfortunately not a TA pedal.
Brent

robobike316 

I just bought one about a year ago for $50 on CL. Mostly all original and in great shape.

zukahn1

Good spot it does look to have TA pedals with clips in good shape and matching crank set BB another case of a few parts being worth more than the whole bike, these and the bar setup with stem and levers if good are worth close to the asking price add the DR's shifter's if good, seat,seat post and this bike is actually a bit of part out candidate One could buy it fix it up ride it for few months and part it out for a decent profit pretty good profit not counting work.

Sedgemop 

Yep, you got it.

bikemig 

Nice bike. I’d pay $100-$125 as it sits if it were my size.

TugaDude

The Grand Jubile' is not lower end. They were and still are quality built, lightweight frames.

bikemig 

+ 1. This is not lower end. And yes “serious” cyclists did ride Motobecanes back in the day. In fact, they still do.

zukahn1

For the time it was built I wouldn't classify this as lower end bike either it does have a fairly nice frame set and quality components. I think the reason not many serious riders road these in the US was because of Moto's financial troubles at the time there just wasn't a lot of these nicer Mpotobecane's imported to the US.

Sedgemop 

Thanks for setting the record straight. GJ's are definitely not lower end. Still, I've had a couple low end Motos and they rode great and sported some good components too. I tried to be serious when I rode them, but I probably wasn't.

roadcrankr

Didn't mean to strike a nerve here. I simply said "lower end," not "low end."
Definitely lower than their Grand Record or Le Champion.
The discussion about the dusty Grand Jubile put forth would not otherwise turn into people valuing it at $150 to $200.
Motobecane seemed to downgrade this model from the 70's to the 80's, going from Reynolds to Vitus.
And scrapping the Nervex lugs and better components in the process. For what...Simplex? OMG
I like Motobecanes a lot, but stand by my statements here.

Sedgemop 

Hey, no sweat, man. I got no nerves to strike. Just talking about bikes, after all. None of this is serious to me.

TugaDude

The Grand Jubile' was on par with Grand Record, the difference being the Grand Record was a road racer and the Jubile' a touring bike. The Grand Jubile' was the top of their touring bike lineup. So not low or lower, but top.

The subject bike is likely a 1978, as shown in the '78 catalog.

zukahn1

+1 was thinking it was 78-80 myself based on the bar setup and brakes which they only used for a couple years in the late 70's.

Sedgemop 

Hard to say for sure, but Simplex components, Mafac levers, and 6 speed freewheel say 1981-1982 to me. GJ's were still wearing Suntour Cyclone in the late 70's. As you can see from the '81 catalog, the "Grand Jubile" font is different too.

curbtender

From two E's to one. ^ Intersesting it is one in the title but two in the description.

TugaDude

I think Sedgemop has it right.