Help Identify Motobecane, Please!
 

I have a Motobecane from the early 70's. I've looked at as many pictures as I can find, and I think it is either a Le Champion or a Team Champion. It has all Campy Nuovo and Campy dropouts. It has a 3ttt Record stem and handelbars. The Crank set is from 1975 and the rear derailluer is from 1972. The lugs are really nice, long, and pointy. I also noticed that their are numbers on the Campy dropouts. I don't know if that can help in dating the bike, but they didn't look like any kind of date code. I do have a serial number that I got off the bottom bracket:GZ(on top) and 4402838(right below it).Does anybody know if this bike can be dated and identified by this serial number? I would appreciate any help-thank you. Nigel

Pictures would help.

My Champion Team has no serial, so I cannot help you in that respect. I also have numbers on my Campy dropouts, but they were the same numbers that appeared on an aquaintance's CT, so no help there. Based solely on your lug description, along with the Campy equipment, I would say it probably is a CT or LC. The dating on the derailleur is not much help as mine is also dated 1972, but the frame is dated 1975 based on the location and type of Reynolds decal. But as stated by dck, pictures would help.

I've got two Le Champions and a Grand Jubile. All three have numbers stamped on both the outside of the left rear dropout, and on the inside of the right rear dropout. One Le Champion is a '74 and the other is early 70's. The Grand Jubile is early/mid 70's. None have any numbers on the BB shell. My '74 Le Champion is, I believe, original and came with ttt stem and bar, Universal Mod 61 brakes, but otherwise Campy Nuovo Record equipped.

Thank you all for the info. It definitely sheds some light. I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Assuming it is a Le Champion or Team Champion from the mid 1970s, we should be able to narrow things down based on the color, right? Team Champions were orange, while Le Champions were lilac.

The Motobecane I have was stripped of decals and painted a few times before I even got it. This is why it has been so hard to identify.

Lilac was one of several colors the LeChampion appeared in.

True, but if it was lilac, we'd know it was a Le Champion.

Do you guys think maybe you could post some pics of your Le Champions and Team Champions? That would rock. I'm in the process of geting my digital camera fixed, or I would have posted pics weeks ago. Thank you so much. P.S. will post pics as soon as I can. Thanks-Nigel

Hey Nigel, here's my '71 Le Champion.

http://mysite.verizon.net/oldlugs/71.jpg

Here's my '74 Le Champion
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...d/DSC02818.jpg

To "The Other Guy" and "DCK"- You guys are the best thank you so much. I know believe I have a Le Champion. Thanks again.