Vintage Motobecane mixte questions
11-02-08, 12:05 AM
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Vintage Motobecane mixte questions
So - I was driving back from my sister's wedding, minding my own business, when I came across a forlorn little Motobecane mixte. It needed a complete overhaul, but the price was right so I dragged it home.
I noticed that the bb spindle was loose and wobbly, so I pointed that out. Turns out, the fellow had a big ol' cotter pin press (looked like a huge pair of garden shears - no, it wasn't for sale
), and popped the pins out for me before I left.
I stripped it down completely when I got home, and cleaned/de-rusted everything. While I let the Oxalic Acid do its' work, I took a look at the bb bearing cups. Turns out, the right side loosened to the right like an English bb, not left like a French one. So, I installed a Shimano cartridge bb and converted it to a cotter-less crank.
But it got me wondering - I'm having trouble dating it because I can't find date codes. The wheels are mismatched, and while the front hub appears original it is only marked "Normandy", with no other marks evident. I'm thinking this thing is fairly old, what with a cottered crank and all, but all the running gear is Suntour. I thought maybe the Simplex was all replaced at one time, but the Suntour stem shifters have the Motobecane label on them across the top. Also, the pedals are stamped W. Germany and have a big "U" on the dust caps, so they're not French either..
Now I'm wondering if this is a mish-mash of parts, and what Suntour gear is doing on a Moto frame with cottered cranks and an English threaded bb.
What gives?
Frame:
Shifters:
Pedals:
I noticed that the bb spindle was loose and wobbly, so I pointed that out. Turns out, the fellow had a big ol' cotter pin press (looked like a huge pair of garden shears - no, it wasn't for sale
), and popped the pins out for me before I left.I stripped it down completely when I got home, and cleaned/de-rusted everything. While I let the Oxalic Acid do its' work, I took a look at the bb bearing cups. Turns out, the right side loosened to the right like an English bb, not left like a French one. So, I installed a Shimano cartridge bb and converted it to a cotter-less crank.
But it got me wondering - I'm having trouble dating it because I can't find date codes. The wheels are mismatched, and while the front hub appears original it is only marked "Normandy", with no other marks evident. I'm thinking this thing is fairly old, what with a cottered crank and all, but all the running gear is Suntour. I thought maybe the Simplex was all replaced at one time, but the Suntour stem shifters have the Motobecane label on them across the top. Also, the pedals are stamped W. Germany and have a big "U" on the dust caps, so they're not French either..
Now I'm wondering if this is a mish-mash of parts, and what Suntour gear is doing on a Moto frame with cottered cranks and an English threaded bb.
What gives?
Frame:
Shifters:
Pedals:
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11-02-08, 12:41 AM
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motobecane was the first French manufacturer to use Japanese components on their lower end models... As early as 1974. They never used simplex on any of their models. Suntour was used on the Mirage and Super Mirage through most of the '70's.
The comonents seem to be original on your bike and your bike seems to be a mirage from the mid '70's because of the cottered cranks and Suntour parts. The BB threading might be Swiss.
The comonents seem to be original on your bike and your bike seems to be a mirage from the mid '70's because of the cottered cranks and Suntour parts. The BB threading might be Swiss.
Last edited by dbarnblatt@usa.; 11-02-08 at 12:49 AM.
11-02-08, 01:29 AM
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I can't help with specific Motobecane answers, but that looks like it will make a nice ride when it's finished.
BTW, I think that the pedals might be "Union" brand pedals.
BTW, I think that the pedals might be "Union" brand pedals.
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11-02-08, 06:56 PM
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Please refer to OP - I was able to install a standard Shimano cartridge BB in the shell without trouble. Would this be possible with a Swiss BB?
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S. J. Perelman
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11-03-08, 06:15 AM
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I have a 76 super mirage that has a standard BB as well. It came with some SR components. I think I see the outline of a 1020 tubing sticker on the mixte. By 78 MB had switched to 2040 tubing. The Mirage in the 76 catalog is cotterless. They exist in the 74 & 75 catalog with a mix of Suntour components & cottered Nerver cranks.
11-10-08, 12:04 PM
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Um, no... Swiss threaded BB's can reportedly be RETHREADED to ISO, but an ISO Shimano BB is not going to fit into a Swiss threaded shell unless that has been done. However, as noted, a few Motos were made with English (ISO) threading straight from the factory. I have one, but it's a 1982 model.
11-10-08, 01:21 PM
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Um, no... Swiss threaded BB's can reportedly be RETHREADED to ISO, but an ISO Shimano BB is not going to fit into a Swiss threaded shell unless that has been done. However, as noted, a few Motos were made with English (ISO) threading straight from the factory. I have one, but it's a 1982 model.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribshee...mbrackets.html
11-10-08, 07:10 PM
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What's the easy way to tell if it's Swiss or English threaded? I have this ~83 Super Mirage, which is stamped "35x1" on the BB. I assume this is Swiss threaded and wouldn't accept a new cartridge BB.
11-10-08, 07:36 PM
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That wing decal on the seat tube places the date as pre-1977. The round headbadge was a 50th anniversary (1973) commemorative badge. So the bike was made sometime between 1973-1976, inclusive. Given that somebody posted that the 1976's had cotterless cranks, I'd say it's a 1975 (maybe a 1974 or 1973, but I think that wing decal on the seat tube was only on '75's and '76's).
Last edited by Blue Order; 11-10-08 at 07:42 PM.
