I didnt mean to, I promise.

I Picked up another bike today. It just worked out. I saw an ad on CL for a '78 Moto Grand Jubilee, original owner, roughly my size. I noticed the ad was only 30 or so minutes old. I had errands to run but I emailed the guy and left the house.

Luckily I have a blackberry so I can monitor such situations.

As fate would have it, the owner called me right as I was finishing up my errands (his house was 10 or so miles from where I was at the time) said he had a lot of interest, but if I wanted to see it I could stop over. 30 minutes later the bike was mine. The price was even dropped a bit while I was looking at the bike. I'm not sure why, I didn't argue, but I can say that the guy definitely was not hurting for cash. Anyone familiar with the Philly western suburbs just picture one of the older huge ivy covered houses in the woods of Bryn Mawr...

Anyhoo, this will not be a flipper, I'm keeping it, at least for a while. It might have to compete with my Gitane though.

Pictures being uploaded now..

Those situations are going to lead the C&V crowd to early heart failure. Nice catch, I think the Huret Jubilee rear der is worth a fair amount of money all on it's own.

it's all suntour cyclone.

Almost done the pics..

pics:

digging the leather wrapped bars.







came with the zefal hp and the water bottle, both purchased with the bike in 77.



as mentioned, cycone. The owner said the only thing he ever changed on the bike was ditching the 5sp freewheel to a 6





the bike fits me like a glove. I'm really loving it. Not bad for $120 IMO.

All pics can be found here

Say hi to the Main Line for me. I grew up in Penn Valley and it sure is beautiful on those back roads.

so from what I remember:

lamprade fluted seat post
cyclone dt shifters, rear and front mech
rigida 27x1 alloy rims
sella italia anatomic suede saddle
pivo stem and bars
wiennmann levers, centerpulls
great paint
i didnt look too closely at the crank yet.

I don't know much about Moto's, and could only find a '76 catalog online, so any info is appreciated.

Not bad at all for that price, It looks like the original owner kept it nice and clean. The leather bar wrap is awesome. The suntour cyclone RD is probably better anyway, I read the Huret Jubilee can be fragile since. Nice catch!

looks like some nice high flange hubs?

Normandy hubs I believe.

Vitus 172 tubing

Hey, let me know when you need to thin out the herd, I'm right up the road from you. Also looking for someone to ride with at "fat old fart" pace once the weather starts to warm up...

Pete

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

me mucho jealous. peeps in Nebrasky just don't sell bikes like that cause they never owned them in the first place

Sharp looking bike, I have one that's very similar, probably a few years older in the same colors.
Mine has the older rectangular head badge, Weinmann brakes and Weinmann convex style dimpled rims, Suntour Cyclone derailleurs, same saddle and post as yours, Moto scripted bars with Velox cloth tape and plugs, Stronglight cranks, BB and headset, and a GB stem. Best of all the paint and decals are near mint as are the wheels and old school skinwall Wolber tires. The only defect is that the 531 tubing decal is flaking away.
I had bought it since I had a near identical bike years ago back in high school. This one is a few a year or two newer than the one I used to have. I believe mine is a 1974 or 1975.

Very nice Motobecane indeed! You were hit with a bolt of luck to get that! $120 is/was a steal! Good job. Wow!

it is quite a find...but, I think you'll find that "leather" bar wrap is "faux" (which sounds better for a French bike than "fake"), that is if it's like the stuff on a '81 Mirage 15 that I recently worked on.

How does a bike like that sell for $120???

Nice score.

Well I am close by and fit that description to a "T" so feel free to PM me.

I dont know if I completely fit that description just yet, but I'm always willing to go for a ride with someone new. I'll look you up when I start riding again! Hopefully thats not TOO far away, I'm about sick of this cold weather.

He got the best deal. Even the Sella Italia saddle's very good. I had one on my old Moto Grand Touring. Still have it. And they last a long time.

That's a nukin' deal.

Wow! I thought I was doing well gettig deals.. that is an awesome deal and a very beautiful bike! Congrats on both enjoy!

Very nice catch.

And as to the price drop, sometimes just being a nice person, responding promptly, showing up when you say you will, looking like you really really like the bike (this one could have the opposite effect at times too), and by not immediately asking if the seller will take less, all sometimes add up to a price drop if the seller doesn't need the money. Plus the seller probably figured it was going to someone who would appreciate it as much as they did.

I didnt have a lot of time to play with bikes today, but I did manage to spend 45 minutes with the Moto. I just have to say, I'm really loving it. The pivot on the rear der wasnt so when you shifted it the chain dropped. I fixed that with some cleaning, got rid of the ugly water bottle, put some air in the tires, and took it for a spin. The bike had not been ridden in 15 years, but it did great. Needs some adjustments but completely ridable as is. I really love it:



I also had a brass bell that is perfect for that bike. I'm thinking my gold anodized simplex retrofrictions are going to find a home on this bike as well. I'm also putting a leather wrights saddle on it, and the sella is going on my Alan.

(it is quite a find...but, I think you'll find that "leather" bar wrap is "faux):

If you examine the wrap closely, you will find a small Hutchinson imprint, at least I did on my Grand Jubile & also on a Grand Touring I used to have. I've heard them referred to as "Pleather" bar wraps & they came in black as well as tan. Always wondered how they were applied as it looks like they were cast in one piece around the bar & brake levers. Both of mine were in remarkably good condition given their age. Don

+1 I used to work in retail and was always happy to throw discounts to the really great customers. The aggressive and rude customers always got the least out of me. The really great customers really made me want to go out of your way to help them.

Great pictures holiday, the setting seems perfect for that bike, I also really like that bell. Minus 1 Raleigh Pro, Plus a fantastic complete Moto and probably some extra cash.