Chicago Al 

There's a bike described as this listed on local CL. Photo is small so I can't even tell if it has stem or DT or bar end shifters (or any at all); I believe it might be my size. Fade paintjob looks late 80s-early 90s.

A search of the archives doesn't turn up a Motobecane Concorde, but a Raleigh by the same name or a higher end Ciocc-built bike sold in Belgium. I doubt the seller came up with Motobecane on his own so it's not likely either of those. Also the ad says French made, which would go with the typical Motobecane labeling.

I can't find a Moto catalog online past about 1984. Has anyone seen this model?

randyjawa 

I have owned a few Asian Concorde road bicycles. Most were well made mid to higher level bikes and offered decent ride quality. Other than that, I know little about the bicycles and could find even less on the net. None the less, here is a picture of what I speak of.

unworthy1

randy: that's an Italian (Ciocc) Concorde^, not Asian..at least AFAIK.
I can't make out any details of the OP's Concord(e), but perhaps it's a Motobecane Nomade.

Chicago Al 

I WISH this was one of *those* Concordes, Randy! But the seller (very obligingly) sent me four pics and they clearly show the Motobecane logo. He says that he thinks the bike was bought in Canada originally and (though he thinks it's French) it must be one of the 90s Canadian-made Motos. It has thumb shifters, mustache bars, and a label that claims '707 tensile steel.' It also has fenders and a generator-powered front light, so is probably a perfectly decent commuter, but nothing exciting. Wheels might even be steel. Tell you what though, I'll buy it and send it up to you if you send me one of 'your' Concordes. As a patriotic Canadian it's practically your duty to take me up on this generous offer!

unworthy1

actually, I was using shorthand rather than the drawn-out phrase I have written many times: "the Italian contractor who built the Ciocc, Concorde and Conti frames in the late '80s to early '90s, generally believed to be Billato"...this statement from you is the first I seen it stated as "unquestionably" Bilatto. Even Hilary Stone, from whom I read it first, didn't state it unequivocally.
Now I'll treat it as gospel

Night Tiger

Hey Al, I've been watching that bike drop in price for a few weeks now. If it's serviceable and the wheels are in decent condition, that's a fine machine for $100. Saw some Velo Orange fenders on the local CL today for $40, so for $140 you've got yourself a foul weather machine with some respectable provenance. If I wasn't in "selling" mode I'd have a look at it meself.

Cheers,

Paul

randyjawa 

As mentioned, I have owned a few Concorde road bikes and only one came fitted with a Made In sticker. And that sticker said Made in Japan as I recall. The bike with the sticker was a Concorde "Road Work" and was more entry level that the others I have stumbled upon. Though I do not have a good picture of the Made In sticker, a partial is visible in the photo of the "Road Work's" crank set.





The second picture you sent of your bicycle is much more helpful and, had I seen it first, I would never have sent pics of my Concorde since doing so would have been inappropriate for your interest.

Also, I do know that Raleigh and Peugeot both set up shop in Canada back in the seventies but I was unaware that Motobecane had done so also. If anyone else is aware of this, please start a new thread and let's see what we can find out.

Im Fixed

ccm and a half dozen others sold bikes badged concorde Ive had a few all entry level

T-Mar

I'm thinking it might be one of the early Motobecane-USA models. It's got a fade paint job which would typically put it no later than mid-1980s, yet it appears to still have center-pull brakes which were out of fashion on all but the least expensive models. It also appears to have large flange hubs! Given the mustache bars, I think we have a real frankenbike here.

Chicago Al 

No wish to start up an international incident here, and just kidding about the trade suggestion, Randy! I do appreciate your suggestion. The first pic was the only thing I had to go on at the time, hence the mystery. I was really hoping it was going to be more like the one you pictured, Italian or Asian as it might be, but couldn't even tell. The later pics made it all too clear that it's a duck and not a swan.

I read somewhere yesterday that Motos were made in Canada for a time, I assume this being the Moto name either licensed or with a new owner rather than bikes bearing any resemblance to the actual French bikes. Obviously Motobecane has became one of those zombie brands in which the name lives on though the original intelligence behind it has long since died. Maybe this particular bike was Asian made. In any case, far from the Italian-made Concorde, or the nice looking Japanese one Randy pictured.

Interesting that there were also CCM Concordes---maybe they are similar bikes made in the same (Canadian) factory but branded differently? I'm sure it's a decent bike and the generator light and fenders (now off the bike) make it very practical. But I don't need a commuter, and '707 tensile steel' does not sound particularly exciting so I will pass on this bike.

Glad to see that those VO fenders caught your attention, Night Tiger. Because they are actually mine! I bought them for daughter's mixte but they were far too wide to fit between the twin stays and the chainstays, and I didn't want to get into metal cutting. I should probably keep them for a later project but am under some, um, domestic pressure to get some extra stuff outta here.

T-Mar

Though the pic is poor, this frame appears far more modern tahn the CCM Concorde which was a 1973-1974, entry level model. By the time this one was made, the CCM factory had shut down and the brand name sold.

unworthy1

thanks for that history link, it's more and more comprehensive than I've read, before.