Astra Grand Luxe
 

So I went to pick up a seat and return a frameset yesterday to my "supplier" and like a good pusher who knows an addict, he showed me a VERY cool (at least I think so) Astra Grand Luxe in my size. It needs some attention and to be put back together but I think it will be a cool addition to my growing stable. I'll post some pictures later this evening of the bike.

Does anyone have any info on these bikes? There is a very faded 531 sticker at the top of the seat tube. The lower half of the fork is chromed w/ Huret dropouts and half of the rear triangle is chromed also w/ Huret dropouts.

Thanks to a fellow BF'er who helped me out with a seatpost and even dealt with my flea market "bargaining" skills over the phone.... Thanks man!:thumb:

I thnk Astra was a brand marketed by Motobecane. I had only ever seen hi-tensile low-end bikes with that name, but it's not out of the question that they made some really nice ones.

Astra's were definitely Motobecane's - and at Westminster I saw another brand name, identical to the Astra including the decal colors, type style in the brand name, and the 'M' in the fork crown, but damned if I can remember the name. That was a first for me - almost bought it just for the novelty.

531 frame? That's news to me. The one's we carried at the bike shop back then were just your usual bottom of the line, $100.00 bike boom bicycles. Huret Allvit derailleurs and Huret levers, Weinmann centerpulls, cottered crank, steel rims. Don't remember the hubs, although I'm pretty certain they weren't quick release. Just another fill-in because we couldn't keep enough Schwinn's and Raleigh's in stock. Never realized they had a full line, or even an extended line.

Oh yeah: Definitely Rocker. Full leather, pudding bowl, and Triumph Bonneville cafe racer. Been one for 46 years now.

Here are some pictures. If you look VERY close, you can barely make out a French 531 decal. The paint is a little chalky and is alligatored. I think with some mild rubbing compound and a few coats of Carnuba wax, it'll be presentable. The Simplex seat post should clean up nicely with a little fine sandpaper and polishing compound.

On to the pictures....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59448860@N04/

Oh, Syke, I totally figured you for a rocker:thumb:

Updating this old thread as one of these Astra Grand luxes is being sold on FB marketplace. Definitely a higher end bike and with the same problematic paint job found on some older Motobecanes. The only pic I'm afraid is a non-drive side one:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a17d7cde56.jpg

Yup, that's the same model. I have the one that started this thread. I need to move it on....

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IIRC we have had two or three other threads on these

if me auld "braine" be rememberin' rightly T-Mar hath writ that name created for a distributor to get around a legal snag

others are sure to recall more precisely...


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