Motobecane Le Champion and the short top tube, need more reach!!!
10-05-12, 03:29 PM
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Motobecane Le Champion and the short top tube, need more reach!!!
Folks-
Recently I've been scratching my head on something. This past spring I was gifted a dream bike, a '73 Motobecane Le Champion with most of its original parts.
I've been riding this bike all summer long and its truly been a dream. My one issue from day one was the short top tube.
My bike is 58cm c-c on the seat but the top tube is a mere 55 cm c-c!! The original 3TTT stem that came with it is nice and long at 110mm but I'm really starting to feel cramped for more room, especially since maintaining a Yoga practice recently which has allowed for more flexibility.
My problem is of course not so simple with an old French bike. The darn stem is obsolete and now I'm stuck scouring Ebay for a longer stem so I can keep riding this bike!!
Question is, why did they make the top tube so short?
And, how likely is it that I can find a French stem longer than 110mm in the next few months?
And, the real question is, should I just find the right size "standard" 1" stem and sand it down the few mm so it fits the French steering tube?
Any thoughts would be grand!!
Mark
Recently I've been scratching my head on something. This past spring I was gifted a dream bike, a '73 Motobecane Le Champion with most of its original parts.
I've been riding this bike all summer long and its truly been a dream. My one issue from day one was the short top tube.
My bike is 58cm c-c on the seat but the top tube is a mere 55 cm c-c!! The original 3TTT stem that came with it is nice and long at 110mm but I'm really starting to feel cramped for more room, especially since maintaining a Yoga practice recently which has allowed for more flexibility.
My problem is of course not so simple with an old French bike. The darn stem is obsolete and now I'm stuck scouring Ebay for a longer stem so I can keep riding this bike!!
Question is, why did they make the top tube so short?
And, how likely is it that I can find a French stem longer than 110mm in the next few months?
And, the real question is, should I just find the right size "standard" 1" stem and sand it down the few mm so it fits the French steering tube?
Any thoughts would be grand!!
Mark
10-05-12, 03:45 PM
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1) Occasionally those 130- 140 mm stems show up
2) Worse case, you could sand down an old, long Cinelli or 3ttt, if you can find one.
3) That bike doesn't fit. Better send it over here.
4) All '73 Le Champion threads must come with pics. No exceptions..
2) Worse case, you could sand down an old, long Cinelli or 3ttt, if you can find one.
3) That bike doesn't fit. Better send it over here.
4) All '73 Le Champion threads must come with pics. No exceptions..
10-05-12, 04:03 PM
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Ah, pics. Yes, I posted about this bike when I got it but it has been some time!
I am really thinking about just sanding a stem down, especially as I've just come into possession of a great set of old GB Raddoneur bars that I'm dying to try on this bike..............
Oh, I also thought it was strange that 3TTT made the stem for this bike, I suppose this Italian company made a batch of French size 22.2 stems just for Motobecane to use for these Le Champions in '73????
mark
I am really thinking about just sanding a stem down, especially as I've just come into possession of a great set of old GB Raddoneur bars that I'm dying to try on this bike..............
Oh, I also thought it was strange that 3TTT made the stem for this bike, I suppose this Italian company made a batch of French size 22.2 stems just for Motobecane to use for these Le Champions in '73????
mark
10-05-12, 04:49 PM
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Ah, the green one. I remember it. Very nice bike. Love that color. 22.0 actually, and I think 3ttt did. Saw a Le Champion with a 3ttt stem on it on ebay a while ago. In keeping with all the other Italian components I guess. My Champion Team has a 22.0 Cinelli on it. You might try another stem and test fit before you sand. Some head set top nuts will allow it, but probably not if it's a Record head set. A 22.2 stem fit right in my Stronglight head set without altering.
10-05-12, 04:57 PM
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A 22.2mm Cinelli stem might fit in the French steerer tube. I just put one in my Mondia w/o issue. I've also done it B4 on other bikes where I had a 22.2 stem & a Fr ST. I did hone the inside of the tube first to clean up the walls...then applied a light grease. Slipped right it & w/ a French thread Campy NR headset!
Last edited by 1 Lugnut; 10-05-12 at 05:02 PM.
10-05-12, 05:07 PM
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Ah, very interesting. This bike doesn't have the Campy headset but a fine Stronglight one. I'll have to pull the stem out and see what fits.....maybe this will be easier than I thought!
mark
mark
10-05-12, 05:30 PM
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Ah, pics. Yes, I posted about this bike when I got it but it has been some time!
I am really thinking about just sanding a stem down, especially as I've just come into possession of a great set of old GB Raddoneur bars that I'm dying to try on this bike..............
Oh, I also thought it was strange that 3TTT made the stem for this bike, I suppose this Italian company made a batch of French size 22.2 stems just for Motobecane to use for these Le Champions in '73????
mark
I am really thinking about just sanding a stem down, especially as I've just come into possession of a great set of old GB Raddoneur bars that I'm dying to try on this bike..............
Oh, I also thought it was strange that 3TTT made the stem for this bike, I suppose this Italian company made a batch of French size 22.2 stems just for Motobecane to use for these Le Champions in '73????
mark
An alternative if you are not obsessed with using a classic stem is to use an adapter.
10-05-12, 05:39 PM
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My Italian 1977 Sabatini has the same dimensions - I actually had to change the original 100mm Cinelli stem for a shorter 80mm due to less flexibility over the years and so the shorter 55 cm top tube has a definite advantage in my case. I also like the fact that it has no toe clip overlap.
10-05-12, 05:52 PM
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Why did they use a shorter top tube on the Le Champion? Typically with a 58cm ride you would see a longer top tube than 55cm............
mark
mark
10-05-12, 06:12 PM
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Wow, I just slid out my current 3TTT stem/bars just to see what fits and the 1st thing I tried, an old British GB that goes with a set of Raddoneur bars I want to use, fit right in!!!
Well this certainly makes things easier. I never knew!
mark
Well this certainly makes things easier. I never knew!
mark
10-06-12, 09:32 AM
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Just measured my 72 LeChamp: toptube 22.5", seattube 23", both ctc. (sorry, can't find my metric tape measure!)
Last edited by dbakl; 10-06-12 at 09:37 AM.
10-06-12, 09:45 AM
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Nice bike atalamark >
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10-06-12, 09:49 AM
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So, are we to conclude that only the OLD french guys had stubby arms and torsos?
10-06-12, 05:26 PM
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Just for fun I measured my Champion Team, slightly later than this bike. 61 cm seat tube c to t, 58.5 top tube, c to c.
Maybe they used some dusty French racing theorems for this tight old Le Champion. Does it have quirky handling?
Maybe they used some dusty French racing theorems for this tight old Le Champion. Does it have quirky handling?
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