Hey guys, I recently picked up an 70's Motobecane and need a bit of help figuring it out. I know nothing about them but figured you guys might. It's a silver frame and fork (no chrome) with fairly basic looking lugs. It's got a 'Le Champion' decal on the top tube and is made from Vitus 172 tubing. Also the number 75 is stamped into the front of the seat tube cluster. I figured it would be easy enough to date but I can't find reference to the 'le champion' range being built from vitus 172 and most appear to have chrome fork ends. Also it's still got it's original parts including huret eco rear mech and weinmann brakes. Not stuff usually found on the champions.



Could this be an earlier frame that a shop had lying around (75 maybe?) built up with low/mid range stuff because I know the huret eco wasn't introduced until 76. Cheers lads.

Don't go by the components, they can be changed, so you have to look at the frame itself. Yours looks like it has its original finish, so that will narrow it down. In this case, letter and logo styles, headbadge, frame angles, braze-on's, etc. I would guess 1974-76. It could be a European model because I don't believe the US models used Vitus tubing, or the Motobecane letters on the seat tube, but others can probably inform you better.

Edit-- It has the overall look of a mid-range model, whereas the US Le Champion was the top model and later the 2nd highest. I am thinking they marketed a mid-range LC for Europe or Canada or something like that. I would guess most of the components are original.

Curious. Lugs look wrong at least for US models from 1970s. Those used long point. More detail photos might help.

What kind of dropouts does it have?
https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/Motobecane/
Also according to the above they were 531 until early 80s when they switched to Columbus SL.

FWIW, that was the decal style used on mid-1970s, UK market models.

Sorry, I can't help you. I don't date Motobecanes. Only supermodels.

I think you hit the nail on the head T-Mar! It seems quite similar to the 1975 'super champion' from the Uk. Same colour/decals/dropouts/Wheels/bar/stem etc

https://www.flickr.com/photos/strongl...7602167045275/

Can't find any other catalogs to get the exact model/year but it seems to be one of the higher up UK models which equates to a lower/mid level US one. Funny that the UK ones aren't nearly as nice.

A bit of a mystery though, as to why it says "Le Champion" on the top tube.

I know, but it might be one of those mysteries that never gets solved. Unless there's an expert on mid 70's UK Motobecane's on here..... actually now that I think about it there probably is.

One more thing. I'll probably have to change to clincher rims. Am I right in thinking that these are 27inch wheels? Would any 27inch clincher rims with the appropriate hole count work on these hubs and spokes?

They already appear to be 27" clincher rims as there appears to be a Schraeder valve in the picture, at 7:00 o'clock on the front wheel.

I think it's just a bad photo, it's a presta tubular alright.