The final conclusion I came to was that that C5 of mine might be newer than I thought and possibly 82. Don't remember why I came to that conclusion right now but I recall it had something to do with going through all possible catalogs, photos and scraps of information I could find. The combo was somewhat weird, with Titane RD and Success FD from the 70's, with some unusual version of the Stronglight 105 TER crankset probably from the 80's (looking like later Spidel versions, but still with Stronglight markings), with Turbo saddle from 1985 (probably later "upgrade") and Weinmann concave rims. So it was a bit like someone has thrown whatever parts they had left. Which they were probably doing after the brand was sold out and the stocks were getting cleared...

Here is a list of serial numbers people have posted to this thread over the years. I compiled it to date a couple of mid-70's Motos I have. There are discontinuities and likely some errors, but I have indicated the post # sou you can check the source data yourself. The serial numbers appear to be somewhat serial. The other numbers I'll leave to others. Hope this is helpful.

05315492 BB 1983/84 C5 square headbadge adhesive mounted - dating based on components which appear to be original to the bicycle - the rear hub was made in 83

Is there an actual Motobecane Serial Number database that resulted from this very long thread? Thanks, Mark

Motobecane Grand Jubile
serial 4856562
tan with brown accents
Japan drive train. Sold the bike before I got all the component codes.
I'm guessing 1980 or 1981 for now.

see post #157 for a brief list. Looks like the numbers were just sequentially incremented over the years covered.

For an analysis of Motobecane serial numbers try looking at the thread on a French language forum:

tontonvelo Motobecane

Motobecane filed for bankruptcy in 1981. The above thread examines serial numbers between the years 1968 - 1982.

I have three Motobecanes: 1976 Grand Record (bought new by me), 1979 Super Mirage (put together from parts but now a 18 speeds touring bike) and unknown year SprinTour road bike. Although in ridable condition, none of them have all of the original equipment, upgraded where possible or put together from parts on hand. Wish there was someway to definitely identify the years; but some of the bottom brackets have unreadable numbers from which I do not want to remove the paint. If that time comes, I will continue to come back to this site to figure out what the stable really is...
Thanks for all of the collaboration; you all keep the Motobecane heritage alive!

This thread sounds more like "Show us your Motobecane,we'll try to figure out the date" more than anything. Which works for me actually, since I'm drooling over some pictures of some nice bikes, and getting some ideas on what may or may not be the original equipment for my early 70s Motobecane Mirage (?) mixte

I don't think the serial numbers have been decoded. They probably meant something to the factory workers, accountants and management and probably do contain something about the year and month the frame was made. Shame we don't have those records
But in any case, there's no harm in sharing nice images of nice bicycles and trying to figure out when they were made
Another serial number will be coming in shortly. Hopefully tomorrow, fingers crossed.

Here's one for the Francophiles. It's a recent CL purchase and currently in full tear down mode. It's an uncommon model from what the innerwebs tells me is the second model down from the 'Tour de France' in Motobecane's 'atelier artisinale' lineup. Here are some pix including the bottom bracket serial and matching fork stamp.





Any information is very much appreciated!
Merci beaucoup!

1973. Because, why not? Gut feeling, paint style, fork crown style and such.
And seriously, more photos might be required, especially the lugs and head badge and the decal on the top tube. Reynolds decals on the fork might help with putting a date on the frame. Anything stamped on the dropouts?
Crankset seems to be Stronglight 93, which I believe was made from the early 70's. That Campy should have a date stamp somewhere, but considering the FD seems to be Huret, I'd check the date stamp on that as well. I don't recognise that FD, the decal on it looks a bit unusual. Could be Success, Challenger, 700... Seeing the adjuster screws, clamp style and the cage decal up close could be useful. It should have a date on the inner cage plate. My guess would be that one of the derailleurs was replaced, for whatever reason.
Whatever it is, it's on par with the two top models.

You made quick work of that!
Below is a link with more fotos. I have surmised, like yourself, that the derailleurs are replacements. My guess is it would have been Huret Jubilee 2200 front and back. The Nuovo Record has the 74 stamp, but the frame has Huret dropouts, and the rear have the older 4 o'clock notch. Also the saddle is a Freccia d'Oro plastic deal which, while period correct, will NOT be kept on the bike.
There's not too much about the Motobecane atelier bikes online save for some hits about the Tour de France model that have some catalog shots. The Criterium has scant information. The one interesting thing is that they did 'bespoke' builds and did the team bikes as well. I was wondering if the serial number is basically a work order number for a custom build? Hmmm...
Here are the fotos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/194581...7720315666495/

OK, the frame arrived today. Paint and decal look original (brilliant blue, it's more brilliant in real life than in the photos) - tubing decals are not applied perfectly, I think if this was done as part of repaint job, they would be immaculate, but that's a speculation on my side. Even if this was a repaint, I don't think I would mind, it's a quality job. The frame and paint are in fabulous condition, there are just some minor signs it was built up at some point, but looks like an ex-shop display (as seller described it). There are some tyre marks on the chainstays, so it was ridden at some point, but that will be a minor touch up. Few scuff marks which should come off with some detergent and then perhaps a bit of buffing. I was hoping it will be a bit bigger as it's on the shorter end of my size, but perhaps I will be able to compensate a bit with a longer stem and seatpost. Still minimally heavier then B. Carre Super Vitus 971 frame I'm currently working on, despite that one being taller.
The biggest surprise is the BB shell threading. It's French, I was totally nit expecting that. I'd rather it was Swiss, because I have Swiss-threaded Stronglight Competition BB I was planning to use. Thankfully, I've just received a set of French cups, thanks to generosity of Mad Honk, so I will just have to figure out some spindle with ISO taper and the correct length and hopefully find something suitable in my parts box.

Other than numbers visible in the photos, lugs are stamped with BCM (Bocama). Seat lug has 72 stamped on it (angle). 28's stamped on the BB shell signify all tubes are metric. Huret stamped fork dropouts. NERVOR stamped on the steerer is still a puzzle. A78? Would that be the production year? Looks possible, comparing with the catalogs.

The paint looks very nice, actually. Few places where it could be touched up, but nothing major. A bit of cleanup and perhaps clear coat over the scuffs might be enough. And I love the colour scheme.
As for the Weinmann hoods I think I've seen similar coloured ones in old catalogs. Overall, all these parts would polish very nicely, if you have the patience. I am more lazy these days than I used to be and use rotary tool for that and then Peek polishing paste and microfibre cloth. Looks decent enough. Few years back I would have done it by hand, finishing at 5000 grit sandpaper and then the polishing paste, but it was too time consuming.
Hubs are Normandy Luxe Competition, I see. That would have been pretty much top of the line when the bicycle was made. I have a low flange version of them, but with a red label.
It looks like a great bicycle, I'm sure it will make a fantastic ride when you're done with the overhaul. Yeah, the saddle is probably not the best choice. I sold one of these a few years back because if there is someone it's comfortable for, that person isn't me for sure

I had to laugh at the scramble of numbers on the bottom bracket. No wonder we have such a tricky time knowing the production dates of Motos! Beautiful frame never-the-less.

I had another Moto C5 frame, that one had probably as many. For some reason they liked going crazy with stamping. So it either must have meant something and be part of the famous French beaurocracy, or they had a very dedicated person with too much time on their hands. Shame the records and procedures didn't survive.

The Criterium definitely appeared in the French language Motobècane catalogs in the late 1960s, very similarly equipped to what we see in the photo here. That far back it would have had Huret Allvit derailleurs (likely what the FR and shifters are here) that would have been likely candidates for replacement over the years

I wish I had enough hours in my days off to give them that sort of attention. Usually I strip the frame all the way down and clean all metal parts with mineral spirits then all aluminum gets hand polished with Mother's Mag. Chrome gets 0000 steel wool. That's enough elbow grease for me, thank you!

Thanks for this. I can see you would be the person to speak to about this era Motobecane! Would you agree with my guess that a 72 or 73 might have nicer Huret derailleurs? The Campag on there now must be a replacement, as the stop position of the derailleur does not work well with the stop position on the Huret dropout.

Bargo68, the unusual stamped number is unlikely to be of much help. I'm afraid my knowledge of the Criterium model is pretty thin and surviving published materials from Motobècane for it are also scarce. This bike could possibly be from 1972-73 as you're thinking but I'm guessing perhaps a few years earlier. It clearly was equipped originally with a Huret Allvit groupset (very popular in the 60s) with the Campagnolo Nuovo Record rear mech added later. The components in your photos were all being used in the late '60s. A 1966 brochure shows the Criterium in Reynolds 531 (likely 3 main tubes), half chromed fork, Weinmann 999s with light hoods, tubular rims, etc. and with a Brooks B15 saddle. In the 1966 brochure it lists a TA crankset and Pivo stem so your bike might also be a year or two different.

Great bike. In what country did you find it?

Thanks for the help! Agreed, the information online is also very scarce. This is the one page that has really helped so far:

It is from a 1973 catalog and there are a few discrepancies between it and my bike: different crankset and brakes being the most notable. But it's the closest I've found to a match.
Oh well, let's just chalk it up to the wonderful mysteries of French bicycle production.
And I found the bike on Craigslist from a posting in Walnut Creek, a suburb in the bay area of California. Walnut Creek is the home of Rivendell bicycles, if you're familiar, and the gentleman who sold it to me had a pair of Rivendells and quite a few other nice items of local interest. He had a couple frames custom built in Japan and sold in a Berkeley store called Jitensha that were beautiful!

yep, the serial number on my Motobecane Mixte is......1750022 with a little Y33 after it at an angle. This is on the rear left dropout.

Pictures to follow when i post uh... 8 more posts i think!

It looks the saddle is original to the bicycle then. Not sure what they were thinking
I guess if you have Huret dropouts and Huret RD hanger, you might as well go Jubilee route. Here's a FD and here the rear one. This one is in the UK, but looks like it's for a Huret standard hanger and it's probably still cheaper than the cheapest one I've seen on eBay US. And looks decent. You could look for a late 70's model with Campagnolo adapter plate, D'Israeli gears mention it might work with an old Huret dropout after removing that plate and it may well be the case.
Plenty of Mafac Racers on eBay as well. Not sure if they are any better than Weinmann Veinqueur. Never used Racers, very happy with Vainqueurs. Mafac are probably lighter, but I also preferred the design of the Weinmann ones (I like the idea of recessed head of the centre bolt as well as shorter springs pressing against protrusions on the arms as opposed on the brake pad mounting nut).

I have many sets of Mafac Racers, I can't really attest to how well they work, but i find they have a lot more adjustment to where you can put the pads, and they just have a really cool look to them. I'm saving a pair for a Peugeot PX-10 I'm building up now