Own two modern bikes, an aluminum Trek road bike, and a steel Chinese Motobecane. The Moto is the workhorse, ridden daily to work, the Trek is the weekend floozy that's made for speed.

Also own a classic French Motobecane Grand Jubilee, much neglected over the long Colorado winter. Dusted it off over the weekend, aired up the tires, tweaked the front brake.

Took it out for a spin, and was stunned by the ride quality. Buttery smooth hardly begins to describe it. Was hooked bad, wound up riding it over and over as I couldn't get enough.

The darn thing put my newer bikes to shame.

What is it about these old frames that make them such a joy to ride?

^ yeah, what he said!

and let's hear it for "vee-too" 172, the stuff moto used in place of 531. that is some sleek feelin' tubin'!

Try not to overthink it; just ride what feels good.

I think the cushy 27" tires and the bent forks, which add wheelbase and would transmit shock differently due to the bend make a world of difference.

^ exactly. i remember the first day i rode mine after building it up. put a new brooks on it, and it felt like it was already broken in. the 23mm tires felt like 28s. i thought, "this is a cadillac." but when i ride uphill on it, it's not slugish. i still feel sleek. i think it might put me in a really efficient riding position relative to the rear wheel. does anyone feel this way toward a longer, touring bike? and the vitus 172 feels lighter than my 2" shorter 531 grand record, not because it actually is lighter, but because the tubing is not as stiff.

french existential paradox.

You just discovered the allure of French bikes. Interesting how it's dialed into even the lowest offering.

weight brings stability.

you get good feelings knowing you're hauling 2-kilos more up the hills

I used to have a '75 Motobecane Mirage many years ago and it served me well until I got a '79 Motobecane Grand Touring.
What a difference. The GT is overall better, lighter and faster. I am sure the geometry and the Vitus tubing played a role along with the 27in tires

And there there are the Grand Record, le Champion, etc.

That is one of the prettiest bikes I ever laid eyes on. Mine has that Vitus 172 tubing. The Suntour Cyclone running gear that functions flawlessly.

Oh, those silly French. They were still laboring under the delusion that lighter and stiffer isn't automatically better, and that people could actually NOTICE things like ride quality and handling. Sure is good that we don't have to put up with THOSE ideas any more. </sarcasm>

SP
OC, OR

It's all what you're used to. Going from a road-racing geometry/wheelbase to a sport-touring geometry/wheelbase, the longer wheelbase will always feel smoother. The wheelbase measurement is the single most under-appreciated predictor of bike feel. Sport-touring geometry is arguably a better choice for nonracers, but racing geometry seems to dominate the mass road bike market.

All I know for sure is that this bike rides like a dream. Was thinking that maybe I was suffering from some sort of placebo affect- that is- just riding a bike that was actually made in France had an affect somehow...

But no, after taking it out time after time it's clear. This bike is a true pleasure to ride and own. Actually the favorite of my little fleet.

I worked in a shop that sold Motobecanes in the early and mid-'70s. Great bikes. The quality of the paint and other cosmetic detailing was quite a bit higher than than of most other bikes sold in those days, and certainly above that of any other mass-market French bikes such as Peugeot and Gitane and the other Micmo-built bikes with miscellaneous labels.

Good post. The aluminum Trek has an incredibly short wheelbase, and is skittish when riding slow and turning hard. Almost biffed it while using toe straps making a u turn. The Grand Jubilee has no issues whatsoever with toe overlap, and the longer wheelbase makes for an incredibly cozy ride.

I'll be darned. Now I'm starting to get it! Have a great Memorial Day to everyone that's looking in. Time to hit the road!

I worked in a shop that sold Motobecanes in the early and mid-'70s. Great bikes. The quality of the paint and other cosmetic detailing was quite a bit higher than than of most other bikes sold in those days, and certainly above that of any other mass-market French bikes such as Peugeot and Gitane and the other Micmo-built bikes with miscellaneous labels.

They were designed and manufactured for the local conditions and riding style of the day in France, long rides at a brisk pace on lousy road surfaces. It's a formula that produced a very pleasant machine to spend an afternoon on. French cyclists were influenced by the Randonneur tradition. Racing wasn't the end-all be-all for many very experienced riders who demanded light affordable kit that would accept mudguards and handle predictably with a day-trip load on secondary road surfaces.

-Bandera

She rolls on 700c wheels and 700/28 Panaracer Pasela tyres @ 65-70 psi... I get it all the time.


1957 Peugeot PLX8 Grande

It's kind of like how my vinyl records sound so much better than cd

That is a BEAUTY!

Even my PX10 racer looks pretty relaxed compared to my Moto Grand Touring.

hell yeah.



moto's my favorite brand. and if it has cyclone or record on it, it's just that much better.

It's not surprising you like the steel GJ. There are bikes and there are bikes, if you take my meaning.

I've been cycling through my bikes for my commute and noting their differences. They are like good guitars, all good, some great, with different personalities. I'm not sure I can say why each is the way it is but I can hypothesize.

The Moto is all eager to run, like a puppy. Its wheelbase is 101cm, IIRC. It feels light. It is a pure racing machine, after all.
The Masi is also eager to run but more mature, with extremely predictable and intuitive handling as if it had psychic connection to my thoughts. Its wheelbase is 100.5, and it's my smallest frame.

The Bianch and Centurion both measured out at 102cm. Neither feels as light and responsive as the Moto or the Masi, but that could be due to wheels. Both feel extremely competent. The Centurion's steering feels a bit touchy but that could be because it has a narrower handlebar. The Bianchi's charm is its perfect fit, as if it were a part of me, and its Cyclone derailleurs which shift to perfection.

The Raleigh is the most different. At first it feels like it could be sluggish, but its steering is startlingly quick. Its wheelbase is 105cm, as expected from its age. It climbs very well but doesn't seem to jump like the Bianchi or Centurion when I accelerate, and not even close to the Moto or Masi. However it feels comfortable, robust and tolerant of the rougher roads I have to ride. I attribute most of those features to both its longer wheelbase and its wheels, 27" instead of 700c. That gives them more air volume, a slightly larger radius compared to any bump, and more moment of inertia.

I didn't even measure the Peugeot's wheelbase; it's long. It has 27" wheels too. It is quicker handling that one might expect, and handles bumps well. It's heavier but doesn't feel like it. However I used to feel it wasn't as a good a climber when when I was doing the RI commute.

I didn't measure the Bertin either. It isn't as heavy as the Peugeot but it feels like it. It is lower to the ground than all the rest. For that reason I gave it 27"x32mm tires, figuring that could be what it was built for. It seemed to help.

I suppose someone could say it's the frame angles or the fork bend, or the framistan lugs or whatever. I wouldn't know. What I do know is, Peugeot and Bertin excepted, they are all good or great. Even the Peugeot and Bertin are fun to ride.