Hellarar

So, I just came into a Motobecane Grand Touring, I believe it's from 1976 considering catalog research and the fact that my dad bought it when he was about 20. It's in lovely shape despite sitting in a garage for 10 years since he broke his back. Everything is functional, even the old tires, just pumped it up and it feels great. Good size for me too.

I'm posting with a few basic questions to get a feel for planning the conversion, first of which is am I going to get crucified for wanting to convert this thing in the first place?

If not, I found my dad replaced the wheels on it (he thinks about 12 years ago), and they appear nice. Am I correct in assuming I can't reuse the rear if I want to go fixed?

As for bars, these are great, but aesthetically I love the look of bullhorns/pursuit bars. Are these appropriate for general commuting/riding around the city? I intend to run at least a front brake. Rear as well if I don't go fixed gear. I'm undecided yet if SS or FG is right for me, and will take any recommendations on the subject.

I'm located in Chicago about a mile from a nice LBs called Rapid Transit, and already spoke to a mechanic there who's comfortable working on old French bikes, so I'll probably be there a bunch. Thanks in advance, and I've l left a link to my Flickr since my phone won't let me attach photos.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/7397832...57631056364230

ianjk

If it were mine and in working order, I'd leave it.

If you decide that it has too many gears, don't hack it up and tarck it out. You can buy a decent hipster tarck bike for next to nothing these days, no reason to ruin your father's classic bike trying to imitate something you can get delivered to your door for peanuts.

Hellarar

I have to say, I guess I expected that. In my defense I don't want to destroy the original components. I have no intent of modifying the frame or chopping the stock bars or destroying anything that can't be replaced. Is there any reason I can't modify it to fgss without ruining it as long as I keep the changes relatively reversible and tasteful?

Cynikal 

For me it's an aesthetic choice. You are taking a very classic looking bike and putting more aggressive modern parts (bullhorns) on it. That never looks right to me but that is a subjective decision. I would advise you to look at a newer frame for a track bike. Just my 2 cents.

GENESTARWIND

its a bike, its ment to be ridden. convert it to a fixed gear and enjoy it bro. do not listen to idiots who say OMGOMGOMGOMG DONT RUIN IT!!!!!!!!. its a ****ing bike. make it what you want it to be and ride it and enjoy it.

good luck on your conversion bro!
www.bicyclewheels.com has a set of all black m13's to formula hubs that would look good on that frame

Jaytron

Leave it.

ianjk

I'm not an idiot. I just feel that the OP would be kicking himself down the road if he turned a cool bike with sentimental value into a dime-a-dozen hipster trophy.

nick burns

Here's my '77 GT conversion:



Fun bike and I ride it a lot more as fixed than I used to in stock form. Great around town bike.

nick burns

A more recent pic

silent_chief

Leave it.

nick burns

The nice thing about his frame is there is not much he could do to it that would prevent him from returning it to original. The only braze on is the derailleur hanger. Besides, it's not like the Grand Touring was the pinnacle of Motobecane's lineup in 1976. It's just about a perfect candidate for conversion. As long as he doesn't toss the original parts, what's the big deal?

zukahn1 

+1 on this you can get a new or already nicely converted bike ss/fg fairly cheap starting around $150-200. Which close to what it would cost to do a nicer conversion on this classic. So you should probably just get some new tires and leave it as it is.

ianjk

I've got nothing wrong with tossing a wheel an chain on and riding it fixed. I love hacking stuff up (build chopper/cafe/whatever I feel like building motorcycles), I would never consider cutting into something that isnt past its prime, especially if it is something cool, like my father's old bike in good/working condition. Thought the OP might want to tarck it out... Which IMO would be a shame.

fuzz2050

You're absolutely right; well almost. Convert it and ride it. But use silver wheels. Keep the brakes, keep the bars, just loose the derailer and shifters. Classic bikes make great looking conversions, just keep it looking classic, stick with silver components, maybe add some gum wall tires.

SteamingAlong

Rumor has it French bikes can be a bear to convert....

I've tossed around the idea of converting my Jubile Sport, but it's still too much fun to ride, when I do get around to riding it.

nick burns

Only if you need to replace the bottom bracket, they were getting a little hard to find without paying a mint. VeloOrange has decent french thread bb's for $50, and even a no thread at $66 if you have Swiss threads and don't want to pay for a Phil Wood. They stock French thread headsets too if you need one.

Hellarar

Yeah, there appears to have been a misunderstanding. I don't know what "tarck" means or why it would be a hipster bike just because I'd like to simplify it a bit. This isn't a ascene I'm embroiled in, and it is my first non-bmx I've owned. Its sentimental value lies in giving it continued usage, my dad didn't leave it stock, he upgraded it to perform for exercise purposes. I'm upgrading it for day-to-day commuting and aesthetic purposes, and I don't believe that devalues it in any way.

My vision has been to keep brakes on it, though an upgrade is likely in store. Also the original Moto crank (it's quite sharp looking) if that's possible. That with gum-wall tires, a brown leather saddle and pursuit bars wrapped in brown with bar-end levers would be a nice mix of classic and modern, I think.

As for silver wheels, I don't know where to go, but I saw a bike with gorgeous near-bronze wheels the other day on here and thought those would be gorgeous on this build. Too much?

ThermionicScott 

I'd have to see pics of those wheels, but it sounds like you want to take this in a classy enough direction.

ddeadserious

For wheels, go here: https://www.velomine.com/index.php?ma...x&cPath=87_172

himespau 

Might run into problems if you want to change the crankset as your bb shell is going to be french threaded and french threaded bb's are harder to find these days than english or italian (not impossible though). Edit: someone mentioned V/O's helpful parts in this regard making it easier.

If you don't change the crank, you might have a hard time getting the best chainline.

How are the dropouts? Horizontal? Vertical? You going to need a chain tensioner or eccentric BB? (Those add to the cost of a change).

Overall, I'd just keep it as is, but it's up to you.

My reason for keeping it is that I've spend God knows how much money trying to convert an early 90's rigid mountain bike into a bombproof drop bar commuter, and it does what I want it to (other than fitting just "ok" and having lots of compromises due to buying a bike before I understood fit), but what started out as a cheap $100 craigslist bike has ended up costing me more than a rather nice brand new road bike (don't know how much I've spent but it's got to be over Long Haul Trucker or Cross Check - basically what I've been trying to create on my own - level money by now).

Would have been much cheaper to go to a shop and buy exactly what I wanted in a size that fit me perfectly. Of course I know that now, not $xxxx ago.

If you're really attached to this frame and want to learn a bit more about bike mechanics, go for it, but don't go in thinking you're going to save any money over buying new or get something better than buying new. Might be more unique or a way to keep something you care about in use, but isn't going to save you any more. Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer, but at least that's my experience.

Hellarar

See, these are the things I need to know. The dropouts are horizontal. Am I going to need a tensioner or eccentric BB? What would dictate whether my bottom bracket needs replacing at all? I'm aware this isn't the easiest way, but I like the thought of giving this thing renewed life, so it's a project I'd like to take on. First thing to change are the pedals as the shoes for these are long gone (and wouldn't fit anyway) and I'd rather ride clips than clipless.

Edit: And the size is perfect, I'm just a half inch taller than my dad, and it feels like for French fit it's right on the money for me.

himespau 

If you're horizontal, that'll make going SS/FG much easier. Won't need a tensioner as long as you can slide the wheel back and forth to get proper tension (within limits). If you change cranks and your new one needs a different spindle length, you'll either need a new spindle or a whole knew BB. If your inner ring has a number of teeth that'll work for you, you might not need to change cranksets (so that's money saved in crankset and bb).

nick burns

When I converted my Grand Touring I flipped the bottom bracket spindle around and mounted the outer chainring on the inner face of the crank arm. This gave me near perfect chainline.

The horizontal dropouts give just enough room to get proper chain tension.

The only things you will need to purchase are shorty stack bolts for the crank since you will be going from two chainrings to one, a rear wheel, cog and lockring, and new chain. Well, aside from the handlebars that you want. Pretty cheap and easy conversion.

Some good reading:
https://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

ianjk

Tarck this is, yes.



Just because you can, it doesnt mean you should...

nick burns

Also, if you do decide at some point to replace the bottom bracket, your shell is Swiss threaded.