Bob H’s Motobecane Grand Touring

Posted

Long time Cotter, Bob H’s, has reemerged with today’s fine contribution to the Gallery. This is his Motobecane Grand Touring. I don’t want to hear ONE WORD about the rack!

The ‘before’ pic is as I purchased it from a thrift store in northern Wisconssin several years ago. I had Dream Bikes, a shop which is a joint venture between Trek and the Boys and Girls Club, completely go through the bike in 2010.

I have ridden it quite a bit and unfortunately managed to put a couple nasty gouges in the paint on the top tube. Also the beautiful Ideale saddle is hors du combat.

The bike needs a couple of tweaks and I do plan to replace the tires with something wider and add some more correct fenders and maybe another Ideale saddle as well.

Specs:

Reynolds?/60″/unknown
SR World Champion/3TTT
Motobecane/Stronlight Competition
27″/Avocet/Super Champion/Bontrager
27″/Avocet/Super Champion/Bontrager
Campagnolo
Ideale/stock seat post
Campagnolo
Shimano barcons/Huret front/Shimano Crane GS rear
Shimnao Dura-Ace
Campy chainrings, Blackburn rack, Weyless bottle cage, Jelly Bell, shellaced bars, Planet Bike fenders

Related posts:

  1. Doc Sprocket’s 1969 JC Higgins
  2. Beau O’s 1984 Raleigh Gran Sport
  3. Rick S’s 1980 Motobecane Grand Touring
  4. Pete C’s 1976 Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2
  5. Bob H.’s 1985 Schwinn Le Tour (Ol’ Blue)
  • Ryan Surface

    Bob I love me some Motobecane and that GT is a beauty! I’ve always like the red with black panels and the gold trim really makes those lugs pop. Very nice find by the time I get to the thrift store they have replaced all the Motobecanes, Legnano’s, Bianchi’s and Carlton’s with Sears, J.C. Penny and Schwinn Varsity bikes!

    Based on the MB catalogs the GT’s had special tubing (Vitus initially) as early as 1977 but didn’t come stock with bar-end shifters until the 80’s so its a good bet you got some sweet steel main tubes on your sweet ride.

  • BeaterRezQ

    Bob H.,
    What a beauty; lovely lugs, red and black color scheme to match awesome “real” headbadge, nice mixed set of vintage components…all from a thrift store, ‘magine that? Musta been the “padded” seat that made the unknowing onlookers pass her by and leave her waiting for you. Nice find, what luck!
    BRQ

    • BeaterRezQ

      …also, glad you chose rack above padded seat. Good move.

  • Docsprocket

    THIS IS SWEEEETT BOB MY FAVORITE COLOR COMBO

  • Gshaw

    I’m looking for touch-up paint for a 1981 blue Grand Touring model. Does anyone have any ideas?
    greg
    gshaw@iwu.edu

    • DOCSPROCKET

      CHECK YOUR LOCAL HOBBIE STORE
      IN MANY CASES I USE MODEL PAINT
      YOU CAN ALSO USE TOUCH UP PAINT FROM THE CRAGEN AUTO PARTS
      YOU CAN ALSO USE YOUR LOCAL AUTO DEALER LARGE VARITY YOU PAY A LITTLE MORE
      BUT YOUR BEST BET IS MODEL PAINTS
      I USED MODELERS PAINT TO TOUCH UP THIS FRAME IN SEVERAL SPOTS