# 1950(?) Monfor Cycles, Fabrication Motobecane



## IngoMike (Mar 14, 2018)

Not my usual purchase, but I liked the age and the rear derailleur so I brought it home. I did a days worth of research and could not find much/any info., I am hoping someone here might have something to share.........


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## juvela (Mar 14, 2018)

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Very nice find; thank you for sharing it!

Motobecane had a number of badges.  Some of the others included Motoconfort, Astra, Orly & Dynamax.  They also did contract builds for chain stores which bore house brand names.

The chainset is later than the machine and assembled from bits.  Three manufacturers are represented just in the arms and chainwheel.

In addition to lugless construction like your bicycle they also did combination construction where the head is lugged and the seat joint and bottom bracket are lugless.

Will be interested to learn if bottom bracket is Swiss threaded.

Is wheel size 700C?   What make are rims?  Rigida Superchromix perhaps?

Terrific job with the pictures!

Here is a juvenile example of the marque -


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## IngoMike (Mar 15, 2018)

Thank you for the info.

There are two different tires, Hutchinson Cord & Barum, both of which are 28", the rims are stamped Rigida C. 
I would not know a Swiss thread if I met one, and I doubt I get that far on this one before it rides off to someone else.


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## juvela (Mar 15, 2018)

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History -

Motobecane founded in 1924 and began production in 1925.  The Motoconfort badge launched in 1926.  Have not found launch date for Monfor badge.  A writer states that the Monfor badge was subsumed into the Motoconfort one in 1976.  Do not know if this accurate.

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Small tip -

The nut on the bicycle's ALGI seat binder bolt is on backwards.  The smooth machined looking circle which can be seenfacing outward  is intended to butt up against a plain flat washer.  The other side of the nut has a sharp edge which when pressed into the seat binder ear, as we apparently have it here, causes galling.  Nut is not of a false acorn design.  Please add a washer if one not present.

Sharp edge visible here:



 

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Here are two adult Monfor cycles, a gent's and a berceau -


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