# New acquisition: Motobecane trying to date - high end



## led (Nov 3, 2018)

Hi,
Just got this nice bike. I'm thinking from the late 70s to early 80s. Pumped up the tires and can already tell it's a nice ride. Surprisingly light. One or two small areas of rust - would like to do what I can with those to keep them from getting worse. Some scuffs and scrapes here and there but overall seems in great shape and unmolested. Any observations are welcome!


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## juvela (Nov 3, 2018)

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thanks very much for sharing this beauty!

your dating looks spot on from here.  doubt it cuold be much earlier than '78 nor later than '80.

the 105bis chainset launched 1977 so that provides one dating bracket.

the Success front mech nr. 975 is CPSC compliant so that provides another date.  its companion rear is item nr. 2460.  launch for these was 1977-78.

the three Freres Huret components will be marked with a four digit date code.

the first two numerals are the week of the year and the second two are the year.

curious about the three-piece hubs.  the skewers appear Maillard but do not recognise the hubs.  do they bear a marking?  suspecting something from Etablissements Perrin (Pelissier).

frame constructed of BOCAMA lugset Competiiton 76 with cutout pattern R1.  ends set is Huret type 1977.  drive side dropout incorporates an integral chainstay stop.  dropouts are nr. 241 (drive side) & 240 (off side).  fork ends are of the type 1977 set as well.  drive side is item nr. 245 and off side is nr. 244.

headset appears Motobecane-Hatta.

unsure of pedals, are they Super Olimpic?

the head emblem is an interesting one.  it is 3-D injection moulded plastic which is affixed with adhesive but which also has a locator button/peg in the centre of the backside.  this peg snaps into a small hole in the head tube.

luv this colour; thanks again for posting.

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## bulldog1935 (Nov 3, 2018)

Huret Eco-par, Weinmann side pulls - definitely 80s.
Paint scheme matches '82-83 - I think it's a Team Champion with the Columbus SL - though the derailleurs are odd
Or maybe it's a Prolight that someone added the Columbus decals.  
Unfortunately Mark's catalog for that year isn't the best resolution









http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/catalogs/motobecane/


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## juvela (Nov 3, 2018)

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hello led,

as regards date and model this web site permits one to browse the manufacturer catalogues for the period 1972--1985.

went through several years without finding a close match for your machine.  catalogues are english language so suspect they illustrate export models manufactured to shipment to the english speaking world.

perhaps your bicycle was constructed for the domestic french, or other, market...

http://labibleduvelocataloguesmotobecane.blogspot.com/

if nothing else, you should be able to read a specific date from the Huret fittings.

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## led (Nov 3, 2018)

Thank you for the replies! I think it might be for the European market - maybe a C4c. On a par with Le Champion in USA. Hubs say Alpin. Pedals say Rewax and the clips say chrisophe special (took them off temporarily).


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## juvela (Nov 3, 2018)

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Thanks very much for the response and additional information.  

Alpin hubs and REWAX pedals are not oft encountered items.  No wonder did not recognise them.  

REWAX name best known for headsets and bottom brackets.

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## led (Nov 3, 2018)

Wish I could find a French catalogue for 1980 or so...


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## juvela (Nov 3, 2018)

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_Bien sur, j'ai trouve!  _

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This blue example dated by its french owner as 1978--79.

Looking like the Alpin badge does indeed belong to Perrin.

Fine detective work on your part determining the model name.

https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=20423

[click on fotos to view enlarge-a-mente]

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## led (Nov 3, 2018)

Awesome! Thank you.


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## juvela (Nov 3, 2018)

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Ran across two verdurous close cousins built of Reynolds whose nativity abides within the 1978 annum -

https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=14279&p=163230

https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=7008

(On first machine left arm replaced with Gipiemme CronoSpecial and pedals replaced with Mikashima.)

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## juvela (Nov 3, 2018)

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Gold examples produced as well.

C5 of 1979 -






(click to enlarge)

Catalogue of 1979 showing this model here -

https://www.scribd.com/doc/19690571/Motobecane-catalogue-1979

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## juvela (Nov 3, 2018)

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Note on hubs -

Alpin not produced by Perrin, my error.

Manufactured by Societe Nouvelle de Roulemnets (SNR).











Launch looks to have been 1976.

Juy (Simplex) skewers are stock.

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## anders1 (Nov 3, 2018)

Cool... welcome.


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## juvela (Nov 4, 2018)

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Here is another gold C5 with a 1979 birthday.

Its nick not nearly so fine as our subject machine, looks to be all original.




















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1979 catalogue page -


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## led (Nov 4, 2018)

Lots of great info here now! Juvela doing a lot of heavy lifting. Here is a pic of the derailleur showing the date to be 02 78. So does that mean the bike is a 1978 or could it still be a 1979?


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## led (Nov 4, 2018)

After looking at French 1978 and 1979 catalogs I am now leaning towards 1979 C5. Specs seem to fit.


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## juvela (Nov 4, 2018)

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Yes indeed, "I think you've got it!"  

Note on Huret fittings date -

the 1978 model C5's found online wear Reynolds transfers while the 1979's wear those of A.L. Colombo.  it is entirely possible of course that the two may overlap, perhaps in both directions.  such that we may find '78's with Dove markings and '79's with 531 transfers.  manufacturer catalogues, brochures and specifications crosstables typically have a fine print disclaimer down at he bottom or on their back covers stating something to the effect that "Specifications may vary without notice."   

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My automobile has a matriculation transfer on its door jamb from the manufacturer stating it was constructed in February of 1992.  Yet it was sold and registered in all of its records as a 1993 model.

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Another avenue of date/model year you may wish to explore is serial number.  You could check to see if there be a registry for the MB marque...

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BTW - have you checked the underside of the saddle for markings?  wondering if it may be an MB marked Tron et Berthet model 2001.

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## Mr.RED (Nov 4, 2018)

I had the same bike a few years ago the in lavender, Motobecane made the C5 as a European market only model similar to the Le Champion.  I think mine was also a 1979 sweet bike I regret selling mine cause you dont see them often but I had a collector poney up for it so off it went.


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## led (Nov 5, 2018)

juvela said:


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> 
> BTW - have you checked the underside of the saddle for markings?  wondering if it may be an MB marked Tron et Berthet model 2001.
> 
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The only writing I see other than the M Criterium is SR Laprade.


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## juvela (Nov 5, 2018)

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Thanks for posting your example Mr.RED  

Noticed it left Pantin with clamp-on shift levers rather than the braze-on set of the subject machine.

Did 1979 models come through both ways?

The lavender colour is very pale compared with that of the bicycle shown in the catalogue page posted above.  Perhaps two lavenders were used during the course of the model year...(?)

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## Mr.RED (Nov 6, 2018)

I owned the a tan and a lavender 1979 C5 and somehow they both ended up with the same collector. I think the quality and lighting on the catalog pic doesn't do the color any justice. I bought a good size collection of Motobecane race bikes off a guy who either was a Motobecane rep or raced on their team in the late 1970's but this collection had all the high end models and that's was the first time I ever saw the C5.  Needless to say I spent 2 years selling off those Motos and didn't even get to keep one.


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