What is this Bike?

[Buckers24]

Hi There, I am parting ways with my Moto Becann e racing bike, I think it is an early 80's bike but I really don't know the value of it or any history. Does anyone know about these bikes? Or what I could get for selling it?

Thanks!

 

[biggs682]

@Buckers24 welcome to the forum

Best way i reckon to date this Motobecane is to have a look for date codes on either the wheel hubs and or brake calipers

As for value i would say that in the current depressed market i would suggest somewhere between £50 and £70 on a good day and slightly less on a bad one

 

[Drago]

I'd go with Biggs's on this. It's not an especially exciting spec, nor does it have any (known) historical connections, it's just an old bike. That said, it looks like a very clean and functional old steed with plenty of life left in it, so 50-70 sovs would be about eight I reckon.

 

[Cycleops]

I would also have thought about fifty quid but a quick check on Gumtree showed several from twenty to over two hundred, some in poor condition.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/...ed-warranty-welcome-for-cup-of-tea/1328042707
Yours is all original and appears in good condition.

 

[Drago]

I would also have thought about fifty quid but a quick check on Gumtree showed several from twenty to over two hundred, some in poor condition.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/...ed-warranty-welcome-for-cup-of-tea/1328042707
Yours is all original and appears in good condition.

The rather lovely bike in the ad is quite a different beast to the OPs steed.

 

[Illaveago]

I think they are a French company which has been around for quite a few years.

 

[Drago]

Looking at it more closely, the frame construction is interesting. Reminiscent of the old Claud Butler bi-laminate lugs.

 

[Illaveago]

Hi and

 

[Illaveago]

Looking at it more closely, the frame construction is interesting. Reminiscent of the old Claud Butler bi-laminate lugs.

You just beat me to it!

I was just looking at it thinking that it was a lugged lugless frame! A bit of a strange mix which is new to me .

 

[Illaveago]

I think the appearance of the bike would be improved with some handlebar tape .

 

[Illaveago]

Did a bit of research! The French company became bankrupt in the early to mid 80's, the company was bought and became MBK producing bikes in the far East.
Being a French company they tended to use non standard bottom bracket and headset threaded components. The drive side cup could be R/H thread or Swiss L/H thread.
The upside is that some early bikes are quite collectable but it all depends on when it was made , model and how it was constructed.

 

[Illaveago]

The front forks are 28-19 Cromolly.

 

[12boy]

That is an interesting bike, wonder what the frame is made of. The cranks and derailleur look old to me, but french bikes like that are unusual in my neck of the woods.

 

[nonowt]

the frame is Motobecane's own 2040 tubing aka hi-ten steel/gas pipe. There are some Motobecane catalogues here:

http://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=26670

...but this model isn't in them - so i'd guess it was 1980-2? Value-wise, I'd agree with @biggs682 (who wouldn't!?!).

 

[Smokin Joe]

Motobecane were frame suppliers to the Bic pro team when Jan Jansens rode one to victory in the 1968 Tour de France, although the frame he rode was probably built by someone else and painted and badged in Bic team colours. Motobecane were not noted as anything more than a run of the mill manufacturer and they also made childrens scooters which were sold quite widely in this country.