Motobecane Serial Number Database
Motobecane Grand Record, 2nd from the top of the line. The main triangle is very desirable Reynolds 531 double butted tubing and it should have Campagnolo dropouts. Decals and head badge suggest pre-1974 while the combination of Weinmann brakes and Reynolds 531 forks suggest post 1970.
So, it would appear to be circa 1971-1973. Motobecane appears to have used a sequential serial number format, with no year indicator, however based on the samples in my database we still be able to narrow it down. The rear derailleur should also have a patent date adjacent to the cable housing recess, which should be close to the build date. This model was marketed as a upscale touring model but that was mainly due to the presence of clincher wheelset as opposed to tubulars.
However those look like they may be tubular wheels, which would at least explain the atypical Campagnolo Tipo hubset. It's a nice model on the cusp between mid-range and high end and appears to be in good shape for it's age. The problem is that it also brings the idosyncrasies associated with French bicycles of the era.
Stems and posts are slightly undersize compared to most lighweights. Most threading will be French. French sized/threaded replacement parts can harder to find and more expensive. The Stronglight crankset has a proprietary extractor threading and requires the proper remover.
Aftermarket ones are still available but quite expensive. Still, this is a very desirable model and, for most owners, warrants the extra effort associate with the French heritage. Congratulations, it's a nice acquisition.
Those bikes are still popular, especially for building up rando bikes. It's a great find and will make a sweet ride.
Panaracer Paselas are very good 27' clinchers, available in 1', 1-1/8' or 1-1/4'. Probably all you need to do is service the bearings and replace the tires. Yes, the crank threads are 23.35mm and people offering crank puller tools on ebay want about $100 for them (a couple are currently listed). Otherwise, I don't see you need much for parts. Between this forum and CR, you might be able to find someone who will let you borrow one with a deposit. Sheldon has the details on French threading You can really improve those brakes by replacing the pads with Kool Stop Dura cartridges (based on my 40 years of high-load Weinmann use).
Except that those may not be clinchers on the bicycle. It appears that a previous owner may have converted from the OEM clinchers, as those look like Clement tubular tires on Fiamme red label tubular rims. (Hence, the Campagnolo Tipo hubs versus the typical Normandy). Plus, the brake pads appear to be sitting lower than normal in the mounting slots, which would be indicative of the 4mm smaller bead seat radius of tubulars versus 27'clinchers. So, the owner may also have the decision of whether he wants the immediate expense of converting to an OEM clincher style wheelset or put up with the long term expense and relative fragility of tubulars.
Given that THE owner is a Schwinn person, he may find the tubular experience to be frustrating, unless he's familiar with Paramounts. As for Stronglight crank pullers, there is a far cheaper, though still expensive option. Stein manufactures Stronglight and TA pullers. You can purchase them through several mail order shops, such as Velo-Orange, for about $55.00 US.
However, the ride quality of good tubulars for many of us make up for the trouble of learning to glue them. (still nice to have a clincher wheelset sitting around to swap) There is also an easy flat kit that will get you home from a flat - a 2-oz bottle of Stan's plus 1/4-oz bottle of Zap-a-gap, and a valve core tool note that also requires removable valve cores, which are typical of higher-grade tires the good news is it's not difficult to find a reasonably priced clincher wheelset with 120mm rear axle spacing, which will take a comparable freewheel. Most new pre-built clincher wheelsets with that rear axle spacing and taking a 5-speed freewheel are going to be 27 inch (which would get you back to Panaracer tires). Most trouble and expense with best result would probably be building up a 700c clincher wheelset, because of the big range of modern tires available.
Just brought this home tonight. I believe fork, 700C rims w/ s.s. Spokes and brakes are likely not original, not sure about the rest.
I'm guessing someone spent some time putting this together as a close-to-stock bike. Campy almost everything. Cinelli stem, Mafac brakes. Any thoughts/comments welcome. Guessing early-mid 70's but I don't really know. I haven't ridden a bike for probably 15 years I had my brother's Grand Record while he was in the Peace Corps (Lesotho) in the late 70's. He came back and stayed with us in Berkeley while he got it in shape and then rode it up the coast into Canada, across and down to my other brother's in Long Island.
Came across this bike yesterday on CL and felt like it might oughta be mine and so it is. I have a Grand Record frame that I got with some parts I assume were original. It came to me with headset, stem, bars, bottom bracket, seat post, and saddle, but that's it. I'm fairly certain it's a 72 or 73 based on what I can glean from catalogs and pics of other bikes on the web. Reynolds 531 main tubes - Maes bend bars (I'm assuming, since no markings) - No chrome 'socks' on the fork It's not critical that I age this bike, since I am taking some liberties with the build (Suntour drivetrain, Stronglight 93 crank), but I just bought a backup set of Campy NR drivetrain parts from a 72 Mondia in case I ever want to restore it. It'd be nice to know if the Campy parts are the right year, just for my own edification.
Left dropout has the number '1263931' Right dropout has the number '4216' Here are some pics - ignore the placeholder wheels from my old UO-8. OK people, I've only got another 500 posts remaining, so I've decided to make an attempt at decrypting one last serial number format. It seems Motobecane's format has been giving people fits, so I'm willing to give it a shot, if you want to play along. Most of you already know the drill. Post pictures of your Motobecane (full drive side and detail pictures of major components, tubing decal, headbadge and serial numbers).
Provide as much info as possible on the components including brand, model and date codes (when available). Refer to the components page of the Vintage-Trek website if you need a primer on component date codes. Bonus points if you already know the year. NOTE: Motobecane often have several sets of numbers on the bottom bracket shell. I need ALL of them, as we don't which which holds the key to dating. I'll be tabulating and analyzing the data. A summary of the findings will be posted here (i.e.
Hopefully, it will as successful as the other, similar threads (Bianchi, Centurion, Fuji, Miyata, Nishiki, etc.). Got a Motobecane Mirage Sport, 1983 possibly.
BB has a serial number M68.507v. Two numbers are under the cable guide, which has text modelle vitus depose.
It means something like model vitus registered. The plate has no screws or anything, so I don't know if it can be taken off. M stands for Moto, I believe, but small v, if that has any meaning? I picked this one up today. It was advertised as a 1972 Grand Record, and that seems to be consistent with the information in this thread. The serial number on the outside of the left dropout is 1238406.
Assuming sequential numbering, that would place it somewhere just ahead of the yellow 1972 Grand Record shared by @ in (s/n 1250892). Mine has the same paint scheme as the GR shared by @ in (s/n 1263931). I would also note that though noobinsf believed his to be a '72 he has a different Reynolds decal than VonCarlos. The latest H Lloyd Cycles timeline says this decal change happened in 1973, though there obviously could have been a transitional period. The number stamped on the inside of my right dropout is 64216.
I would note that this is the exact same number stamped in the same location on noobinsf's Grand Record and the Grand Record shared by @ in (s/n 1428239) which also has the same color scheme as mine, so that number must have something to do with the manufacturing process and not the specific frame. The bike shared by acoffin has a different head badge, and it has Weinmann brakes, which according to the catalog scans at bulgier.net would likely place it as a 1973 or 1974 (the scans list Universal brakes for 1970-1972). I have a Grand Record frame that I got with some parts I assume were original.
It came to me with headset, stem, bars, bottom bracket, seat post, and saddle, but that's it. I'm fairly certain it's a 72 or 73 based on what I can glean from catalogs and pics of other bikes on the web. Reynolds 531 main tubes - Maes bend bars (I'm assuming, since no markings) - No chrome 'socks' on the fork It's not critical that I age this bike, since I am taking some liberties with the build (Suntour drivetrain, Stronglight 93 crank), but I just bought a backup set of Campy NR drivetrain parts from a 72 Mondia in case I ever want to restore it. It'd be nice to know if the Campy parts are the right year, just for my own edification. Left dropout has the number '1263931' Right dropout has the number '4216' Here are some pics - ignore the placeholder wheels from my old UO-8. I wouldn't sweat the year too much.
I have what I believe is a 75 Champion Team and it has 72 equipment. Supposedly it is original, but I cannot verify it. AFA the serial, I question any and all Moto serials. I once shared mine and got an email from someone who said his CT had the same serial. I'll be very grateful for any clear insights about the year of this recently acquired Grand Record. I'm placing it between 1974-77 but would love to narrow that down. The bike is known to have belonged to a collector but came to me with no details about it's history.
It appears to retain many original parts but also some others that together don't match any catalogs I've found. Appears to be original paint. It has unusual road/race gearing (52/45 - 14-21) with period correct components. Can't help wondering if it might be a bike that was caught up in the component supply shortages of the early seventies and assembled a bit off-catalog.
(Ignore the modern saddle and pedals) For dating note the riveted round head tube badge (for the GR. 1973-??), lack of brased on cable guides (pre-77.?), Campy rear drop-outs and remnants of a Reynolds 531 decal on the seat tube but not on the fork. Below are the frame and hub numbers and then full component details.
I'll be very grateful for any clear insights about the year of this recently acquired Grand Record. I'm placing it between 1974-77 but would love to narrow that down.That's a really beautiful bike. It's hard to narrow it down more without a proper serial number. The 82216 stamped on the right rear drop out seems to me to be some sort of manufacturing code.
Note that almost all of the bike in this thread with a number in that location end in '16' with the lone exception being the mixte that ends in '17.' There really should be a seven digit number stamped either on your left rear dropout or your bottom bracket. These can be really hard to see. I'm not sure what to make of your component mix. Being a Grand Record, it should have Nuovo Record derailleurs.
So I don't think the particular components tell you anything at all.
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I've checked out those exact sites back in 2009 when I originally posted my photos of the Super Mirage. Comparing the catalog photos and spec sheets, I determined it is a '77. Well, there you go, then. Seems like you already know the answer. It can sometimes be difficult to nail down exact year of manufacture on these things as they rolled over both old photos and specs in some catalogs, and components may have fluctuated a bit from catalog specs depending on availability. T-Mar 09-02-13 10:28 AM.
The bike's serial number on the bottom bracket is 7749062 followed by 702. The numbers stamped on the drop outs are 47917.
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I do not believe the lead number is a '7'. Current data suggests the serial numbers are purely sequential with no year designator and a '7' would be greatly out of sequence.
The lead character actually appears to be several partial stampings of a '3', (see attached, highlighted photo). A '3' would be in sequence with the other submitted serial numbers. If you look at other photos, you'll see that Motobecane did use the flat topped version of the number. Gbalke 09-02-13 01:10 PM.
I have a 1978 Motobecane Mirage, been in the family since new. It is all original except the tires / tubes. I have attached pictures. Serial number appears to be 4181278.
There is another stamped number, looks like 018. There is another number below the serial number that cannot be read in the photo. It is 156216. On the rear wheel axle piece there is a number looks to be LC7. This is a 23 inch frame bicycle. My sister has two Motobecane bicycles at her house. One is a Mixte from about the same era.
I will get those numbers the next time I am there. Looks like the serial numbers are 7 digits in sequence. The 1978 era ones seem to begin with a 4 (million?). Kroozer 08-24-14 07:44 PM. Thanks for taking this on, and perfect timing on my end.
I came to the forums yesterday actually looking to find a way to date my garage sale pick up of a Moto Mirage. It was cheap and would have bought it anyway since it's the coolest color frame I've come across in a while.
I've given it a quick once over and think it's actually going to stay with me now rather than sell. Like it a lot.
I am guessing, just from quick reviews of 70's catalogues that this is around 74? I don;t know, just a guess, based somewhat on the 1020 tubing specs.
Serial Number Search
Seems all original except for the bars of course. Suntour GT RDR. Maillard hubs, Nervar crank. If anyone has a better idea than my guess I'd love to hear it. Only id's I found were the '609' under the frame and the '2426850' and the 'A24' on the dropout. Hi, Love the colour of your bike, i'm a newbie here and i'm trying to get some idea of the model and year of my bike, mine has the following no's stamped on it;-Rear left outer dropout Huret 3556454 Rear left inner dropout 93516 BB has the same no as yours '609' Seatpost tube id is 26.6mm Weight of bare frame is 2kg Any thoughts on the ID? Got lots of work to do on researching the original spec, i would like to get the bike somewhere near it and then have some fun on it.
Cheers Derrick serta1 04-11-15 05:53 PM. As mentioned previously, I was to pick up Motobecane's from my sisters. I picked up one. It is a 1977 Mirage, 21 inch frame, silver in color.
This is the first year for the Mirage model (Super Mirage was in 1976). This is the last year for the 1020 tubing for the Mirage.
It still has the original tires on it, Michelin Gum Wall, 28-630, 70 PSI tires. Of course they are totally dry rotted. Lrc lyrics download. The SN is 3805781. So the 4 million number was crossed somewhere between the end of 1977 and early 1978. Serta1 06-30-15 05:29 PM. Hi, Love the colour of your bike, i'm a newbie here and i'm trying to get some idea of the model and year of my bike, mine has the following no's stamped on it;-Rear left outer dropout Huret 3556454 Rear left inner dropout 93516 BB has the same no as yours '609' Seatpost tube id is 26.6mm Weight of bare frame is 2kg Any thoughts on the ID?
Got lots of work to do on researching the original spec, i would like to get the bike somewhere near it and then have some fun on it. Cheers Derrick Based on the serial number I would guess a 1976. There are Motobecane catalogues from the 1970s on the internet that describes the options that each model came with.
Zola1 07-01-15 05:38 AM. 1976 Super Mirage. 602 (February of 1976?) From looking at other postings and my other 3 Motobecane bicycles from 1976 to 1978 that is my guess what the 602 means. 1976 and 1977 frames had similar stampings. According to the Motobecane catalogue, there was no Super Mirage in 1975 and the 1977 Super Mirage was 2040 tubing. This is 1020 tubing which was the 1976 model.
Plus the Silver Blue color of the 1976 model did not have the black stripings on the down tube. The 1977 model did. This is a 23 inch frame.
Original tires are long gone. Missing wheel reflectors. Rear carrier has been added. Otherwise all is original.
Motobecaneswede 09-18-15 03:36 PM.