Motobecane Info

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Bought this bike over the week-end at an Estate Sale. Paid $ 60.00. (Pics Attached I think) It's a Montebecane, 28" Super MIrage, 12 Speed, 27"wheels, deraliurs, etc. are Suntour, brakes and stuff are Weinmann, has a sticker from a bike shop in Chicago which I believe is dated 11/88. I'm wondering when this bike was made, also where you might get parts and if it can be upgraded to moden components. It has the downtube shifters and I would like something like STI. Would I have to replace the entire rear wheel/cassette or could I just just replace the cassette with an 8 or 9 speed. Shimano maybe....Any info would be appreciated.

Your bike looks similar to mine - '82 Motobecane Mirage. The only thing I can comment on is that for the tires, look out for sizing... if it is like mine, the bead size that mine uses is slightly different than the run-of-the-mill 700 tires that are being produced now.

As for the rest of it, no clue. I've never seriously tried to upgrade mine.

1 ) Dropout spacing won't fit modern wheels, would need to be "cold-set" (bent) to proper dimensions

2 ) Can't replace the cassette as this bike does not have one -- it uses a freewheel. 8-speed freewheels exist but are uncommon, essentially all modern bikes use cassettes and 700C wheels.

3 ) If you changed to 700C wheels the brakes would probably need to be replaced with long-reach versions

4 ) If you switch to modern components, the chain may work with the old chainrings, or it may be too narrow. If you need to swap the crank, this may have a common BB size, but it may not, I'm not sure.

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In conclusion, I would ride it semi as-is. It's a neat retro type bike.

Sell it on eBay. mention the words "fixie" or "fixed" along with "vintage" in the title. spend profit on newer bike on eBay. or ride it as it is, but it's in great shape so if you sell it use lots of well lit photos.

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Motobecanes were rarely great bikes, and what you have is a lower-end model, the tubing sticker confirms so. For your $60, you got yourself a $50 bike. Look around long enough, you could find a similar one for $20 somewhere. This bike is not, by any means, worth upgrading to modern standards. The only thing I'd do to it is lower that stem down below the "maximum height" marking!

Bah. He's just jealous.

You've got a decent $60 bike there- you didn't get ripped off, nor did you rip off the sellers. Ride it 'til it falls apart, which is likely never, as the old mid to low end bikes were built like freaking tanks. But yeah, upgrading is probably overkill. You can still get decent 27" tires from nashbar- Paselas are available in a 27 and I'm pretty sure there's a decent continental as well.

What you don't want to do with a bike like this is over-upgrade it- you've got a bike that's worth 60 bucks, and putting 200 bucks worth of wheels on it won't really increase it's value or it's ridability. So, just enjoy it. Besides- they just don't make bikes like this anymore- cheap, solid roadbikes with the emphasis on durability just don't get made these days.

It looks as though the steerer is bent--the top of the fork blades do not align with the head tube and the stem. It could just be how the photo was taken.

In regards to the bike's value, I'm seeing roughly comparable, similar vintage Mirage's & Super Mirages routinely bringing in from $100 to $150 and more on eBay.
I must concede ,however, that if one looks around long enuf ,one can find great deals everywhere.
Who know's? One might even bump into one of those "rarely great", "classic" Trek's for $20, too.

I had that same model bike a couple years ago. Instead of building it up I stripped it down and made in into a single speed. Great bike, I wish I would have held on to it. As much as I hate to say it, the French make nice bikes.

-Links