| I have a 1970-71 Motobecane road bike that is very dear to me.
It has the narrower tires with the metal stems and suntour derailuers.
I think I bought mine for just under two hundred dollars while
in high school. It servered me well through high school, college
andmy first couple of jobs. While in college a couple of people
teased me about marrying my bike because I was always riding it
and throughly enjoyed every minute.
I am in the process of buying a Torelli mountain bike, but I am
still keeping my Motobecane. Buy the way, any input on the Torelli?
Just wanted to note simular feelings about the old Motobecane.
rob
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| Great idea for a note.
I have a 1968 Dawes Galaxy touring bike, with a long wheelbase.
I bought it used in '68 from the original owner. He had it about
6 months, and decided he wanted cash instead. I paid him $80. It
has a 25" frame, straigh-gauge 531 tubing, chromed forks and tips.
It HAD plastic Simplex derailleurs, steel wheels, and cottered cranks.
Over the course of time I put on Weinmann concave alloys, Suntour
drivetrain components, an Avocet saddle, and new brake levers. The
old Weinmann centerpulls are original.
How I love this bike! I toured through high school, college, and
years afterward with it. I've ridden through Mass. Vermont, NH,
and Maine with panniers all over the thing. I've had granny gears
and a one-step on it. I used it twice for racing. I still have it
and I still love it. In fact, I've put a child carrier on it, and
I use it to take my 2 year old son on rides around town. He's starting
to get nuts about biking, just like his Dad.
Now I have a Cannondale ST500 for my more serious riding. It's a
wonderful bike, but I still love the way that old Dawes rides. I'll
keep it forever.
It's a beautiful bike, too. Metalflake brown with yellow decals
and all that chrome. I've thought about restoring its appearance
if I could get the old decals from Dawes.
Best money I ever spent, and more than 20 years of wonderful biking
memories.
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| My old friend was a BSA given to me for my 16th birthday in 1964.
I can't remember Reynolds tube numbers at this length of separation,
but I can remember the Weinmann centre pull brakes, the Campag (that's
English for Campy) deraileurs and that it was the fastest thing ever.
I was in training for the Tour de France. I would have won, no
worries. Only problem was, some @#$%^&* stole the thing while I
was at University. How fragile is glory.
Richard
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