I lived in France for a few years back in the early 60s, and I came away
with a passion for French bicycles. They were slim and light compared to my
American cast iron Huffy, which I got for Christmas in 1957 and last rode in
1973.
When I graduated from high school in 1969 I was focused on a number of
things, one of which was to own a French bike. That did not become a reality
until 1974 when I spent $375 for a Motobecane Grand Tour, which I still have.
That bike traveled everywhere with my, including three months in Germany.
The passion for French bikes grew after I retired, and in recent years
I've managed to acquire a number of French bikes, mostly Motobecane with a few
Peugeots, Gitanes, and a few other obscure brands such as Mercier, Liberia, and
Stella.
Last week I came across my long-wanted high school graduation gift: A
1969 Motobecane Mirage. A few scratches, as to be expected, but in overall
good condition. I spent days restoring it, cleaning off decades of dried
lubricant glaze with Liquid Wrench and a toothbrush and replacing non-OEM
parts. All that effort paid off, the result being:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64004640@N03/29968305734/in/dateposted-public/
The Randonneur bend handlebar is an earmark for the Mirage model, used
right up to the end of production in 1984:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64004640@N03/29966514533/in/dateposted-public/
The Mirage was not considered to be an exceptional bike, but back in the
Golden Era it was one of the best bike values you could find, roughly
equivalent to the more expensive Peugeot UO-8. The 1020 alloy frame made it
ride lighter than the 531 alloy that Peugeot used on the UO-8/10.
There is still more work to be done, such as replacing the rusted steel
spokes on the front wheel and polishing the tarnished stainless steel spokes on
the rear wheel, which is labourious and takes 3-4 hours. Final touches will be
brown handlebar tape, brake lever hoods, and monogrammed handlebar plugs, such
as these:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64004640@N03/15294647523/in/photolist-MEgmUw-pix4Rn-ee7ptG
or these:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64004640@N03/29969078414/in/dateposted-public/
Chris
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro
- Hunter S. Thompson
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