Need help...what kind of Bike is this?

This is actually B.K.s' bike A.K.A. "MC Mambohead". He has had it since his college days down at Carbondale, and he's taking it out of retirement to show those fancy carbon fiber cyclist a thing or two (what ever that is, I'm sure it's youtube worthy).

Any way...we can't determine the make and model and it has been a source of much debate.

The top tube has a sticker that reads"tour de france" and the down tube,best I can tell reads "MARK" with a head badge(sticker) with an "M" on it.

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Permalink Reply by Carly on August 10, 2012 at 2:59am

isn't there a way to look it up via it's serial number? should be located on/near the bb shell somewhere

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Permalink Reply by rb on August 10, 2012 at 7:11am

super sweet frame lugs, might want to post up on Classic and Vintage on bike forums.

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php/181-Classic-amp-Vintage

Looks to be something from the late 60s / early 70s- cottered cranks, etc.

What types of components does it have - derailleur, cranks, brakes, etc? That may help to determine country of origin.

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Permalink Reply by rb on August 10, 2012 at 7:39am

here is another resource

http://velobase.com/Search_Headbadge.aspx

rb said:

super sweet frame lugs, might want to post up on Classic and Vintage on bike forums.

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php/181-Classic-amp-Vintage

Looks to be something from the late 60s / early 70s- cottered cranks, etc.

What types of components does it have - derailleur, cranks, brakes, etc? That may help to determine country of origin.

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Permalink Reply by h' 1.0 on August 10, 2012 at 8:16am

I spent a ridiculous amount of time last night trying to solve this, including the perusal of above offered resources, and came up dry. My best guess is some very limited run of Motobecane.

Is there a way to get a better picture, without the glare, of the word that seems to end in "mark?"

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Permalink Reply by bk (aka: Dr. Mambohead) on August 10, 2012 at 9:40am

Thanks for the help, al!!!... Especially S&P for posting this... as you know, It isn't in my nature to make a big hulabaloo!..

The headbadge is a "decal", which I thot unusual. The decals faired time far worse than the 'tour de france' sticker, which is the only legible graphic.

Oh yeah... and components are Simplex.

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Permalink Reply by bk (aka: Dr. Mambohead) on August 10, 2012 at 9:54am

I replaced the back wheel/hub... circa 1984... that is not stock to the ride.

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Permalink Reply by Chris C on August 10, 2012 at 9:55am

It looks like the lowercase "I" and "L" lettering sweeps backwards (to the left) at the bottom of the character. That would make it "_lilis" where "_" is some character I can't make out.

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Permalink Reply by bk (aka: Dr. Mambohead) on August 10, 2012 at 9:57am

I thought the M was mercier... Mustn't be Mambohead...

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Permalink Reply by Cameron 7.5 mi on August 10, 2012 at 10:05am

Is the threading all "standard", or does it have something odd ball like a French or Raleigh bottom bracket that could clue us into an area and date it was made?

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Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on August 10, 2012 at 11:21am

Using Howard's Motobecane idea:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/488175-Motobecane-Tour-de-...

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/753062-1975-Motobecane-tou...

Early to mid 1970's Motobecane "Tour de France" model?

For: similar forward sweeping fork, similar handlebar shape, similar looking saddle and chainring pattern, "Tour de France" on top tube, similar shifter levers.

Against: different stems, "Tour de France" in different font style (one with French flag background), bottom of badge logo has two tightly curved curley-cues while the other has more angular mirrored shapes at bottom below "M".

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Permalink Reply by S.Presley☠ on August 10, 2012 at 11:34am

I'll try to get more pictures in better light of the components and frame some time today.

It has a simplex front derailleur that is half plastic(I've found some info on this unpopular model) but it has a "suntour U" back derailleur. The shifters are simplex(plastic), so I believe that simplex is the original set up.

Thanks for all the help, and i have spent way too much time to let this mystery die...We must prevail.

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Permalink Reply by rb on August 10, 2012 at 11:52am

I think we have found a winner-

bk's bike is probably another (earlier?) year. The various components- are probably from repairs over the years.

Really cool detective work.

Get this thing back on the road!

Thunder Snow said:

Using Howard's Motobecane idea:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/488175-Motobecane-Tour-de-...

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/753062-1975-Motobecane-tou...

Early to mid 1970's Motobecane "Tour de France" model?

For: similar forward sweeping fork, similar handlebar shape, similar looking saddle and chainring pattern, "Tour de France" on top tube, similar shifter levers.

Against: different stems, "Tour de France" in different font style (one with French flag background), bottom of badge logo has two tightly curved curley-cues while the other has more angular mirrored shapes at bottom below "M".