A Motobecane would be an excellent stand-in for a Roadini (I ride both).
There are Motobecanes with Japanese components; I believe the 1981 Le
Champion came with Shimano 600 and Vitus steel (equivalent to Reynolds
531). Actually, any Reynolds 531 frame on Ebay that was built for 27 inch
wheels will acommodate 700cx32-35 tires. I got a 1979 Mercian frameset on
Ebay for 200.00 dollars two years ago-- it was built for 27 inch wheels, so
I am able to run 32c tires on it easily. It actually rides better than my
Roadini (more compliant if a little unsteady at anything above 40 mph).
Ebay is still a good place to shop for frames if you purchase frames that
have horrible paint jobs! Then just take it to your local powder coat guy.
On Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 8:45:29 AM UTC-7 Yankeebird wrote:
> I would like a Roadini, but it's going to be a while, and I'm going
> through some money constraints right now, and I don't mind fixing up
> something else in the interim. I have a Cheviot right now, and it's my
> primary main bike for everything. I also have a Surly CC that I built up
> with an Alfine IGH 8 and Albatross bars, but I keep that at Mom's so when
> my bro and I visit we have a bike to bang around on to blow off steam.
>
> I would really like a decent smooth steel frame that will take at least a
> 32-38 tire, and I can build up either with another IGH/albatross or a
> cassette and drop bars depending on my whims. Something zippier than my
> Cheviot but not a straight up triathlon bike.
>
> I'd like to get my hands on a '86 Schwinn Passage (my brother has this
> bike and it's an incredible) or an early/mid 80's Trek 720. But these
> things are going for PREMIUM money, almost ridiculous. I value them as
> $200-300 bikes, but they are listed at $800+ and it boggles my mind.
>
> Any other comparable frames to the above two I mentioned that I should be
> looking at? What about Motobecanes? Do they have standard sizing for
> components or am I going to be banging my head against the wall finding
> French sized parts?
>
> Biking is something I enjoy, and I can do basic bike MX and can learn the
> stuff I don't know, but I am not deep in the weeds of dorkdom when it comes
> to bikes. I have other much deeper passions. I probably won't build a
> wheel, but I can replace a BB. I know what I like and what I want when I
> see it, if I'm pointed in the correct direction by those who know. Hence
> this query.
>
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