I love my commuting bike, a Giant Sedona DX. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it weighs about 2,500 lbs, making it a challenge on long rides. I wanted an older road bike for weekend rides, so I’ve been watching Craigslist in Rochester looking for good deals. Today, I found an entry-level 1981 Motobecane Nomade I. I liked it and brought it home. It’s now in the kitchen because (a) that’s where you put a bike when you’re in the throes of Musthavenewbike-itis and (b) my wife and kids are out of town. Here it is:

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The Nomade, Motobecane’s entry-level road bike, back when they were still made in France

The buying experience couldn’t have been better. Dave, the seller, had the original receipt from August of 1982! He still had the manual, too. The bike is in great shape and rides well.

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“Nomade” is French for “guy who thinks he’s in Breaking Away II,” but I’m not going to let that bother me

In addition to Dave being very cool, I knew it was a good sign when I saw these on the bike:

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Vintage Power Grips!

That’s right. The Power Grips were already there. Zing! The bike also has very old-school accessories, such as this sleek rear light:

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It takes 167 AAA batteries…

All in all, a lovely purchase that I will enjoy riding and working on until BSNYC finds out.

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Now all I need is the fake accent!

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