<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Décathlon =====

Décathlon was started in 1976 by Michel Leclercq as a supermarché for all sporting goods. The "Décathlon" name was used to represent the ten main sports they originally wanted to feature in their stores.
 
Michel Leclercq started out as a supermarket butcher in 1961 at the Auchon supermarket chain, rising in the ranks to becoming their CTO (([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auchan|Auchon]] is one of Europes's largest supermarket chains, with over $36B in 2025 revenue.)).  In 1976 he left to form his own supermarket chain for sporting goods, growing it to become the today's world's largest sporting good retailer, with over 1,800 stores in 79 countries, grossing over $US18B in 2025.  ((By comparison, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick%27s_Sporting_Goods|Dicks Sporting Goods]] has 724 locations grossing about $13B.)) Michel Leclercq currently has a net worth > $6B ((Net worth as of 2026, according to [[https://www.forbes.com/profile/michel-leclercq/]].))

Bicycles were their only product bearing the Décathlon brand from 1976 -> 1986, so as to not compete with their manufacturing partners.  Décathlon's bicycles were originally manufactured by [[https://forum.tontonvelo.com/download/file.php?id=215702|Cycles Leleu]], of Lomme, France.

Resources:
  * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Leclercq]]
  * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decathlon_(retailer)]]
  * [[https://sustainability.decathlon.com/our-story]]
  * [[https://en.ara.cat/business/from-supermarket-butcher-to-billionaire-who-is-behind-decathlon_1_5289547.html]]
  * [[https://magazinesport.decathlon.ch/lhistoire-de-decathlon-nos-dates-cles]]
  * [[https://www.decathlon.media/dossier-presse/2016/decathlon-40-ans-les-fondations.html]]
  * [[https://www.decathlon-united.media/]]
  * [[https://www.decathlon.com/]]

</div>

<div column 45%>
{{michel.jpg?400|Michel Leclercq et crew}}
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Décathlon founders, ca 1976.
Michel is to the right, in blue.
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[[https://sustainability.decathlon.com/decathlons-founders-the-gang-of-7|decathlon.com]]

</div>


<div column 50% #s1983>
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===== 1983 Raider MK II =====
Suntour aRX GT (1981-83) rear derailleur, lugged frame and fork, Weinmann cantilevers, fluted seatpost, Simplex quick releases, Sachs-Huret friction down tube shifters as thumb shifters, Spidel hubs (1979-80), OMAS headset, 3x6 gearing, Nervar cranks.
</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1983.jpg?300|1983 Raider MK II }}
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1983 Raider MK II
[[ https://www.flickr.com/photos/poufthecascadeur/albums/72177720304160218/|flickr]]
</div>


<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1985 MTB =====
Sachs Huret Rider v2 derailleurs (1984-5), bullmoose bars,
Sachs-Maillard Diabolo hubs ((Diabolo hubs are heliomatic.  See [[https://borgercompagnie.com/helicomatic/index.html]].)) (1983-85), with 5 speed freewheel,
Gipas dropouts,
Stronglight cranks,
Visaro saddle,
lugged frame and fork.
</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1985.jpg?300|1985 MTB }}
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1985 MTB
[[ https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopic.php?t=51032|tontonvelo]]
</div>


<div column 50% #s1987>
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===== 1987 Torrent =====
Triplex Extra (1985?+) derailleurs, Sakae/Ringo MTS-101 (1985-1990) stem, Dia-Compe New Gran Compe NGC982 brakes (1986+), TIG'd frame.

About the Triplex:
<blockquote>
Another horror from the Spanish tat-meisters. This is an execrable steel and plastic creation, plumbing the very depths of nastiness - nasty design, nasty materials and nasty finish - there are no mixed messages here.
<cite>
[[https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/site/triplex_extra_derailleur.html|Disraeli Gears]]
</cite>
</blockquote>

</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Torrent }}
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1987 Torrent
[[ https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopic.php?t=56725|tontonvelo]]
</div>


<div column 50% #s1988>
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===== 1988 Raider MK III =====
Shimano Exage Mountain (M450 SGS) (1988 only, thus) derailleurs, crankset, hubs,, shifters and brakes.   Converted to a 1x city cruiser.  Fluted seat post.  ITM BIO-line stem.  Lugged frame.

</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1988.jpg?300|1988 Raider MK III }}
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1988 Raider MK III
[[ https://en.der-ritzler.de/collections/mountain-bikes/Products/Decathlon-raider-51cm-vintage-mountain-bike-as-a-city-cruiser|der-ritzler.de]]
</div>


<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 Raider MK 5 =====
Shimano Mountain LX derailleurs (1989), Mountain LX MC-452 Biopace cranks (1989), U-brakes.

</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1989.jpg?300|1989 Raider MK 5 }}
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1989 Raider MK 5
[[ https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/velos/3029724881|leboncoin]]
</div>


<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 Cap Nord II =====

Shimano XT derailleurs & brakes.  Rear upper XT u-brake with XT front cantilevers ((Is this upper-rear u-brake unique to the Cap Nord II?  They are usually installed on the lower chain stays.)), Tange Prestige MTB tubing, front straddle cable catcher, triple triangle frame, partial internal cable routing.

</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1990.jpg?300|1990 MTB }}
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1990 MTB
[[ https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t6137-decathlon-cap-nord-ii-1990|velovintageagogo]]
</div>


<div column 50% #s1991>
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===== 1991 Cap Nord II =====

Shimano XT M732 (1989) derailleurs & brakes.  Shimano MT-60a cranks (1990), rear upper XT u-brake with XT front cantilevers, Reynolds 531 tubing??, front straddle cable cather, triple triangle frame, partial internal cable routing.
The owner thinks this is a 1992 - but the components seem older than that.

</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1991.jpg?300|1991 Cap Nord II }}
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1991 Cap Nord II
[[ https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t25312-vtt-decathlon-cap-nord-2-1992-je-crois|velovintageagogo]]
</div>