"Rock Bottom" (rockbottom81)
10/10/2014 at 13:41 • Filed to: None
4
19|
"Rock Bottom" (rockbottom81)
10/10/2014 at 13:41 • Filed to: None | 4
| 19 |
So after like 6 months in a shipping box, I finally put my old Peugeot back together and I'm so excited about it that I'm posting it here. Sorry about the potato pics. I was drinking and in my basement and using a phone camera.
It's a 1984 Peugeot PH-11, which to my knowledge was never sold in the US. It's a strange mix of old and new French road machines. Swiss thread bottom bracket, 25mm handlebar stem (instead of the more common 1" quill stems you see on old bikes), 126mm rear stay spacing, and some bastard seat post diameter that's pretty much impossible to find. I replaced the original Nervar cranks with some nice Velo Orange parts to make finding chainrings easier. I also found a nice NOS Gipiemme front derailleur for this skinny little seat tube, so I'm rocking the hell out of that (and the stock rear Simplex). The rims are old-ish Mavics and, of course, it rolls on Michelins! I sill have all the original parts, just in case I decide it's worth returning to stock some day (it's probably not). It still needs a good cleaning, but that'll come in time.
Now, before you Peugeot bike purists (all 2 of you) start with the yelling, I know: the decals aren't exactly right. When I had it repainted last year the guy put them on in less French (read: more traditional) locations and cleared over them before I could stop him. I liked it this way, so I let it slide. Here's an old pic of it for reference.
doodon2whls
> Rock Bottom
10/10/2014 at 13:43 |
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WOW... beautiful
Also... " I was drinking and in my basement and using a phone camera." - How many times have I heard that out of context ? ;-)
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Rock Bottom
> doodon2whls
10/10/2014 at 13:47 |
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Thanks, I really try to keep this one looking nice.
And to be honest, roughly half of what I say can be filthy when taken out of context!
Mattbob
> Rock Bottom
10/10/2014 at 13:47 |
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nice! I love that bottom bracket. Are those centerpull brakes, or side pull?
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Rock Bottom
> Mattbob
10/10/2014 at 13:51 |
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Thanks! The bottom bracket is from Velo Orange. One of the few places you can find a decent Swiss bottom bracket without selling a kidney! The brakes are the original Weinmann side pulls. I didn't take any close-ups of them because they're not particularly pretty! They're next on the upgrade list, for sure :)
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Mattbob
> Rock Bottom
10/10/2014 at 13:55 |
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I desperately need to upgrade the centerpulls on my 81 fuji. They are abysmal. That thing looks incredibly clean though! Also, who cares about purists, bikes were made to be ridden. If what you do to it makes it more rideable, then it is an improvement.
Milky
> Rock Bottom
10/10/2014 at 13:55 |
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Its so clean, nice bike.
ACESandEIGHTS
> Rock Bottom
10/10/2014 at 13:58 |
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Sweet looking. My parents had Gitane, Motebecane, and Puegeot bikes, apparently when the market was f'ing flooded with French steel. I like the new saddle, and honestly I'm glad it doesn't say Brooks on it. The comfort-minded/aestheticist/hipster in me is screaming to ditch the tape and get cork, and then add rat traps, but the kinder/gentler me says I won't mention it.
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Rock Bottom
> Mattbob
10/10/2014 at 13:59 |
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I'd like to find a set of dual pivots that look vinatge-ish...
And I love old Fujis! I spent a fair amount of time on one that was about the same vintage as yours and loved it!
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Rock Bottom
> Milky
10/10/2014 at 14:00 |
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Thanks!
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Rock Bottom
> ACESandEIGHTS
10/10/2014 at 14:03 |
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Yeah, I have several saddles and pedal sets that I rotate through depending on what I'm doing. I rock the Turbo saddle and these old platform pedals if I'm in no particular hurry and want to look good without risking my life with straps! I have a super comfy WTB saddle and Speedplays for longer rides. I think that's a Selle Italia in that old pic. Don't remember where that one went!
Anima
> Rock Bottom
10/10/2014 at 14:19 |
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Nice!
Here's my DD:
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Rock Bottom
> Anima
10/10/2014 at 14:22 |
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That's a nice old Pug! Mid 70s? And dat headlight!
thejustache
> Rock Bottom
10/10/2014 at 14:42 |
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That's pretty sharp looking! I know it's not french, but I just picked up my first road bike/vintage bike in general and I've been working at getting it sorted. Where would you look for some vintage rims? It came with a Mavic MA on the rear and an unspecified Bianchi rim on the front with a creaking hub, I'd like to get a matching set of Mavics for it if possible
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Anima
> Rock Bottom
10/10/2014 at 14:45 |
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Yeah '73 or '74 as far as I can tell. I actually build in led lighting in the original lights (the red tin underneath the seat)
And well, let's just say it's got some patina and I did some mods (gears to singlespeed etc.) to make it usuable day to day and , at the time that I build it at least, one that was always parked out in the rain.
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Rock Bottom
> thejustache
10/10/2014 at 15:07 |
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That is a damn nice color combo! Sweet ride!
One thing I have learned after owning old and new bikes is that an old bike is like an old car. Never expect to jump on and ride it without having to fix or adjust something before/during/after the ride! But they do have infinitely more personality than the new machines! And Raleigh bikes always had a lot of personality to start!
You're on the right track with Mavics. They're great rims for the price. Find some older Shimano hubs to match them up with and you have a solid and reliable wheelset! Unless you're racing, steer clear of Dura Ace. They run nice but have a relatively short life span and cost $$$$$$$. I like Ultegra hubs (even the old ones). They work really well and don't generally cost too much.
I bought most of my stuff either from friends in the hobby, or on Ebay. Try ebay.co.uk if you're looking for stuff that's hard to find in the States. That was the only place I could find a decent decal set for my bike. I do wander through some of the old bike sites for inspiration from time to time too.
Check these out when you're bored:
http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/
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thejustache
> Rock Bottom
10/10/2014 at 15:24 |
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Thanks for the tips! I'm looking forward to learning as I go...
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ACESandEIGHTS
> Rock Bottom
10/10/2014 at 15:33 |
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Every Selle Italia and Selle San Marco I have is in a box ;) Too hard for me. Surprising number of stock saddles on bikes lately are pretty comfy.
I installed a WTB "commuter" type saddle on my beater bike. Not the cushest of the cush, but one step firmer than that. WTB called it their "company favorite for beer runs" etc. Best saddle ever.
I hear you on the straps, but hah, I guess I haven't wiped out due to clips/clipless since the 90s.
Here's the ultimate accessory I want: 64-oz growler bottle cage. There's one online for $50. Yeah, 'cause I want to pay the price of a Craigslist clunker for a $10 piece of aluminum.
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Rock Bottom
> ACESandEIGHTS
10/10/2014 at 15:42 |
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My favorite is my WTB Silverado. It happened to be on an old Bianchi I bought a few years ago and it's perfect for my less-than-light physique!
And that growler cage, while awesome, is just a tad overpriced!
Bandit
> Rock Bottom
10/22/2014 at 19:40 |
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Hey, check out what I saw today: http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/i-found-a-peug…