Old Peugeot First Post (Questions)

[JanJ]

Hello! First Post...
Back in 1982, I purchased a Blue Peugeot Bicycle. This year I tried to determine it's history, and learned much snooping various threads.
I've never determined the exact vintage of the bike.
I'll post a picture later....
Here's what I do know about the bike:
Purchased in 1982 (After my dad died) from I believe K-Mart. Morton Grove, Illinois.
Has Mode 4 crest, and checkers decals which would put it in 1978-1983 vintage, but I can't get it to a specific model.
Has following hardware:
Steel Frame, Says Made in France, but does not say Renolds anywhere
Normandy Hubs, but solid axles.
Maillard 5 gear cassette
Peugeot Branded (Square Tapered) crank,
Peugeot Branded Brakes, that appear to be Mafac Racer, branded as Peugeot, with extra brake lever paralleling handlebar (don't know what this is called) Brake levers are solid, not drilled.
Simplex Derailleurs, with plastic clamps, front is slotted, not solid
Front fork does not have bottom chromed, all blue paint
Numbers stamped on rear axle area don't match the number on the taped/paper tag under crank, and there is NO Letter preceding the number on the taped/paper ID.

[cny-man]

I can't satisfy your curiosity as to year, not that important to identify exact year as far as value is concerned, as it is a lower end bike (solid axle, extension levers, probably steel rims) not typically attractive to collectors.

[JanJ]

Not a collector issue, the bike has 'history', and that's good enough....
Just nosy on the year....
Rims were replaced by me in mid 90's, as I had damaged the originals
with 'curb contact'... Actually replacing rims wasn't that bad... Easier than a motorcycle!

(10-21-2014, 02:12 PM)cny-man Wrote:  I can't satisfy your curiosity as to year, not that important to identify exact year as far as value is concerned, as it is a lower end bike (solid axle, extension levers, probably steel rims) not typically attractive to collectors.

[GeorgeET]

I had a 80's Peugeot in white, do not remember how I got it. Yours sounds similar, I am surprised that the plastic Simplex shifters work. I always had problems with mine.

AS per year you can always try emailing Peugeot.

[JanJ]

Shhh!!! Don't let the bike's hear you! Wife's Gitane front derailleur already being held on with Epoxy Glue!!! Both have plastic parts.... but work....

Actually, after reading many posts here and eslewhere, I'm surprised how good the bikes are... They both shift smoothly (That is, after Finding ball bearing replacement Pulley's took a while.... Stock sleeve types were broken.... brittle with age).

Needs much cleanup, but both are quite useable... I just need to be very careful I don't break anything....

[JanJ]

Regarding the serial numbers on the Peugeot.... There is the taped over paper tag at bottom of crank, with the following:
5286275
038157

But there's something stamped on the rear axle area also:
B0018618

I would have expected a letter code on the taped paper tag.... but not the case....

Does this make sense to anyone?

I'll post picture this weekend...

Thanks

[cny-man]

The rear is the serial number. the paper tag could be for inventory tracking.

[JanJ]

From this B0018618 number, is there any way of determining what model or year it is (From this, and the info posted at the top of this thread)?

Looking at 'catalogs' the closest I found was a 1978 model, but it had partially chromed front forks, 'Textured' rims (originals were smooth -- replaced by me ~ 1995), and catalog pix didn't have the brake level add on, that parallels the bars -- whatever this is called) nor the 'Peugeot branded' crank or brakes, But it did show Normady Hubs, Simplex Gearchange, Malliard gears....

I bought it after dad's death in 1982, that part I do know, but now wondering if it was earlier year that sat in warehouse before being sold to K-Mart.

I do believe it is a lower end model, and I really don't care if it's not a collectable bike... I'm just going to update it this winter to make is as useable as possible, and ride it again next year knowing I've got it as nice as possible without spending gobs of money....

As you probably have guessed, We're in our mid 60's, and all our riding is for pleasure..

[GeorgeET]

Hi Jan, keep on riding. You do not say where you are. Here in S. CA we can ride year round. As per bikes if the derailleur and shifters still work OK, however that was a weak point of the plastic simplex mechanism. Are the rims alloy or steel, check with magnet. Although if its SS magnet may not work. (it does work on some SS) New brake pads would help.

AS per year if you date try google or email Peugeot.

Here is something I quickly found, have you seen this?

http://cyclespeugeot.com/SerialNumbers.html

http://cyclespeugeot.com/ModelID.html

[JanJ]

Yes, those links is how I have determined as (Little) as I know.. It a Type IV badge, kind-of checkers.
I plan on taking picture of both bikes this weekend, and hopefully post it...
I was expecting to see a letter on the paper tag -- but no prefix letter is there... ???

Northern Suburb of Chicago...

[GeorgeET]

Northern Suburb of Chicago...........brrrrrrrrrrr you will have lots of time in winter to restore your bikes....

George in sunny S. CA.......

[cny-man]

You may not be able to narrow down the year any more than you already have. It's not a stock '81, as they came with 6 speeds in the cotterless crank models. Not only is there no standard time for bike years to change over but equipment can change during a model year. Many manufacturers made different spec'd models for mass merchandisers. I would say it's either a 79 or 80. As Mafac brakes barely made it into the 80's as common OEM.
You might check with these folks to see if someone happens to have a matching bike or close serial number and knows what year the bike was purchased: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peugeot-Roadbikes-Club-PRC/498680320191938?hc_location=timeline.

[JanJ]

Thanks, cny-man! Wife posted for me!

I'm hoping to have pictures this weekend...

[JanJ]

Spent lunch hour & evening searching for Peugeot catalogs and browsed looking for my bike....

One new piece of information that seems significant since browsing the catalogs... The Simplex friction shifter levers are not on the leading down tube of frame, but on the vertical portion of the AT4X Handlebar support.... above the top bearing of the Headset.

Not many of the catalog pages has the bike configured that way....
It was that way since New...

???

[cny-man]

As I noted previously some mass merchandisers spec'd bikes for their exclusive sale. That may be the case with yours. Stem shifters were indeed less common with cotterless cranks equipped bikes. Usually cotterless cranks were accompanied by down tube shifters, cottered cranks with stem shifters.

[JanJ]

I may have found it.... It appears to be a U09.. I mentioned Peugeot branded brakes that look to be Mafac racer.... I may have mis-ID weinmann center pull for mafac racer... The exploded diagram I printed out earlier this month...
I found it in the following catalog: http://cyclespeugeot.com/PDFs/1978pdf.pdf U09
Metalic Blue and everything!
I guess now I'm off looking for an exploded diagram of weinman center pull brakes with Peugeot branding ??

[cny-man]

Weinman brakes and Magic are radically different - no mistaking one for the other. You could have saved yourself a lot of grief by posting pics.

[JanJ]

After surmising the brake issues last night, and finding an exact Peugeot branded brake picture in Weinman pictures I took the exploded drawing I had of Mafac to the garage.... and with exception of frame mount area, they look similar... Did not find any date code or company name of back.
Wife's Gitane brakes look very simelar (Center Pull) but where mine says Peugeot, her's says Mafac Racer, and that was probably how I mis-ID'd the brakes.... They look very close, and one is labled... so other must be........

I leave for work in dark, and return same, and am planning on taking multiple pics tomorrow AM...
Believe it or not, I've owned this bike since 1982, and Wife's since 1970, but I don't have one picture of either...
I'm thinking that since Peugeot is older than what I thought, I may find Gitane is older than 1970...

[JanJ]

[attachment=5435][attachment=5432][attachment=5433][attachment=5434]As promised, here is pictures of the Peugeot

[Painkiller]

Cool ole bike! I would recommend that your front brake barrel adjuster be spun down so you have a couple threads showing from the bottom, it will be less likely to break.