Hi
Registered the other day after a Google search for a recently acquired '75 Peugeot PE41 took me to the Vintage and CLassic section - where I think I may be spending a lot of time...
I'm from Worcestershire, UK and have been cycling pretty much all my life on and off, but have only recently started getting interested in the culture and history of cycling. I love the mix of human endeavour and sacrifice, the political and social aspects of cycling culture and the different way that cycling has developed in different countries. Compare the deep roots cycling has, say, in France and Italy and the slightly sandals and socks image built up in Britain (until recently of course, although get some of those old CTC boys talking and that's your afternoon gone....). Not forgetting of course those epic 6-day races at Madison Square Gardens!
Anyway, I've got a modern GT hardtail mountain bike that I use for, erm, mountainbiking and family rides with my youngest daughter behind on a Gatorbar. As I said above my passion has really been ignited by this old 70s Peugeot I got a couple of months ago. I love it and the instant belonging to a wider cameradierie it brings. It's a strange old beast, the old Dutch brochure I found for it -
http://www.peugeotshow.com/1975nl_07.html
shows it as a nice comfy touring/town bike, but mine came with drop bars which may have been added for the UK market at the time. Since getting it I've fitted some new MKS flat touring pedals and a Selle Italia turbo saddle, et voila!
Compared to the GT it's like driving an old Alfa Duetto Spider after a Dodge Ram - but it's nice to have the choice.
Cheers