Fifty Plus (50+) - Restore or start New?

Lots has changed in my life this year. Been off my bikes for almost 5 years and out of Shop working since 2000. All due to a new Nashbar MTB Frame, I have fallen in love with cycling again and wound up finishing my Clyde Bike and working at a new Shop to boot.

My wife has seen me nearly back to my old self and she seems to enjoy that. She asked if I could get her old Peugeot Mixte Touring bike back together and up to speed. She's not asked to ride this for many MANY years. It's been in the garage since 1988 when we bought our tandem and has not been ridden since. It was bought at the PX/BX in England back around 1977. It is all there, but it needs so many things. I don't think I want her riding on 30 year old steel rims, that's for sure.

If I start, I am afraid that it's going to cost me more than a new bike will to make this right for her. We paid maybe $150 for it originally, and for sentimental reasons I can't just get rid of it.

So...

What are your thoughts?

Chris

I'd look for a used bike with indexed shifting in her size. There are lots of good bargins around if you don't need or want the lightest thing out there. Or, do you have any shops around that will rent bikes? That might be a route to go if she's not really sure. BUT... is it possible that she has some kind of emotional attachment to the Peugeot? If so, you may be rebuilding regardless of any logic we may offer here.

This may be a good tome to take her out shopping for a new bike. You know, the "treat her like the woman of your life" kind of shopping. Just keep in mind, that if she is getting near 40+, the riding posture of a roadie may now be out of the question. bk

This may be a good tome to take her out shopping for a new bike. You know, the "treat her like the woman of your life" kind of shopping. Just keep in mind, that if she is getting near 40+, the riding posture of a roadie may now be out of the question. bk

We mature women can adapt to those roadies:D I bought the Madone at age 64 and love it.

This may be a good tome to take her out shopping for a new bike. You know, the "treat her like the woman of your life" kind of shopping. Just keep in mind, that if she is getting near 40+, the riding posture of a roadie may now be out of the question. bk

If you tell this to her you may not need a new bike! :eek:


What are the dimensions of the Peugeot, specifically the rear dropout spacing and the bottom bracket size. It is possible that equipment may be to expensive or hard to find to be worth while.

You can bring new life to that old bike for less than $100. Start with a used, preferably a yard sale bike that costs around $20-$25. Find any size frame that has alloy 27" rims. Now you've got decent rims, probably with a six speed freewheel. Go to ebay, there's a guy there selling 6-speed index, stem shifters, $20 delivered. Back to ebay for some aero brakes for improved braking, $25. Add new brake pads and cables as needed. If the yard sale bike has better brakes, add them to the Peugeot. That's the best way I can think of to restore an older bike on budger.

I like the mixte,any mixte. those frames are no joke,not just a "girl" bike. Along with the more obvious aspects,mixte allows for a proper size frame without a prohibative stand-over hight. Nothing odd needs to be implimented in design, wheels or components in order to allow for a good fit, ie. not cramped. I've provide a few mixtes in my time for the women in my life,on-going projects as we speak. Mixtes are more costly to make, they've all but vanished from current production. Manufacturing costs and the newer compact geometry have rendered them less "important". If she's used to road bars perhaps she may like them again. You need to have her participate in fit, basic style. Here,we at the forum can only submit a litany of oppions, as I just did. her participation is the only way to prevent failure, you're married,you should know this by now,you probably do. Go to a bike store as if you might buy a bike,check them,for color and fit too. You may not intend to BUY one then and there, may being the operative word. Besides, if you're racked with guilt over spending the shop's time, buy some gloves or a shirt or new tire pump.

My wife has seen me nearly back to my old self and she seems to enjoy that. She asked if I could get her old Peugeot Mixte Touring bike back together and up to speed. If I start, I am afraid that it's going to cost me more than a new bike will to make this right for her. We paid maybe $150 for it originally, and for sentimental reasons I can't just get rid of it.

So...

What are your thoughts?

Chris

I'm biased. I'm doing a restomod job on my 1973 American Eagle/Nishiki. I've owned it for 3 decades and it's had several generations of parts upgrades throughout the years. Cottered cranks, no thanks. The latest upgrade is a Brooks saddle for my faithful friend and an aluminum rim on back. I've spent far more on fixes that it ever cost. I got it orginally as a trade on a load of wood that I had no use for any more. But it's still solid and true.

I think that the question is what does she want? You say it needs many things. I imagine tires, tubes, new cables and brake pads. Perhaps the best way is to bring back her old bike if the rims are fairly straight. Don't improve it, but let her reconnect with bicycling where she left off.

Then be ready to either upgrade the bike to aluminum rims, a cotterless crank, japanese groupo, or she will decide that she really wants a new comfort bike or road bike. Take it in small steps and you will do well.

What are the dimensions of the Peugeot, specifically the rear dropout spacing and the bottom bracket size. It is possible that equipment may be to expensive or hard to find to be worth while.

This is one of the things that I am concerned about.

I've not measured, but I'll bet that it's 126 mm between the dropouts and the BB has never been out of the thing. (Opps!)

Working at a Good Bike Shop (which I do) will help when it comes to parts and such, but my thought is that this bike would take too much and return too little in performance to make a difference. Truth be known, she's probably better off with a new Trek LIME with the auto 3 speed than anything I could do with the old bike.

The Problem is that we had bought two of these bikes, rode them all around England in 1977-1980. Used Child carriers on the back when the Twins were born (after they were big enough). And then shipped hers home before I got shipped home. Yep....Some history there.

Chris

For me, memories and nostalgia are among the most important properties of any vehicle. I've been driving the same car for nearly 25 years and I still enjoy it. On the whole, I prefer road and touring bikes of the 1960s, and 1970s to modern ones. The geometry is more practical for non-racing use and friction shifting just seems more satisfying than indexed. Besides, touring bikes are a hard-to-find specialty item today. You know what I'm going to recommend, then.

However, some things are much better today. I think the steel rims have to go, for example. Back in the 1970s I often wished for brakes that actually worked in the rain, usually when blasting down a steep downhill in Seattle, enroute to class.

Paul

I'd probably buy something new that would get da wife safely and happily out on the road. Later, if I felt a connection to the Peugeot, I'd properly fix up the older bike as a leisurely winter pastime, but that's just me.

Whichever way you go.....make it ridable so she can get started.....buy new so she can get started sooner.... i am sure you will have her OK to take that direction. After all the advice given here, as good as it is, you will have to be guided by she who will be riding....with you. peace

Whichever way you go.....make it ridable so she can get started.....buy new so she can get started sooner.... i am sure you will have her OK to take that direction. After all the advice given here, as good as it is, you will have to be guided by she who will be riding....with you. peace

So true.

I would be happy just to get her back out on the Tandem again. Been a few years since we've been together on that bike too.

Thanks folks!

Chris

The Peugeot mixte is a classic. If it fits her and if she likes it, fix it up. (OK, I am biased -- my current commuter/beater is the 1970 UO-8 I originally built up for my wife.)

My recommendations:
1) aluminum-rimmed wheelset, preferably with 6- or 7-speed freewheel;
2) barcons (for drops) or thumb shifters (for upright bars);
3) KoolStop brake pads;
4) new rubber and new cables and housings all around.

Cottered cranks are not all that bad; sure, aluminum cotterless would be a step up, but you would have to find French-threaded BB cups of the right wall thickness to with the new spindle (Japanese and European practice differed in those days).