Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - is this bike any good? [peugot convert free hub]

"'83 peugeot road bike. 58 centimetres. converted to single speed. free hub."

http://images.craigslist.org/1111g613c3kb3pe3l58bbb5319cebe0f115e2.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/11c1g61343me3pc3o08bb4f7bfaa4e0f31752.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/11b13b1g23k43m73p08bb6b78eed47be11ffc.jpg

the guy at the LBS is asking 250, is this a good deal/bike? my last bike was a BMX bike, i'm dying to upgrade to something my size, i'm 6' tall.

Why does it have a chain tensioner, it looks like it's got horizontal drops.

Doesn't look like that at all to me.

Why does it have a chain tensioner, it looks like it's got horizontal drops.

If its like the ones I've seen, there's not a lot of adjustment in the slots. Maybe 3/4"? Not enough.

Looks like a simple enough conversion, basic job but clean. Value? Price seems kinda high to me, but then again, I'm not looking at it in the flesh.

Jim

offer him $200 if its what you want

Why does it have a chain tensioner, it looks like it's got horizontal drops.

I agree. With a half link (or maybe just by shortening the chain) those drops should work, and it'll look much better.
I have a Raleigh Technium conversion which has short horizontal drops and I can even run two different size cogs without any issues at all.

If it's just about exactly what the OP wants, that's really not a horrible deal ($200 sounds closer though).

Oh, and either switch to fixed or put a rear brake on it! It's hard to believe someone that works at a bike shop built this...

I just made the chain tension work with vertical drops on a cannondale frame on a ss I just converted. You have to find the right Chainwheel/cog combination and a 1/2 link helps. If you like the bike - get it!

You need to know what kind tubing the frame is made of. If it's Reynolds 531, the frame alone is worth at least $150 and that makes $250 for the bike a decent price. If it's 501, it's worth considerably less. If it's HLE, the frame worth $25 and the bike is worth no more than $100.

It's not Reynolds 531 because they always had chrome on the stays.

I don't think it's an '83. Those graphics came a few years later.

After you find out what kind of frame it has, then you look at the quality of the components. It's impossible to tell from your little picture.

You need to know what kind tubing the frame is made of. If it's Reynolds 531, the frame alone is worth at least $150 and that makes $250 for the bike a decent price. If it's 501, it's worth considerably less. If it's HLE, the frame worth $25 and the bike is worth no more than $100.

It's not Reynolds 531 because they always had chrome on the stays.

I don't think it's an '83. Those graphics came a few years later.

After you find out what kind of frame it has, then you look at the quality of the components. It's impossible to tell from your little picture.

Pretty much all on target here. However, a 531 bike from Peugeot that late would not have the half chrome stays; look at the 79/80 PX10 "Super COmpetition" for example. Fully chromed fork, painted rear stays. This one could be a 531 bike, look at the decal at the top of the fork blades. Bears looking at. The fully chrome fork is not a gaurantee of a 531 bike, however, but a possible signifier. I Don't think it's HLE.

Decal sets from Peugeot I'm a bit iffy on; a bike this late can reliably be dated via the serial number-- if it is still there, Peugeot S/ns from this period were on a piece of paper taped to the bottom bracket.

If it is an 83, I believe it would have swiss thread in the bottom bracket, in which case bid the seller down, due to replacement issues.

personally wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole in a hazmat suit....

ok he said the drops are "fairly horizontal" and is 25mm deep. the frame is a 501 and the serial number is b4020115. how much would you say this is worth and do you think i could lose the tensioner and still have a good chain set up? how do i do that... PS i also found this on craigslist in my exact small town, but no price was listed. seems like the guy knows more about fixed gears. what do you think?

70’s Motobecane Grand Touring Frame and Fork (22” TT, 23” ST)
- Road frame with hanger and semi-horizontal dropouts
- Lugged steel frame and fork, powdercoated black
- Phil Wood bottom bracket with French rings
- Sugino cranks (48t), SRAM chain
- MKS flats with Christophe clips
- Stronglight headset
- Harris built wheels: Phil Wood Road Hubs 3X to Mavic Open Pros
- Double fixed rear with 16/20t Phil Wood sprockets and locks
- Nitto stem, steel flat bar, ODI grips
- Brooks saddle on Kalloy seatpost
- Continental slicks

http://images.craigslist.org/14c1ga1373kc3md3l98bk1e4963fa392e1c1e.jpg

The bottom bracket/ wheels are worth about $500 alone on that motobecane.

really? The last time he posted it I think he was asking 300...might have been 800. So I guess I'll get it if it's in my pricerange. What would you say a fair price is for the first bike.

The thing is, buying a bike like the Peugeot from an LBS is tough, because they have to justify the parts (tensioner, spacers, etc. + however they got the bike in the first place, trade-in, bought used, etc.) and the labor.

Then they have to stand behind it like a new bike if anything goes wrong. It's not like they can just go to the manufacturer and get parts warrantied. Given all this, $250 is a 'fair' price. However, I don't think an LBS should sell a singlespeed with just a front brake, so they may have cut corners elsewhere. So maybe $150? But the wheels look decent, even tho I have no idea what they are. And the frame/ fork is probably worth in the ballpark of $100 no matter which way you slice it. I don't think anyone's getting rich off this by any means.

It all depends on where you are/ if they can give you a decent answer about why they used a chain tensioner/ what the wheels are/ etc...

I'd buy the Motobecane w/ Phil hubs/BB for $300 no problem.

Do you think I could make it a flip flop hub easily?

$200 seems square and fair. It's not the best bike or greatest deal but if you need something for the winter it's fine. Plus, it looks clean and hopefully the shop will stand behind it.

You could re-lace the rear wheel to a flip flop and drop the tensioner if the drops are long enough to allow adjustment for chain tension. A few people above said they might not be long enough. However, if they really are just barely deep enough, you can file them deeper with a round file.

Do you think I could make it a flip flop hub easily?

If by easily, you mean debuild that wheel, and rebuild it on a flip flop then yes. That rim is probably not worth the labour to do it.