Classic & Vintage - Peugeot Yale?, Sears Austrian?

I recently have gotten two rather nice bikes , one of which I'd like to use for everyday driving in town, ones a Peugeot Yale, regretfully a womans model(I'm a male 6'2" with 34 inseam), which I really don't care but it has a 20" frame, all original, sachs-huret 2500 aris classic rear deraillors, and twist shift, hle magnalloy frame, fenders, rack,leotard pedals, rigina 28X15/8 RIMS, all made in france, micheline world tour 700x32c tires, dia-compe brakes, generator (needs replacing the front part), seems to ride real nice with the seat up as shown, though could use a tune up , is it worth anything, and how will it hold up; the other bike I have is a Sears and Roeubucks, made in Austria bike, with campagnelo valentino Extra rear derrailors, Shurman 27x1 1/4 chrom rims, awful dry rotted tires, needing replacement, altenburger synchron brakes, dbp 1124378 in aust. pat pend pedals,fendors, seat, 22 1/2 inch steel lugged frame, no markings, all original also, rust is steel whooling off nicely, though needs a pretty good tuneup, plus tires, etc. Is it worth anything? Restoring, etc?
What I'd like to know really is which if both are fully restored is a better commuter, the sears suprisingly enough is lighter than the peogeout, but I can't find anything on the frame, it's lugged though and steel of course, any help on both would be greatly appreciated, one othe thing the sears has a chainguard I quess that makes all sorts of slacks possibe, also should the peogeout have 28" tires on it,Thanks for any help,Mitch

Both are very low end, neither is sized right for you. The Sears is closer to your size.

Steel wool ruins chrome, so be careful.

I would sell them both, probably as is, and start looking for better bike to rebuild- something with alloy rims and crank, cromoly frame, etc. If you are persistent in looking, you can find good bikes in the $50+/- range. Good vintage steel rigid mountain bikes can be particularly cheap (but good).

Unless you find a cheap donor (with better alloy rims, tires, etc).

Thanks, I really don't like the mountain bike feel, especially the flat bars, I'm an old road bike person, growing up on ten speeds and "english racers", I've thought about a new Flying Pigeon PA-6? I've heard they're pretty much indestructable, what do you think ?

I only buy used bikes, and focus on 1980s Japanese models: Univega, Miyata, Panasonic, and others. I find them well built, indestructable, and very affordable if you are patient.

Puch Austro-Daimler Steyer made many of the bicycles that were labeled 'SEARS' way back when. So the Sears is really a Puch. Puchs were highly underrated in the USA, and were not imported under the name PUCH. Reason being that their marketing division thought PUCH would not sell. People would pronounce it 'PUKE' or 'PUSH.' So they came in labeled A-D, and were also sold as Sears bikes. Puch A-D closed their bicycle divison in the mid-1980's - concentrating instead on the little motorbikes.

I'd love to see some close-up photos of the drop-outs of this machine. And my vote goes to the Puch-Sears.

tell me exactly what the drop outsare, are they where a lower part of the rack go, let me know and i'll post them before dark, now I'm curious too

The drop-outs are where the two wheels fit into the frame on the fork - front, and the seat-stays - rear. If you can't get a good photo, please just look to see if they have a name on them. Like Campagnolo or Gippieme.

I shot a whole bunch, hope I got it right, let me know, the only writing I saw was the letters ESGE on a plate for a rear rack I think, and the kickstand, thanks, mitch

Actually that's a plate for the kickstand attached to the frame, and the kickstand

That's enough to tell me they are cheaper dropouts. Probably stamped. But the lugwork shows some pride in their work. Very nice bike. I'd clean it up and outfit it with decent components. Would make for a nice commuter or weekend machine. It certainly wouldn't end up in a Goodwill box.

Puchs were very underrated in the USA at the time. But most anyone who has had one (or does) loved them. Even the low-end ones were given accolades by their owners. The top-end racers were up there with Cinelli and Masi.

Thanks, I remember the Puch bicycles, growing up and riding during the bike boom, which I still fondly remember, I was in college and had a trusty Schwinn Varsity Sport, which took me back and forth to my part time job. Puchs did have a good reputation, and were rarely seen around, I recall reading about them. Tthere's a good local bike shop the respects the past of cycling, I think I'm going to try to keep it as much original as possible, except probably through on a brooks saddle which I prefer. Funny Sears carried a lot of good items back then with their stamp, especially fishing gear. To me theres still nothing like a good steel framed bike, or maybe I'm showing my age, but they just seem to ride better, Thanks, all, I'll post some photos when she's restored:)

Great! Drop me a note when you do. I'm a certified PuchNut.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp323/nagognog/Green.jpg

The reflectors on the the fork blades are neat. I will echo wrk101's comment, don't use steel wool on your bike (I do use it on steel spokes though) there are better methods, plus steel wool leaves metal shavings everywhere. Do a search on the Campagnolo Valentino, it seems to have a hated reputation around here, but even so the Campagnolo shifter adds a small bling factor to your bike. I have bikes that are probably less valuable than these, they are great to learn bike maintenance on.

-Matt

Thanks for the tip, I'll definitly forego the steel whool