Classic & Vintage - Are these Peugeot frames decent?

Firstly I'm glad there are many Peugeot experts on here :D

What I'm looking for is a ~56cm frame to build up as a fixed gear.

Obviously I'm not looking for a Cinelli-at-Huffy-price steal, but I don't want something terrible either; I had a trashcan Schwinn that, when built up as an SS, weighed more than my MTB w/ suspensions :o

So I'm looking at something that was formerly entry to mid-level..perhaps <24lbs built up as roadie. Modestly aggressively angled (73+)... (a bit picky I know :D)

here are the candidates:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7298&item=3678196454&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7298&item=3677933465&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22681&item=3678613747&rd=1

also, what does the tri designation of the last bike really imply in terms of riding position... designed to be more bent over for aero and efficiency?

if you could separate the junk from the rubbles i would be grateful :D

I am definitly not a Peugeot expert but, the last one listed with Vitus tubing looks like a decent bike. It has forged drop outs which means its not bottom of the barrel in quality.

Canidate number one: Carbolite 103 was the frame material used in the lower-end puegeots, later replaced with "HLE" tubing, and replacing "tube special allegre peugeot". Probably a bit on the weighty side. I have one like frame, an earlier UO10, and it performs well as a beater, but is a bit stiff as a frame.

Canidate number two: The worry here might be the seatpost. On some lower-end seventies models, Peugeot used a 24.4 seatpost, which is impossible to find replacements for short of scavenging.

Canidate number three: The best of the bunch. I am, however, unfamiliar with triathalon bikes. I'd ask about their ride characteristics somewhere else, like the triathalon board, because I frankly have no clue. And knowing ebay, it may not be a triathalon bike at all; the seller may have just stuck that in there to try and attract more bidders.

The other problem may be french threading. One and three may be late enough to dodge this problem (i.e. the threading may be English, both bikes are post 1980); however, the only time this is a real problem is in the bottom bracket (you can finagle your way around a french headset). If I were you, I'd consider expanding your search; Trek frames from the early eighties, for example, can often be found cheap and make fine rides; plus they avoid the standard French problems by being English threaded. Some Japanese bikes are terrifically undervalued as well. You might also spend a touch more; I watched a really nice PY10 go for about $175 a while back.

The agressive head tube angle you want may be a problem as well; most French bikes appear to have pretty relaxed angles to my eye, with exceptions spotted around (the 1973 PX10e comes to mind).

thanks for all the info! do you have any pics of your PX10? I really regret not having bid on this PRETTY PX-10 that went for only 127! it's got the semi-horizontal dropouts as well..what a beaut~

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3671625506&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

well, nowawdays, a tri-bike means that it has a very steep seat tube and a very shallow head angle, in an attmept to distribute the weight more evenly bewteen the two axles of the wheel, becuase with a tri bike with aero bars you are sticking more weight on the front.

however, the seller I think is bull****ting. It doesn't look like a tri bike to me. I could be wrong. you never really know sometimes.

Agree with others that #3 is the best quality wise but also don't know about geometry.

OK...the triathlon frame is either a 56 or a 58 cm. Its identical to the PSN10 Mont Cenis of the same model year. A 56 cm has a 74.3 seat angle, 72 head angle, 39 1/4 wheelbase and a 54.8 toptube. A 58 has a 74 seatube angle, 73.3 head angle, 39 1/4 wheelbase and a 57 cm toptube.

When that particular 'triathlon' model was made the word 'triathlon' was more of a marketing term. It designated a bike that was light enough and fast enough as well as economical enough for a person to be competitive. Todays 'triathlon' bikes are dedicated TT bikes.

The triathlon has identical geometry to all of Peugeots racing models for its year... CY10FC (carbon/aluminum, frame only), PZ10 (Reynolds 531), PX10 (Columbus SLX), PSN10 (Super Vitus 980), Triathlon (Super Vitus 980). All models are BRITISH threading.