Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - What is the best Peugeot frame to start with for a fixie project

I am getting ready to build my first fixed gear and want to do it from scratch. The only MUST HAVE, is a Peugeot frame, as I used to run one of the last Peugeot (car) dealerships left in the US, and it will have sentimental value, somehow. In any event... don't know much about them, except that the PX-10 is apparently awesome.

What is the best frame to start with, that maybe already has the proper dropouts and all, and is lightweight, etc. I don't really have a budget, but I'm on a budget, if that makes sense. I'm not trying to do this project cheaply, but I don't have alot of money to spend.

Any suggestions??

PX-10 is a great frame, but unfortunately are very rare.
UO-8 is much more common, and is still middle quality.

read this: http://www.re-cycle.com/History/Peugeot/Peu_Models.aspx

what it will tell you is that there are a million different models and no real good way of finding out what a model is other than the decals.

good luck though! there is a lot of good information out there. the truth of the matter is that most peugeots are going to be okay for your use. one is not going to be much different than the others, and the best thing to do is look for the one that is the least weight. that's going to be the higher quality tubing. you can also look at the level of craftsmanship on the lugs. if it looks and feels like a good frame, it's probably a good frame, the model doesn't really matter.

be prepared to have fun hunting down some french parts...

Look for an 80's Peugeot frame or complete bike to convert. PX-10s would be expensive as they are the high end bike. UO-8 will be cheaper or an Iseran. In the 80's, they stopped using the French bottom bracket and switched to the far more popular English one.

I bought an Iseran mixte frame off eBay for $25 and converted it to a singlespeed for my wife.

eBay and Craigslist are your two best bets unless you are in a large city.

So you know, Velo Orange sells a nice French-threaded bottom bracket in various spindle lengths:

http://www.velo-orange.com/grcrufrthbob.html

a PY-10
But then again if anyone saw you riding a PY-10 conversion they'd kill you, I know I would.

I would avoid carbolite..... as there are plenty of peugeots made of more worthy materials.....

Don't worry too much about a french threaded BB; you can always have your LBS rebuild it (it's just the BB caps that are hard to find; if you lose/strip them somehow)..... just keep it tightened as it FAILS with threading that loosens when you pedal......

Aim for road oriented peugeots that are made of peugeot HLE (lowest but acceptable); vitus; reynolds 501; reynolds 531 (highest quality BUT expensive & harder to find!); peugeot carbon (super rare!)

Having just finished a peugeot build I can tell you that even though you are concerned about the frame you my actually end up with more problems in finding parts for it as the stem searpost bottom bracket some times handlebars (depending on what stem you get) must all be of specific sizing to actually work on a Peugeot. I'm sure the velo orange bb is great but consider what crank you want as the VO BB is only JIS tapered. there's probably more but if you have questions I can probably answer them

here's mine

http://velospace.org/node/26513

Any mid 80s Peugeot racing frame will get you where you want to go.

I took my old Ventoux and converted it to a single speed

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4335866005_22b40cf994.jpg

If you're in the states or canada most of the pugs you'll be seeing were made in Quebec with English fittings anyway. If I'm not mistaken pretty much everything early 80's on (at least low to mid level) was made by procycle. Good bikes, but carbolite is pretty not worth your time. There were many triple butted ishiwita EX models made, find one of those or an older 531 bike.

Good bikes, but carbolite is pretty not worth your time. There were many triple butted ishiwita EX models made, find one of those or an older 531 bike.

Ventoux was 501

If you're in the states or canada most of the pugs you'll be seeing were made in Quebec with English fittings anyway. If I'm not mistaken pretty much everything early 80's on (at least low to mid level) was made by procycle. Good bikes, but carbolite is pretty not worth your time. There were many triple butted ishiwita EX models made, find one of those or an older 531 bike.

There are plenty of french ones in the states as well ;)

...well, if you want the best, go for a Peugeot Track ;)

http://www.bikecult.com/works/archive/04bicycles/peugeotTKrs

http://velospace.org/files/puegeot.jpg

PX10s are not rare. They made a lot of them. You can always find them on eBay. Finding them cheap is another story.

http://sporting-goods.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=peugeot&_sacat=7294&_trksid=p3286.m270.l1313&_odkw=&_osacat=7294

Don't be fooled by this one. It's not a PX10.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Early-70s-Peugeot-PX-10_W0QQitemZ220554774350QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item335a16c74e

...well, if you want the best, go for a Peugeot Track ;)

http://www.bikecult.com/works/archive/04bicycles/peugeotTKrs

Now you've done it! :love:

PX10s used to be cheap, but aren't any more. Here's slightly over a hundred bucks of them:

http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/ab285/1967PeugeotPX10/72and17PX10s.jpg

The front frame (the conversion) is a PX10E, which has a steeper geometry and more aggressive ride.

Speaking from long experience-- my main beater frame is a UO8 conversion, I own the PXs above and one more as well-- there's something about the UO models. They have a comfy geometry for in town riding, yet are fairly quick bikes at the same time. They were also relatively common. They used to be real cheap, like five bucks. Not any more, but they're way cheaper than the PXs these days.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=60135&d=1196888725

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=60136&d=1196888778


The downside of the UO is as great as the frame is, you have to be willing to do a lot of wrenching. I've changed out the crank and bottom bracket on mine, and it has handbuilt wheels (built by me) replacing the stock steel ones. To get them really working well, you need to at least change out the bottom bracket, crank, and wheelset. After that, they're ideal.

Mine's been my bar bike and round town beater for well more than a decade, and would likely be one of the very last bikes I would give up.

I would avoid the carbolite framed bikes. They take a small seatpost, 24mm and hard to find/replace (there are tricks), and the bottom bracket on most of them is Swiss thread, which creates a whole set of new problems. If you're set on a Peugeot, my advice is to try to find someone local to you who actually knows how to wrench them and is willing to give you some guidance/help.

Don't be fooled by this one. It's not a PX10.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Early-70s-Peugeot-PX-10_W0QQitemZ220554774350QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item335a16c74e

Indeed. The PX is one of the most commonly mis-identified vintage bicycles out there. The above example is either a PA or PR, likely the later. Not a bad bike, but overpriced by at least 150$.

PX10s are not rare. They made a lot of them. You can always find them on eBay. Finding them cheap is another story.

I suppose it's all relative. When I bought my UO-8 in 1966, it cost me $85, and the PX-10 cost $160, which would be almost $1100 today. So, assuming a PX-10 is original, complete and in excellent condition, why is it unreasonable to pay a comparable amount? I'm personally out of the running, because they didn't make small sizes, otherwise I might be interested.

Indeed. The PX is one of the most commonly mis-identified vintage bicycles out there. The above example is either a PA or PR, likely the later. Not a bad bike, but overpriced by at least 150$.

I'm sure it's a PR because a PA would have the wierd UO-8 style shifter boss and different lugs. A '74 PA10 looks like this (but without the PX10 upgrades).

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/43361/2949742660068014369S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2949742660068014369prdjtE)

It was a fixed gear for a while.

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/2785/2439164060068014369S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2439164060068014369jnBbzP)

That PR looks like a good size for Tejano Trackie. There's nothing wrong with a PR. The three main tubes are Reynolds 531. Nothing is original on that bike, though.

Why did I ever let my PX10LE go?!?

The Reynolds 501 frames ride very nice IMHO. Find a white one like this with a chrome fork. There are a ton out there, just need your size and in good shape. That's the harder part. The white crank is cool too.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e300/tmh657/Peugeot/Side_1.jpg

This PX10LE would make a fine fixed gear, but it's not gonna happen.

http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/43933/2134335910068014369S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2134335910068014369IYRcur)

This PX10LE would make a fine fixed gear, but it's not gonna happen.



This 1967 PX10 would make a great fixed gear as well, but it also will never happen.;)

http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/ab285/1967PeugeotPX10/1967PX10/dogs007.jpg

This 1967 PX10 would make a great fixed gear as well, but it also will never happen.;)

http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/ab285/1967PeugeotPX10/1967PX10/dogs007.jpg


Classic pump, too!

Dumpster find. Early 80’s Versailles home-work-bar-home lifeline I built for a friend. Learned a lot about Peugeot “standards”. Was very lucky to get a 24mm seatpost that someone had no use for. The original headset locknut was 1mm off from a new/standard 26.4 chrome headset and the later would not tighten all the way on the original fork. I liked the headtube lugs and polished them, as well as the fork lugs. Showed off more chrome on the fork. 3/16” chain. Hadn’t put on the chrome cages or original locknut yet. Stupid amount of clearance. A sturdy, heavy bike, though riding it into a chain linked fence was an efficient way for the friend to bend the fork back and then buy a Kilo. (insert "bummer" emoticon)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3045111144_1a0de14e6e.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3041/3045114266_181400b62e.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3182/3044279283_8b7aaffa44.jpg