Waiting for a UO-8 to whisper to me
#1
Along for the ride.
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Waiting for a UO-8 to whisper to me
I rescued a Peugeot UO-8 from the trash heap this weekend, and I'm waiting for it to talk to me about what it wants to be in its next life. That sweet whisper might be "put me back in the trash," but I'm still listening. It's in sad shape, but the frame is just my size, and it appears to have no cracks or bent tubes. The Simplex derailleurs are gone, replaced by low-end but useable Suntour (Spirit front and Honor rear) stuff. The original AGDA saddle is gone, replaced by something plastic and dreadful. The downtube shift levers are still on it, as well as the MAFAC brakes and levers. Wheels and hubs appear to be original (narrow 27" steel rims, lightly rusted, high flange Normandy-looking hubs). Unfortunately, the original AVA stem and bars are still with it, as well as the 3-arm cottered crank with one of the chainring bolts missing. The paint is pretty beat up, and the chrome on the forks is pitting a little. I had trouble identifying it as either a PA-10 or a UO-8 until someone mentioned that the PA-10 frame has a derailleur hanger while the UO-8 uses a claw hanger. From the decal, the frame is "Special Tubing" carbon steel. One oddity - the wheels are bolted on - no QR skewers. Other strange stuff about this frame - it has goofy sheet metal "pegs" for a frame pump, brazed to the top of the down tube. The fork has eyelets for both a rack and fenders, but the rear dropouts only have a single set.
I can do some surgery on the headset lock ring to put a safer stem on it than the AVA, and probably get someone to tap the bottom bracket shell to accept Italian threading. I have an old Sugino Maxi 165mm crank that would work well as a single or a double, but beyond that I'm on the fence whether it would be worth the effort to resurrect it. The front derailleur clamp is too large for the seat tube (expected that, but it's still funny to see) so the monkey that had it before shimmed it with masking tape (!) to get the clamp to hold. The seat post is the original with a loose seat clamp turned backwards. Whoever was riding it was too small for the frame. I bet their hands hurt from sitting so far forward of the pedals. My big feet would appreciate the extra long chainstays, but I'm wondering if maybe it wants to be made into a fixed gear. This is my first close look at a French bike, and would be my first look at a fixie if I go that way. I already have a 70's bike boom ride, a Schwinn Le Tour from '73 or '74 still in nice shape, so I don't know if I need another 2-wheeled Edsel to keep running.
"I hear dead bicycles." --Sixth Sense.
Opinions or ideas?
I can do some surgery on the headset lock ring to put a safer stem on it than the AVA, and probably get someone to tap the bottom bracket shell to accept Italian threading. I have an old Sugino Maxi 165mm crank that would work well as a single or a double, but beyond that I'm on the fence whether it would be worth the effort to resurrect it. The front derailleur clamp is too large for the seat tube (expected that, but it's still funny to see) so the monkey that had it before shimmed it with masking tape (!) to get the clamp to hold. The seat post is the original with a loose seat clamp turned backwards. Whoever was riding it was too small for the frame. I bet their hands hurt from sitting so far forward of the pedals. My big feet would appreciate the extra long chainstays, but I'm wondering if maybe it wants to be made into a fixed gear. This is my first close look at a French bike, and would be my first look at a fixie if I go that way. I already have a 70's bike boom ride, a Schwinn Le Tour from '73 or '74 still in nice shape, so I don't know if I need another 2-wheeled Edsel to keep running.
"I hear dead bicycles." --Sixth Sense.
Opinions or ideas?
#2
the dog ate my earbuds
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Bikes: Colnago CT-1 B-stay Campy Carbon Record, '05 Litespeed Siena Campy, Bridgestone X03 , Peugeot dream bike gets FIXED, Waterford Campy Record Colbalto, Motobecane Tandem in perfect condition, A Belgium made Bertin that was sent by an angel
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I've got this bike.
It's solid, I'll say that. I've had it for nearly 25 yrs.
But it's a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it bike" for sure.
I think it's a good fixed candidate.
Mine likely will be when I decide what my next ride is.
It's solid, I'll say that. I've had it for nearly 25 yrs.
But it's a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it bike" for sure.
I think it's a good fixed candidate.
Mine likely will be when I decide what my next ride is.
#3
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
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Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
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What color is the frame? Are the fork ends chromed or painted? The AO-8, the UO-8's economy model variant, came in blue or green, with painted forks and wingnuts instead of QR on the hubs. The inconsistency here, however, is that the AO-8 came with low-flange Normandy or Atom hubs, whereas the UO-8 came with high-flange. (Think of the AO-8 is Peugeot's Varsity challenger and the UO-8 as its Continental killer.)
I advise against reaming out the BB shell, since one can find French-threaded BB cups. You may even be able to reuse the original cups with a cotterless spindle. You can upgrade to a modern stem, although you'll have to grind it down by 0.2mm.
My 1973 UO-8 is no Edsel, but a trusty commuter.
I advise against reaming out the BB shell, since one can find French-threaded BB cups. You may even be able to reuse the original cups with a cotterless spindle. You can upgrade to a modern stem, although you'll have to grind it down by 0.2mm.
My 1973 UO-8 is no Edsel, but a trusty commuter.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#4
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,798
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
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Originally Posted by scrantr
... Other strange stuff about this frame - it has goofy sheet metal "pegs" for a frame pump, brazed to the top of the down tube. The fork has eyelets for both a rack and fenders, but the rear dropouts only have a single set. ...
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#5
Along for the ride.
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Originally Posted by John E
What color is the frame? Are the fork ends chromed or painted?
I advise against reaming out the BB shell...
I advise against reaming out the BB shell...
I haven't looked into the availability of parts for the bottom bracket yet.
I read elsewhere on the internet (the source of all truth ) that it is
possible to tap the shell and fit a Japanese UN72 BB with italian cups.
I would read up a bit more before doing something quite so drastic.
If I decide to put it back together, I would repaint it and do something
nice with the windows that are cut into the lugs. It might be straight 1030
steel tubes, but I'm retro enough to appreciate a lugged steel frame. I like
how some of the Rivendells are painted to accent the cut-out lugs. Some
frames (like this one, maybe) can hold their own on style and a distinctive
ride quality.