Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 13,501
Likes: 996
From: Boston-ish, MA
Bikes: 72 Peugeot UO-8, 82 Peugeot TH8, 87 Bianchi Brava, 76? Masi Grand Criterium, 74 Motobecane Champion Team, 86 & 77 Gazelle champion mondial, 81? Grandis, 82? Tommasini, 83 Peugeot PF10
Welcome to C&V! I'm sure someone else will know more than I but here is what I see. The only frame detail I can see is the lower head tube lug but the long point and workmanship look very nice. The details look early 70's. It clearly is not a bottom-end bike. The crank is TA-style (50.4 BCD), possibly Nervar, a good crank. MAFAC brakes are decent, stop well but can be noisy if not set up well. Some people don't like them (but I do). The derailleurs are bottom-line Simplex but light for their day, very likely worn out, and the front is likely to crank if it hasn't already. They aren't problems per se because you can replace them with very good Suntour or similar that would have been period-correct upgrades. Wheels look to be aluminum, not steel. Bottom bracket is probably French thread, no longer made but replacement bearing cups are available easily enough. Most likely the tubing is French size too.
It looks like a good bike to me! Does it fit you? Are the wheels true?
__________________
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller