To each his own, of course.

I'm not the sort to get sentimental over machinery, but my Peugeot is different. With lugs that look like they were cut by hacksaw, original paint with LOTS of chips and scratches, never-will-shine-again Campy components and scarred brake levers, it is a hideous bike that I affectionately call the Peu-Yuck. But it is beautiful to me.

I found it moldering in someone's basement when I was a sophomore in high school. I paid $200--way too much, especially considering it had sew-ups, so I had to ditch the wheels. First serious tour, I did 140 miles, fully loaded, on the first day out. Only problem was boils on the butt--my Brooks Pro wasn't broken in yet, but it was by the time I got home. Then from Seattle to Monterey and back inside of a month, also fully loaded (I've never believed in sag wagons or large group tours). Also a week through North Carolina and Virginia. Took a few lesser tours, than a hiatus, then back to it in my 30s, when I rode it through Montana and Wyoming, northern California and Washington and Oregon, all tours lasting at least a week, all with full packs. Then another hiatus and now, in my mid-40s, back to it.

This bike has never, ever let me down. It's stable enough, even with packs, to ride no hands. I can fix it blindfolded. Unlike other touring bikes I've known, it's fun to ride unloaded (although not as much fun as my 1980 Colnago Super, but I'd give that bike up before I'd say goodbye to the Peugeot). I also have a P15 Paramount built in 1977 that's a piece of proverbial you-know-what when it comes to touring. On high-speed descents, it's prone to pray-for-your-life shimmy. I suspect I might have picked up a lemon. It's a beautiful bike, but that's about it. I'd never take it on a serious ride.

If I didn't love this PX10 and hadn't logged thousands of miles on it, there's no way I would spend enough to buy a secondhand touring bike to get the gearing I need to tackle extended 15-percent grades with packs now that I'm not young anymore. A lot of folks would say I'm nuts for not buying another bike, and maybe I am. At this point, the frame, headset, seat post and stem are the only things that haven't been replaced. Call me old school--I remember the days when only Italian would do and they sold bumper stickers that said "Friends Don't Let Friends Ride Trek." If I sound defensive, I guess I am.


Forgive my gushing. And thanks to everyone for the information here. It's been VERY helpful and gives me great hope that my problem is not insurmountable, and that there is more than one solution. If there is interest, I will re-post with info on whatever I end up doing.

Peace.