stevesto

I don't know anything about road bikes but have chosen this one over the GMC Denali offered at walmart. There is a link to pictures of the bike below if you want to see more. I know it has a chro molly frame. The 260 includes the guy delivering it to my house. What do you guys think? I'll be using the bike to commute 6-10 miles maybe 4 days a week.



******57 cm Peugeot Road Bike***************************************** - $260 (Raleigh)
Vintage French Road Bike
Color-Burgandy
10 speed Suntour drive with thumb shifters
Chrome rims
27 x 1.25 inch tires
Dual brake levers
new gear and brake cables,new chain and bar tape
Kickstand
It is a good looking ride.

Serviced and detailed.

57 cm with 32 inch standover height fits riders 5'7" to 5'10"

$260.00 cash or credit cards Will take trade plus cash for your Old ten speed road bike


https://www.flickr.com/photos/yony5/s...7639088930266/

20grit

It's about $140 too expensive. It's definitely not a mid-range Cro-mo frame. Peugeot bikes, of the level in the picture, either came with HLE tubing or Carbolite 103. There are threads here regarding those two tubing sets; they have their fans.

It looks decent enough, but the seller needs to come down on price.

stevesto

Thank you

oddjob2

Looks like a 1983 P6, Carbolite frame, in good condition. Some don't like chrome rims, but that's what the bike came with. If you don't ride in the rain, not a big issue. In addition to the new cables, housing, bar tape, and chain, ask if the seller has overhauled the bike, including greased wheel, headset, bottom bracket bearings, new brake pads, and tires than $200-$225 would be appropriate. If that work hasn't been done, I'd say mid $100s. He seems to recondition and sell a lot of bikes.

https://mysite.verizon.net/imagelib/s...cav1y&title=P6

MRT2

How tall are you? That bike looks a little big for someone 5'7, but perhaps OK for 5'10.

Do you have experience with vintage 10 speeds?

If it fits, you could absolutely use the Peugeot as a commuter, but I concur that the price is a bit high. A lot depends on whether you trust the seller. If the bike is completely restored and needs nothing, it might be worth $150 to $200. If the seller just cleaned it up and it needs some work, then not such a bargain.

Frankly, 90s or early 2000s era mountain bikes and hybrids seem like better values as commuters these days than 70s and 80s ten speeds.

jimmuller 

I think Vincent Price, I mean 20grit, got it right. Of course in your area prices may be higher then elsewhere. Those Peugeots were actually better than their frame tubing would suggest. "Carbolite 103" was really just Peugeot's name for 1030 high-carbon steel, if I understand it correctly. The "lower" alloys of steel have less tensile strength which means the tubing must be thicker than a more expensive tubing. However this is not a bad thing. All steels have the same elastic properties. So while this makes the bike a little heavier it is also stiffer and therefore more efficient. If it is designed well it can be a great bike, and Peugeot built great bikes. It will never be a super-light bike but that really isn't necessary.

One thing about them is they take upgrades well. For example, alloy wheels replacing steel. Other parts on that look pretty decent.

The problem is with price. That is expensive.

noglider 

Carbolite bikes were surprisingly light for their prices. They rode well, too. But I agree that you can do better for the money.

stevesto

The main thing I'm concerned with is speed, I want to get where I'm going quickly and efficiently. I thought mountain bikes where generally slow in comparison to road bikes. Again, thanks for all of your insight.

oddjob2

57cm is too big for 5'7," you and your package would be happier with a 52-54cm frame.

Many people are buying the old rigid bikes, taking off the knobby tires and mounting 26 X 1.5 or 1.75 road slicks on them. Makes them ride smoother and quicker, due to less rolling resistance. Kind of like this.

stevesto

The 260 would include him delivering it some 20-30 miles. I'm about 5'9 maybe 5'10. that is an interesting idea with the mountain bike but I don't have a license at the moment so him delivering it is a big attraction as well.

big chainring 

Price is a bit steep, but considering you are new to bikes, not a bad deal. Looks like it is in good condition. A good solid bike that will get you around in good order. You might find something for less, but if it needs anything repair-wise, a trip to the bike shop can get very expensive. The Peugeot looks ready to ride. I wouldn't hesitate.

MRT2

An old, heavy 10 speed won't be any faster than a somewhat newer hybrid or mountain bike with slicks. Might even be a bit slower, depending on the weight. Here is the thing. Road bikes have evolved over the years. Bikes that retailed for $100 to $200 in the 70s were not built for racing. They were bikes for students and recreational riders of that era. Not pros or even serious enthusiasts.

In the 70s into the early 80s, everybody rode 10 speeds. In my middle school and high school years, I rode first a Schwinn Varsity than later a Nishiki Sport when I got a little taller. those bikes were heavy and the gearing was fairly tall. I never rode them more than, maybe 7 or 8 miles. (to the mall and back was about my limit, if I recall) and I was young and strong back then. Now, the bike pros of the era also rode 10 speeds, but they were a completely different class of bike than what I rode, though they looked similar.

When I bought my first real bike as an adult, a 1997 Bianchi Advantage Hybrid, it was so much more comfortable, efficient, and even lighter than my old 10 speed. And it was geared a lot lower, which made it easier for riding around town. I took that bike on rides of 25 to as far as 40 miles, as opposed to the 7 or 8 miles I used to ride my old bikes. (that said, as a kid, I rode for transportation more than for recreation so take that FWIW)

In the intervening years, road bikes have become a lot lighter and faster than these beasts from back in the day. If you want a real road bike, save up some more money and get a real road bike, or at least something from the late 80s or later.

That said, nothing wrong with an old school 10 speed. These things were sturdy and heavy. Just the thing for commuting, if the price is right and you like the old school esthetic. But they were never built for speed.

BTW. I just saw the exact same bike on my local CL, also advertised as clean and ready to ride for $210.

stevesto

I'm going for it. One of my good friends is an avid cyclist with a decent collection. He's at work or I'd be asking him about it. He has lots of spare parts and has told me whatever I get I wont ever need to go to a bike shop.

stevesto

would it be faster then the Denali at least? I know a lot is determined by the rider, but given two equal riders which would you say is likely the more efficient bike

jimmuller 

I'm not familiar with the Nishiki Sport, but in all fairness we should point out that that Peugeot is a cut or two above the Varsity. Maybe even three cuts depending on how big you cut 'em, of course.

Now about the Varsity, back around '73 or '74 when I was teaching, one of my students, a 9th grader, was an enthusiastic cyclist. One Monday he came in and said he and a friend had ridden the 50 miles from Richmond to Williamsburg on Saturday. He rode his Varsity. My hat was off to him for having the gumption to do that, finding a route, having the stamina, etc. Anyway, the point is, a Varsity can take you the 6 miles you want to go, and that Peugeot can also do it.

If you were looking for a bike to ride your next century I'd say this would do okay, especially after some upgrades, but you could do much better by spending more money. I'd ride my bike-boom Peugeot on a century if I had to, but I'd prefer one of my other bikes. You're not looking for that kind of bike however.

jimmuller 

If it were me and they both fit and both cost about the same, I'd take that Peugeot, no question.

MRT2

I want to say my old Nishiki was probably on par with this Peugeot. I remember it was both lighter and more refined than my old Schwinn. But still hi tensile steel frame (not cro moly), chrome wheels (not aluminum), and suicide brake levers. All a giveaway that this Peugeot was an entry level bike, not a mid level or higher end product. Both equipped with Suntour derailleurs. If memory serves, the bike cost me about $150 in 1981. This Peugeot may have cost a bit more, as European bikes generally cost a bit more than Japanese bikes back in the day. I really wanted a Raleigh, but the best I could afford as a high school kid was a Nishiki or Panasonic.

I am not trashing old school Peugeots. My wife still loves her vintage Peugeot touring bike. But when she wants to go fast(er), she rides her modern road bike.

BTW, after riding my 90s hybrid for many years, I did buy, and completely restore a 1985 Schwinn LeTour Luxe road bike, and that bike had a cro moly frame, cantilever brakes, aluminum wheels, and proper brake hoods with no suicide levers. (and Suntour components) Though I enjoyed my time with the Schwinn, I eventually sold it after a few years when I bought my current bike. The Schwinn LeTour also wasn't any faster than was the Hybrid.

jimmuller 

FWIW, bike tire terminology can be strange. A 1 1/4 inch wide tire is not the same as 1.25. Trust me. It should be 27" x 1 1/4". Really. It's a question of established terminology. That would be equivalent to 27" x 32mm.

If you go for upgrades consider a 28mm (1 1/8") or even 25 (1") wide tire, and alloy rims. You really don't want to have to brake in the rain on steel rims. But of course that runs up the price further.

MRT2

It is a better bike than the Denali.

MRT2

Exactly. Hence my suggestion the OP look at 90s or 00s hybrids or hardtail mountain bikes, which all came with aluminum rims.

no1mad 

Welcome to C & V Appraisals from C & V.

20grit

When the seller brings it, go over it fairly thoroughly. If you're taking it for that price, it needs to be well maintained.
Give the wheels a spin while holding your fingers on the skewer nut. You shouldn't feel any grinding transferring from the hub. There are some simple solutions like tightening/loosening the cones, but if you have worn bearings or races, you have bigger fish to fry.
Check the brakes. Give it a spin, apply the brakes, make sure everything stops as it should.
Check the shifters; run it through all the gears.

Look for cracks and broken items.

stevesto

Thanks very much, I've opted to buy one off bikesdirect, I'm now choosing between a dawes or a gravity and leaning heavily towards the gravity

old's'cool

Well, I hope that nice Peugeot finds a good home for a fair deal between seller and buyer. Since you are exploring the bikesdirect route, another place to check is https://bikeisland.com/

old's'cool

Well, I hope that nice Peugeot finds a good home for a fair deal between seller and buyer. Since you are exploring the bikesdirect route, another place to check is https://bikeisland.com/