Camplex

Hello all!

I had the good fortune last weekend of stumbling upon a deal a couple of hours south of me, in a Peugeot Super Competition listed for a quarter of what I've seen them listed for... So my wife and I rush down there and meet a nice older couple with this old bike in their pickup. Indeed, it is a Peugeot Super Competition, what I believe is a '79, with the Stronglight cranks, Maillard 700 hubs, Simplex derailleurs and retrofriction shifters (woo hoo!), Spidel/Mafac brakes, Ideale 2001 saddle, Reynolds 531 frame + fork, etc. I believe this is all original, yes? The pic below by the telephone line is a solid "before" shot while the successive photos show where the bike is now. I've put new Pasela tires on there, a new chain, and I've cleaned several parts, taking them apart, lubing, and reassembling. I'll redo the brake cables and do the handlebars next...

What do folks think of the Super Competition? Are there any issues the bike prone to that I should be aware of? Also, is there any way of attaching a rack? Or would that be blasphemous?

Ex Pres 

I thought that style debuted in 1980, but in any case they made pretty much the same bike until 83? I have one in that same time period, with original clinchers so makes it a PXN 10 model. I really like mine - have ridden centuries on it, but it really is a little small for me so it's on the block. One frame size larger and I'd keep it. Yours appears all original at first glance. My shifters are a later style, so I've guessed mine as an '82.

A rack? To me it's not really a rack bike, but it's yours - do with it what you want.

dddd

Possibly the only issue I've noted with these bikes is the hinge/tang on the front derailer clamp plate, which can break off with heavy tightening.

Camplex

dddd - that's actually a superb point, and one I would have benefitted from knowing prior. Undoing the front derailleur, this "tang" easily snapped off. It's just a thin, soft aluminum tab holding the clamp on the backside. I've repaired it using JB Weld knowing it *probably* won't hold, and that I may need to use a spare SLJ in the front.

bertinjim 

Camplex-

Your Super Competition is mostly OEM. It should have an LJ 5500 rear derailleur and an SLJ front to match the Retrofriction levers. My bike was beautifully brazed and finished and handled with amazing quickness. It was one of those "Why did I sell that..." sales.

1simplexnut

Nice ! Would have put the date a bit later than 79 ( 80s as ExPres said ) based on the full chrome fork and a couple of other features . I have a very similar steed which I have tentatively dated at 1979 .
Mine is a very pleasant ride too. Good find for you and nice to have the retro friction levers !

3alarmer 

...I guess you could attach a rear rack with P-clips around the stays on top and some sort of smaller ones on the bottom, but this really is not the bike to do that. It's not blasphemous so much as just not the best idea. The shorter wheel base full 531 frames from this era seem a little flexy at the stays in my size and with my body weight (230# ). That's about my only observation. I have hit stuff in the road and felt the rear wheel jump sideways. Otherwise, pretty fun to ride....light, responsive, etc.

Camplex

Now that I've cleaned up a couple of things more extensively, date codes would indicate a 1981, at least. BTW, does anyone know what spokes were outfitted to these? They appear to have tiny "Bs" on each end. The rims (clincher) are Mavic Model E.

headset

Nice bike, would like to find one in my size someday.

Not sure about the type of spoke ...

but you're concerned about that level of OEM and you're putting a rack on it?

Camplex

No, now that I'm more knowledgable, I wouldn't put a rack on it. Still, I don't think the two positions are antithetical. Appreciate everyone's answers!

Grand Bois

I think that the rear derailer may be mounted incorrectly.

Camplex

Oh? How so? Please let me know, for example, how those "tangs" are supposed to be arranged when you mount it to the dropout. I looked at a bunch of photos but honestly, hadn't mounted any previous to this. It's shifting great but I don't want to take any chances.... Thanks in advance GB

John E

Great find! What is the serial number? (The first digit after the initial letter MAY be the last digit of the year of manufacture. My 1980 PKN-10 had a B0**** number.)

I loved the geometry and road manners, and my only gripe was the haphazard craftsmanship, with brazing voids at the rear dropouts and ugly seams down the backs of the fork blades. Your PXN-10 would not have the latter, of course, since it would have a full Reynolds 531 fork.

noglider 

Some of those derailleurs leaned really far forward. It might be mounted right. If seen some that way, and they worked fine.

Chombi

the RD is supposed to look like this when mounted on the bike.....

I suspect the tang that provides the spring tesion at the top pivot is wrongly positioned behind the RD hanger and not in front, where it should be..... unless you have a chain that's way too short and is pulling on the RD too much.....

fcboyd

Nice! I have one that looks identical to yours that I believe to be an '81. Mine didn't come entirely original though with the stem, handlebars and brake levers being replaced. I'm currently restoring to original, what stem and bars are on yours? Also, are you looking to put on new hoods? If so let me know if you come across any affordable ways to do that!

Looks awesome though! I love mine!

Grand Bois

No. It's mounted incorrectly. The tab that points to the back of the derailer should be at the front of the hanger. It may work the way it is, but it will work better if mounted correctly. The only ones that leaned far forward had drop parallelograms.

noglider 

Oh, OK, thanks.

Chombi

Hmmm....... I guess I should turn off my invisible post button next time......

MZilliox 

what a great find, that simplex kit is amazing stuff.

xiaoman1 

+1 you can see the tab is off.

dddd

There is some flexibility I terms of how one balances the spring tension between the cage pivot and the mounting "B" pivot. Adjustment for different freewheel sizes is accomplished at a Simplex derailer's cage pivot, where an external locknut is loosened and the spring wound tighter using an Allen key turned CCW while the nut is slackened. The locknut here is hidden behind the derailer's lower knuckle, but acts as a jam nut on the lower pivot bolt against the cage.
This was Peugeot's version of the "B-tension" screw for adjusting body angle, only applied at the cage pivot as with later Campagnolo derailers.
The tilt of the derailer also changes with the gear ratio selected, and with the chain length and axle slot position as well.
I agree the OP's derailer seems to be mounted with the B-tension spring far too slack.

This picture shows one bike's Simplex derailer set up for a 13-24t five-speed freewheel and alpine (52-36) chainrings, with the cage pivot spring tension having been increased. Use of the big ring would pull the derailer body even further forward.

Camplex

fcboyd - The stem is Atax and has a little sticker on top that says "Atax Made in France" ... The handlebars are Atax also, I believe. The bars say "Atax Franco Italia D 352" and "Guidons Phillipe" on the other side, accompanied by a little image, though I'm not sure what it is. The serial number is difficult for me to read, but I'll take a pic. I'll take a pic of the rear derailleur again as well. There's the tab in the front of the hanger and the tang above.... I like the Rustines hoods for these Mafac / Spidel levers. They're $25 or so from VO. I like the Mafac reproductions better but I'm not willing to spend the money.

bikemig 

If you want a bigger bag, you can run something like the Jandd mountain wedge III on that bike. It holds a lot, is very secure, and you don't need a rack. It also won't mar the finish on the bike that way a rack might. Beautiful bike, great find.

Camplex