CountMeOut

You're right, it is longer. I must be measuring too far then, which would make
mine a 58. So perhaps a 56 is the right fit for me then, if it isn't possible to lift the bike off the ground when standing over it.

Here is a straight on view of the head tube:

Steve Whitlatch 

Stand over for me can be boys rest on the top tube. Don`t stress to much about that. I can ride 57 cm frames right on up to 62 cm. How tall are you? 23 inches CTC is 58 cm.

Edit: I read you are 5 11. This frame should be perfect for you.

Salamandrine 

OK. Actually that does look like a 60cm frame. So much for eyeballing it over the interwebs. They were measured from center of the BB to the top of the top tube (along the center line of the seat tube). C-T-C measurement was never that common - except for the Italians.

If you can get your heels on the ground you are at your size limit, at least according to US custom. Is that with or without shoes? If it's barefoot, wear shoes while riding and you'll be fine. It's French fit, and would have been fairly common in 1972. In fact the frenchies would go even bigger, as previous posters have alluded to. Some people find it more comfortable, especially if you have a longer torso and/or arms. IMO try it out for a while. All that considered, a true 58 (C-T-T) or even 57 would be a better fit using conventional sizing guidelines.

CountMeOut

Haha so it looks like the opinions are about 50/50 for 58/60. At the moment I'm wearing shoes and underwear. The boys rest on the TT. If I lift the bike the TT is basically going up into me, if you know what I mean.

Steve Whitlatch 

I have never gotten off of my bike with both feet down on each side of the bike at the same time.

Salamandrine 

Well as far as opinions, mine is the right one. Doesn't matter what you call it anyway, only how it fits.

I'm not sure I know what you mean. Bike fitting is always a little awkward to describe. Strange as it may seem, the boys are irrelevant to sizing. They can get out of the way. The way to size a bike is to pull the TT fairly hard into your perineum. Don't do it so hard you injure yourself obviously, but pretty hard. Clearance that matters is between the top tube and the bones/muscle etc of the perineum, not the boys.

AFA opinions on whether that's a good fit for you, only you can decide. It's on the big side, but within acceptability. As you can see, many people like that sort of fit.

cdmurphy

You seem pretty set on standover == fit. That may or may not be the case. If your legs are of average proportions, then yes, a bike you can barely stand over will probably be too big, or almost too big. However, if you really are 5'11", then you should have more clearance over a 60cm (CTT) frame than you are describing. This points to you being one of the shorter legged / longer torso'd types. In that case, you need all the top tube length you can get, while living with whatever seat tube height is required to get there. (The exact opposite of my fitting problems.).

I'll echo previous suggestions to ride it first, before you make any decisions one way or another. I've ridden bikes with tons of top tube clearance, that I knew were way too long for me in the first 20 feet. I've also had bikes that I could barely straddle (65cm), that were perfectly rideable thanks to a short top tube. Without going through a fitting, or supplying a ton of measurements, there really isn't any way for any of us to know how that bike will fit you. Everything else is just guessing.

CountMeOut

I'm not too set on it, I've just never ridden a bike that rode this high up between my legs when straddling it. As far as I know, I'm of extremely average proportions.

But yes, I will go for a long ride as soon as I get the chance early this week and report back.

Steve Whitlatch 

All men are born with built in nad protection. Your instincts will not allow you to damage the boys. You will be fine.

jj1091

It sounds like a good fit, to me. I'm 5'-9" and mine measures 22-3/4", or almost 58cm, and the TT is right into my crotch, which is a perfect fit for me. I think you've got the right size.

cdmurphy

Have you tried measuring your cycling inseam? Basically, just stand barefoot with your back to a wall, and carefully jamb a thin book up into your crotch, keeping it square against the wall, until it's solidly up against your pubic bone. Mark this point on the wall, or have someone you're intimate with do it for you. Your inseam is the distance from the floor to this mark (usually 2-3" more than your pants inseam.). The ratio of this to your height really determines what relative lengths you want in seat and top tubes, in an ideal frame. I believe the average ratio is around 46% for men, but values between 40 and 50% are pretty common. (I'm 49.6%, which surprised me when I first started trying to get comfortable on too small of a bike.)

Charles Wahl

I'm not a Peugeot expert, but I have a large PX-10 frame that measures 63+ cm from center spindle to top of top tube (that's how I measure my own frames, and always in cm). In the 1970 and 1974 catalogs (English) Peugeot listed sizes in full inches, no halves, no 22 inch. I believe that my frame is a 25 inch. I think that Steve Whitlatch may use the center spindle to center top tube. I'd probably call his 60 cm a 61.5, and yours a 60 cm -- apples and oranges. As I said previously, size and fit are very personal, to the point of being much like religion.

John E

You fit a 60cm about the way I fit a 58. For me, the top tube length is more important than the seat tube length, and my PKN-10 was just too long in the top tube, even with the very short-reach stem I swapped in. Conversely, I rode a 23" Nishiki for 20 years and had to get a longer-reach stem to make it comfortable, because the top tube was so short.

3alarmer 

.
...the majority of the 70's PX-10 bikes I've seen that were originally sold here in the USofA have been either 23" or 25" frames.
I had to buy one from a guy who bought it in Germany to get a 24" frame, and it was beat to hell, so I then had to do a components transplant to get what I wanted, a 24", Nervex lugged, 70's PX-10.

So it figures that someone who actually wanted a 23" one would end up with one an inch bigger.

Anyway, here are some photos of a couple with various head tube lengths for visual comparison. The less ornate, (Prugnat I think) is a 23", the Nervex one, a 24". NOte the considerable differences in geometry and frame/fork angles. You run into that a lot in these years with French bicycles. I guess fashions changed from year to year.

I personally cannot tell the difference visually, but I own a tape measure, so it's pretty easy to figure out.


I personally don't have a whole lot of problems riding something I can straddle with my feet in my riding shoes, even if it's tight. Possibly that's just me, at 6'2" but with a long torso and relatively short inseam.

cadman101

I recently went through a similar process with my 73 PX-10. Anything I can do to help let me know. I had a lot of help from forum members so time to pay it forward. I can even loan out the correct JA Stein Stronglight crank puller if you prefer not to buy one. Some issues you may run into are a stuck stem and maybe even a stuck bottom bracket fixed cup. Evapo-Rust will become your best friend, made my old parts look like new and it's non-toxic.

When I took mine apart I keep everything in separate zip locked bags and marked with what section of the bike it was like front brakes, rear brakes, etc. Then I worked on cleaning up each section one at a time and had to learn a lot along the way. I had limited time to do all the work and had some long pauses, starts and stops. I wasn't in any rush and slow. Once everything was ready and the rebuild started, I worked almost around the clock because of the excitement of seeing it all come together after working so long on just sections of it. Sure was worth it all in the end and the bike rides great now.

Your bike to me looks like it needs a new paint job and decals, but that's just me. Just depends on what your happy with having when you're done and your budget, skills, etc.

My rebuild pages with most of the pictures restored including upgrades I've made:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...0-rebuild.html

Most of all have fun with it.

Classtime 

Congratulations. It looks ready to ride. First take the clips off unless you are comfortable with them. Squeeze the brakes and make sure they hit the rim square and not the tire or spokes. Pull and push the bars a bit to make sure they won't rotate on you. If the tires hold air pump them up and go. The shimano rear derailleur and shifters appear to be indexed sis. Unless your comfortable adjusting the rear cable, rotate the dial on the right hand shifter to anything but sis for your first ride. (Google).

You have the rest of your life to obsess about fitting a bike. That is your bike and a fine one at that. I'm shorter than 5' 10 these days and my 23 inch 1969 PX-10 fits me perfectly.

Take lots of pictures before you start dismantalling and while you dismantle the parts.

Steve Whitlatch 

So I pulled out the old tape measure and my PX 10 is 62 cm center to center, not 60 center to center as I thought. My bad. I guess that would mean that if we go center to top on my frame, it is a 25 inch frame or 64 cm according to Peugeot? I guess if it really mattered, my 72 PX 10 would be too big for me then? I am only 6 ft tall. Oh no!! lol (fits so well, like a dream)

Rcrxjlb

Do all PX10's have the white/black paint scheme...?

3alarmer 

Kactus

Besides 3alarmer's beautiful blue one, I believe they made them in black and red.

CountMeOut

Now that looks like the frame that would fit me perfectly. Also, it's gorgeous!

CountMeOut

Ok everyone,

Sizing discussion aside, I have emailed my local co-op and let them know about my plans with this bike and sent them some pictures. If all goes well and they are willing and able to help with this project it will begin this coming Sunday. I figure even if it's a tad too big and I don't keep it forever I'd like to at least see it cleaned up before I sell or trade it, so I'll start there.

I'll post updates and pictures as things progress. I thank everyone for the feedback!

Classtime 

WHAT? You're not going to ride it a little bit first?

pcf

Here's what I did to mine, a real joy to ride.

SRAM Automatix rear hub, modded to shift at a higher speed.

Velo Orange makes a French headset that is a perfect fit and a suggested upgrade.

CountMeOut

I'm going to ride it between now and then.