Hello bike community, I am new here and I am very excited to meet new people and learn more about vintage bikes. A few years ago I moved to Kiel, the city in the North of Germany that is very welcoming for riding bicycles. Since then I have been commuting several cheap mtbs with a dream to buy once a proper road bike. So three days ago I became an owner of an old vintage bike as the only one I could afford (paid 100euro) but which I still can not identify. So I will appreciate any help or hints from you.

There are several original parts: Sachs Huret eco groupset 2x5 (introduced in 1984), Sachs S4 rims, side pivot CLB sulky 700 brakes (original?), Shimano 105 brakes levers (probably installed sometime later).
Stickers: 2 "prestige super sport" on the down tube, "France" on the headset, "Luxe" on the seat tube (French producer of brakes components), two finish flags around the seat tube.
My guess would be that it is some low-end french bike from 1985-1990 period, perhaps Peugeot as I saw bikes with similar components, common for Peugeot "finish" stickers and "France" stickers, there were bikes Peugeot Prestige, Prestige Sport but not prestige super sport.

I was not able to find any pictures or info on the internet. There seems no model ever named "prestige super sport". Searches around the web: peugeotshow catalogs, velobase, veterancycleclublibrary, bikeboompeugeot have not brought any success.
I think the color is original apart from that roughly painted blue parts. The serial number states 17310.

Plenty of private label bikes in the 1980s. I would not assume it is a Peugeot. Look for date codes on any parts you think are original. I've seen codes on items such as seat post, stem, handlebar, brake calipers, etc. List goes on and on. The trick is to guess which parts are original.

In the case of some rare minor manufacturer, i guess it will be impossible to find any info.

Thank you for posting the image, maybe someone will recognize the bike. I will check the codes and do better quality pictures tomorrow.

I would hesitate to use the word "rare," where what we have is merely unfamiliar. The people on this forum are mostly familiar with bikes that were sold in North America, whereas the bike posted was probably sold in Germany. The manufacturer was probably in France. I suspect a rather large manufacturer, but not a "name brand."

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Hello snoworder and welcome to the forum!

We had an inquiry about three years back from a poster asking about a bicycle called simply "Luxe."

Notice that the transfer worn by your bicycle's seat tube is the same one worn by the above machine as a head transfer -

https://m.bikeforums.net/attachment.p...1&d=1433618957

It appears to be perhaps a bit earlier in time than your cycle -

https://m.bikeforums.net/showthread.p...cross+champion

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Fabulous, thanks a lot for recalling this interesting story with much info and some great names mentioned
Labels "Luxe" are really the same but everything else is different.
Now I will check handlebars and the diameter of the seat tube.

The stylized outline of France on the head badge is reminiscent (but not identical) to samples that I've seen used by Manufrance.

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The bicycle's Sachs Huret gear ensemble should be able to provide a confirmation date. The fittings are marked with a four digit date code. The first two digits indicate the week of the year and the second two digits indicate the year. Would expect them to be within one year of the date marked on the machine's hub barrels. Suspect your cycle about about five or six years later than the "Luxe" example mentioned above.

https://m.bikeforums.net/attachment.p...1&d=1518404003

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I checked Manufrance as the only brand containing "France" as part of the name but found nothing.

The numbers are 4085 on the derailleur and 4584 on groupset clamping.

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There are at least several other badges containing France.

Some I can recall are Victor France, France Verte, France-Loire, France-Sport, France & Francex.

https://forum.tontonvelo.com/download...?id=173255&t=1

https://forum.tontonvelo.com/download...3256&mode=view

https://oi41.tinypic.com/14lov88.jpg

https://forum.tontonvelo.com/download/file.php?id=230311

The marque Cycles Adolphe Deledda has a map of the nation on its headplate -

https://forum.tontonvelo.com/download...0860&mode=view

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Somewhat doubt that this as an avenue of investigation will be fruitful.

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Thank you for the additional images.

Two further marques containing "France" -

La France & Emile France.

https://velobase.com/velobase.com/Vel...8020F0391.jpeg

https://forum.tontonvelo.com/download...7b2ff8973ee7ab

Here is one iteration of a Manufrance head transfer -

https://encycloduvelo.fr/wp-content/u...nufrance-6.jpg

The company went bankrupt and closed in 1985. Assets liquidated.

Since the bicycle's SAMIR SAMINOX wheel rims are dated 1985 it would seem unlikely it could have been produced by Manufrance.

https://encycloduvelo.fr/manufacture-...cycles-mimosa/

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that is amazing how much you were able to find, thanks
Still not much a progress in identification. I wonder whether there was an option that some chain of shops or department stores just have ordered to produce these "no name" bikes for them?

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for these grenouilles de mystere one reliable forum member is [MENTION=359579]Filochard[/MENTION].

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hello again snoworder,

you have done a fine job with both your text and photo information anent the cycle.

one item not as yet mentioned is tubing dimension and thread standard. due to the machine's established 1985 date this comes into play. ca. 1983-85 was the time when some french manufacturers began to transition from metric dimension threading to the BSC/ISO standard. there were manufacturers who did a partial changeover. it might assist readers to know the diameter of the frame tubes, headset and bottom bracket threading, pedal thread & gear block thread.

these specifications may not advance the progress to an identification but are part of the cycle's curriculum vitae.

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Thanks juvela, I have not yet taken all the measures but I have checked the handlebar (unfortunately nothing is written there) and seat tube.
What these numbers can tell about?

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Thank you.

The 92 - 09 marking on the pillar suggests it ~seven years later than bicycle.

Perhaps a replacement for a steel original...

"What these numbers can tell about?":

Some forum members (not me!) know when specific french cycle manufacturers made the changeover from metric to ISO dimension.

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