Bike Forums - Cycles Peugeot date codes from the mid-1970s

Stamped into the bottom bracket shell of some Peugeot bicycles from the mid-1970s is a four character code. The code starts with the two letters "RY". The second character is always a letter from A to M. The third character is a number. I have only seen 4, 5, or 6.

I believe that this is a data code. RY is for Romilly. The letter is for a month and the last number is for a year of manufacture. The only three years of manufacture that I have seen are 1974, 1975, and 1976.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c2cf87a9d7.jpg
RYJ5

This date code only appears on certain Peugeot models. This date code is seen most often on PX50 and UO8 models. It has also seen on models reported as AE8, AO8, and UO10. I have never seen this date code on PX/PR/PA10 models.

I have seen one instance of the RY data code without a number at the end. Anyone can speculate about what the reason might be.

In 1972 cycles Peugeot bought a factory in Romilly-sur-Seine. The factory was not a bicycle factory and had to be converted for bicycle production to begin. If these code began with production at Romilly, then I would expect that there might be some codes with the number 3 for 1973.

This date code was not the serial number. There were serial numbers at other locations on the bicycle along with this date code.

In 1976, the date codes stamped into the bottom bracket disappeared. Cycles Peugeot transitioned to a different frame number system that included date codes. The new date code was a different format.

I am sure there are some owners of vintage Peugeot bicycles who have this code on their bicycle.