Saved from the dump. Has since been fully restored (save for the brake calipers and frame)

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...82cd2bd9d2.jpg

beat the scrappers/
 

after a full bearing r&r this Sears free spirit6 rides better than any Schwinn cruiser I have ridden.straight & smooooth.how about that string paint to boot:)
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...51b118eedd.jpg

a pair of freebies
 

I picked up these two for free recently - most likely destined for the dump.

First is a late 70's French Liberia. The wheels and crankset are pretty roached but the frame is decent shape and kind of cool. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) it is in my size neighborhood so it will go into the long term queue for rehabilitation.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e0fd4dbd11.jpg

The other is this late 70's (?) Kent Diplomat - the Mrs. to the above Mr. apparently. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. Given the lower end brand, small size and general lack of interest in ladies' road bikes of this era it probably is not worth rebuilding. I'll likely end up trying to salvage some parts from it.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d5d68ac946.jpg

Liberia Grand Deluxe variant comparable to mine - if you trawl through this thread you'll find a wealth of links and sites about these. Not many Liberias made it to the U.S., and the bulk of the ones that did, like yours and mine, came over during the peak of the Great Bike Boom when distributors were finding every regional maker they could find to supply product. I suspect the rear wheel on yours is a replacement. The front looks like it might be the original R.F.G. front laced to a rusted-out Saminox steel rim. It's worth rehabbing, as it's on the thinner and lighter end of gaspipe. Mine takes a 25.8 mm seatpost in metric tubing, so a whisker over 1 mm thick tube walls. Not too bad.

Do rehab it - they are at the upper end of the spectrum that says, "The French have a way with gaspipe." Nicer than a Peugeot U-08 or comparable, ride wise.

1956 Humber Sports.
Bifurcated forks.
Nice winter project.
The year I was born.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...af7f34f8be.jpg

Thanks much for the comments and for the thread link! I actually did stumble upon your thread and followed some of the links within when I picked this bike up because admittedly I knew nothing about the Liberia brand so I appreciate your findings. With your feedback I am now looking forward even more to getting it road worthy again. When the time comes I just have to remember to meditate some before I attack the rusty cottered cranks :)

Here is the Benotto that I had for a short while. I thought about resto but I came to my senses and sold off to one that did. Here is the before and afters.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d8d6b91e09.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f72d0178c0.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0311b338c1.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6691875d9e.jpg

gorgeous!

whatever you do, don’t strip and repaint it! It’ll clean up beautifully. Isn’t that a Reg Harris decal?

Well, I literally just saved this one from the dump. I was driving to the post office a couple of hours ago to do some last-minute holiday shipping, and spotted this in a curbside trash pile a couple of blocks from my house. Funny how a 531 sticker jumps out from your peripheral vision. Figuring it's late-70s and a step or two below a PX10. Anyone have advice for pegging down the exact year/model? [MENTION=61614]verktyg[/MENTION] ? Maybe '76 PR10?

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...641c6c4b_k.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...df75845e_k.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b7d7444e_k.jpg

Who throws something like this in the trash?! (Answer: Wives and landlords ;) )

PR-10, 1975-78 or so, and odds are there will be a date code on the rear derailleur or somewhere else. NICE save!

The Streets Of San Francisco er Biserkley
 

Good eye! Usually find these kinds of gems at the end of the school year at UCB (and colleges around the country). Also at the end of the calendar year like now.

As many students graduate and leave town for parts unknown they abandon the steel steed they used while attending school. In their dreams, a BMW awaits them.

This year with all of the COVID-19 restrictions, many apartments sat empty. Now is the time when landlords and property managers are cleaning them out with hopes of future rentals in the coming year so there are probably a lot more bikes suffering the same fate.

It must have just been put out on the curb and/or located some distance from the homeless encampments around town. Otherwise it probably would have been grabbed and stashed under one of the I80 overpasses.

Now to the bike: It's a 1975-77 56cm Peugeot PR-10L with the 3 main tubes made of butted Reynolds 531. The forks and stays are made of the standard Peugeot seamed tubing. While 56cm (22") isn't listed US catalogs from that period PR-10 bikes were produced in 52cm to 64cm.

The Simplex Criterium rear derailleur has been replaced with a rare direct mount long arm Simplex Maxi-Prestige with a 13-30T sprocket capacity. The standard but rare Simplex Maxi-Prestige RDs had a non-interchangeable "claw" attachment.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6e1adeee78.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fa234fd6ca.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...305035b129.jpg

The shift levers were changed to ratcheting stem mounted Suntour Power levers.

THE STEM IS WAY TOO HIGH! Check the quill and top of the steerer for any sign of cracking!!!

The Suicide Brake Extentions may have been an aftermarket addition to the MAFAC levers. MAFAC had their own version which were much safer.

With a little cleanup, should be a nice riding bike. That oversize front tire looks like it will have a lot of pedal overlap.

The saddle is an Ideale 80 "bacalao" dried codfish model:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f747443665.jpg

They are either hard as plywood or have a sag that will make a proctologist cringe!

Solution, soak in water for a week, throw away the saddle and drink the juice!

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...014beb0313.jpg

Lastly... The Horror, the Horror... everything will have GAWD!!! metric threads except maybe the FW which could be inch that was forced onto a metric Normandy Luxe Competition hub. Hopefully the cones in those hubs are in good shape. They became unobtainium in the mid 70's.

verktyg from down the road :50:

[MENTION=61614]verktyg[/MENTION]
Chas.,

Thanks so much for your detailed and helpful reply. Much appreciated!

I'm experienced in the arcane arts of French threading and metric tubing, equipped with a proper Stronglight crank puller to boot!

Interesting note about the Maxi-Prestige RD. I did notice and was surprised by the large FW range. Glad to have that 30t capacity in these parts.

You're right about the saddle. It looks worse in person. I've managed to bring some life back to other Ideale saddles, so we'll see if I can salvage this one.

I pulled the stem and saw no signs of cracking. Good thing, because it's a neat stem with a cool window revealing an AVA logo on the bars.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e2fc1c20_k.jpg

Thanks again.

-Cheers, Randy

Stronglight Chainrings
 

Randy,

For some odd reason, Peugeot provided 52-45T chainrings on their performance models. The 7T difference doesn't provide 1/2 Step Gearing.

I have some 42T Stronglight chainrings. PM me if interested.

A 42T with what looks like a 14-34T FW will give you mo betta gears for the EB hills.

You can get smaller than 42T 122mm BCD inner chainrings for Stronglight cranks but they get "spendy". 40T - 38T -37T

verktyg :50:

I don’t want to be That Guy, but does the front wheel look a little close do the downtube on that blue Peugeot?

Or is it just the size of the tyre/ camera angle?

maybe just worth checking the front fork.

I was going to ask the same thing.

I think it's because the wheel is turned away from the camera, and the angle of the shot is slightly downwards.
Having more time on my hands than good sense, I opened the pic in photoshop and it' looks pretty darn straight there.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e9dccc137e.jpg

BIG Front Tire
 

gaucho777

Looks like a 700 x 35c front tire. The standard tires for US model PR-10L bikes during those years were 27" x 1 1/4".

The is a little "wheel flop" that gives the appearance that the fork is bent back. Looks OK to me....

verktyg :50:

That's some flea market hah.

I think this was a pretty good grab today. Not much luck with bikes in the thrift stores recently, but this was at a Goodwill for $30. 1993 Miyata Triple Cross. I found out why they probably donated it. The rear shifter was just freewheeling, but a little shot of WD40 on the paws and it works like new. should clean up nicely.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cb1f0dcdb3.jpg

All from the same dumpster today. Gitane Grand Sport de Luxe mixte.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7942cdf65b.jpg

26" alloy QR 7-speed cassette wheels with Kenda Slicks.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6f1244d084.jpg

Sturmey-Archer high flange alloy front hub on a 27 no name steel rim.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1ccb3a75e6.jpg

:eek: H**Y CRAP!

Nice score. ;)

Miyata touring mixte
 

Found a Miyata 215 st mixte tourer at the local Goodwill today, first vintage find in months. I’ve never found a mixte tourer before, has spline triple butted frame with mangalloy fork, 3x6 Shimano light action indexed DT shifters, Dia Compe canti brakes, o.e. rear rack. Looks like it will clean up nicely.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a1ea306bb.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3b48436b4.jpeg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4445288d3.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f5c466630.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fcd24b86c.jpeg

^^^nice find^^^

My local thrift coughed up this step thru Schwinn:
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f2863f344.jpeg
Like new, so come spring time should sell pretty easily.