I picked up a Puch Cavalier. It's in very good shape save sellers license number etched into the frame. Anyway, I bought it for it's Suntour parts, and cotterless crank. The stem mounted Suntour shifter ratchets on the rear derailleur side like Power Shifters, but the shifter for the front derailleur does not. The levers are stamped Suntour Patent Pending. It seems I stumbled on to the precursor to the Power Shifters. Can anyone give more info please? It has a very nice chain guard and SR cranks and chain wheels, if I remember correctly. I may use these on my 1973 Raleigh Super Course which has a cottered crank.
Thanks in advance for your comments.

Is there any pics? I´m very curious on Puch´s. I saw a Puch Bergmeister in another forum and it was just stunning!

Unwritten law in here, pics,pics,pics !

This thread is giving me the creeps! I LOVE Puchs. They deserve more than being used as a parts bike. What are your intentions with my daught...er....with the Puch after you have taken the parts from it? I'm hoping it won't end up cubed and used as a small coffee-table.

And, to join the chorus - pics! pics! pics! Please.

I suggest Panter007 throws every pic on Puch he´s got into this or another thread! I really want to see more Puch and read stories from real owners... I´m starting to crave a Puch and I´m quite surprised!

I passed on a $50 Puch Bergmeister in a thrift shop a couple of years back. It had a gaspipe frame with chrome fork and rear stays, but a steel crank and a Simplex Prestige RD. It also used wing nuts.

I have to say it was beautiful, just heavy.

This won't help much, but I commuted for a while on this very comfortable 1986/87 Puch 190. But this one was Puch in name only. It was a Kuwahara Japanese frame with stamped dropouts, but was double-butted steel and a quick, comfortable ride. Unfortunately I crashed it and wrecked the frame. Its most fancy feature was those classy Suntour shift levers. Those are now on my Motobecane.

The saddle angle was later fixed from this.

The firm Austro-Daimler Steyer, which made Puchs, farmed some of their bike load out to many places. Including Sears-labeled Free Spirit one's awhile back. They left the bicycle business in the late 1980's to my knowledge. But the sought-after one's were Austrian and hand-made. Every bit the artisanship of an original Cinelli or Masi. Just not the marketing savvy. Such as their having to ban the name 'Puch' on exports to the USA. Their marketing was afraid the name would be a detraction - being mispronounced Puke or Push. So the top-end one's that were exported to the USA were labeled Austro-Daimler or A-D. Those that said PUCH on their headbadges were supposed to stay over there. Such as mine - above. Don't ask - long story. LOL.

Judging by the outcome when searching for vintage Puch/A-D they are not easy to track, but closed down as late as the late 80´s should´ve left one or two examples here and there. The Puch road bike never reached Sweden (that I know of) but theres an occational cruiser now and then for sale. Did Puch have any certain names for high-end models in the -70/80´s (I know about the Bergmeister)? What about tubing and components?

Lord Bass´former Puch has got one heck of a cool colouring - olympic and futuristic! There must be more out there?

Well, in Sweden Puch rhymes with WTF...

I went looking, not much data to find. Appearantly Puch used Reynolds, Columbus and own-made tubing depending on what bike and era. Some pics then...

A cav. is a lower end model, the one I had was made in Japan with stamped drops, but it was still good for a beater bike. I have three ADs right now. Including an Inter-10, an Olympian, and an Ultima SL. All the bikes I have right now start with a vowel, are 531 throughout (except the Ultima which is reynolds 531 super light). I love this brand, each of these bikes has come my way cheap. Inter-10 for $0.00, the Olympian for $17.99, and the Ultima SL (with a mostly super record group) for $50.00

At last the Puch-connesiuer gave in! Pics please, pics!

This thread is giving me the creeps! I LOVE Puchs. They deserve more than being used as a parts bike. What are your intentions with my daught...er....with the Puch after you have taken the parts from it? I'm hoping it won't end up cubed and used as a small coffee-table.

And, to join the chorus - pics! pics! pics! [U]Please

This bike is Cavalier mixite. It has special Puch Tubing made in Austria, but Japanese components, Rigida quick release front wheel, and center pull brakes. I think it must have been assembled in Japan. It will live on with many of it's parts transplanted to other bikes. I most likely try to give the frame away. I would be interested in a trade, but the logistics seem to make that improbable. Here's your pictures:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27544233@N03/3093045444/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27544233@N03/3093045440/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27544233@N03/3093045428/

I'll get around to posting/tranferring pics. soon. Busy today. But to the point: Some of the top-end Puchs were outfitted with Japanese components/groups. Such as 600 series Shimano in the late 70's - I think it was. And top-line French Huret - not the Allvit. Way up the ladder were Campagnolo gruppos on their true road-racing machines. These were Reynolds 531 frames, which could also be seen on what they called 'fast touring' frames/bikes. What we, at the time, called 'intermediate-racers.' At least down my neck of the woods.

I´ve understood that Inter 10 in some sort of high-end model. Would be nice with pics and stories! Certainly, it seems Puch is both underrated and exclusive; its enough to get one!

I have to leave town for a funeral. But I do have pictures of the Inter10's and they are top-line fast-touring frames - usually sold as a frame-set. My persoanl Puch looks like an Inter10 frame, but the geometry is off. Guess was/is it was part of a custom order that the buyer failed to pay for. Maybe a plane crash in the Andes of some team - that then ate each other.

But hold on - I'll be back soon to fulfill your curiosity. In the meanwhile, if you see an Inter10 on the market, GRAB IT!!

Here's a taste. This is quite similar to an Inter10 - but some differences are evident:

Deep, deep purple seems to be the signum of Inter 10´s? Did they differ in components? What year were they made? The smoke chrome is just ballistic! Very nice build-up! But I´m worried about your son in law! Got two pics to contribute with something besides my fascination; its a Bergmeister and one Inter 10?

Thanks for sharing the pictures. I am really glad to see the chromed Austo Daimler Vent Noir, just what I'm looking for.

Thanks for the additional pics.
How do you roll out a dent?

My Puch A/D "Pacifica." Found in a thrift shop for $20 and restored with about $150 worth of tires, cables and housings, saddle, bar tape, brake levers and hoods (originals were too badly oxidized), toe clips and straps (ditto oxidization), blinkie, and seat bag/tools. I love this bike... smooth, agile (considering its age), and comfortable. I might get clipless though, because I've been spoiled.

Now we wanne know a bit more of Pacific; year, model, original components (Weinmann breaks, suntour?) etc? Seems like this thread is gathering some Puchs after all. ...and yes, very nice Puch! The craving wont let go...

Pacifica was a brand that Puch A-D shipped to the USA before their marketing people told 'em to stop putting 'PUCH' on them. They have a long wheelbase and fork geometry that classifies them as touring bikes. Self-steering and fast - they were here and then gone. You are very lucky to have gotten your hands on that one! Looks to be a full Reynolds 531 frame. Please check the labels? Or measure the seatpost. 27.2mm = Reynolds 531. Nice!

Frontal shot of whatever this is:

<yes - I tape from the top down. Look Ma! No electrical tape!>

what can you say - "Ring My Bell"?

hate to bring up a old post... but I just bought my first bike and its a Puch, Cavalier. I'm in the process of restoring it and trying to find out if it's a good bike or not. I don't really know anything about bike just bought this one to get started really. It came with suntour components. I could post pictures but not really sure on how to do so....

The bike has a made i Austria sticker in a couple places on the frame... There is no A/D? Just Puch?

photos should be viewable here. https://CJIckes.photoshop.com