I was tracking a PX-10 frame on Ebay this week just out of curiosity. When I checked back today I noticed it sold for $710! I guess I could post the ad, but you all know what they look like: it's a standard 1971, 54cm, white with black Nervex lugs, in decent shape but with its share of scrapes and scratches. BB and HS included but nothing else. Nice, but hardly special. Am I missing something here?

I don't think you are missing anything, may be the highest bidder is missing a brain though. Around Seattle area PX10 is more common than Raleigh Superbe. I see either a frame or whole bike on CL almost once a month. I have 3 of those sitting in my garage.

A bicycle someone has always wanted? A ebay snipping tactic gone horribly wrong? Someone with too much money? Someone whom money is not an object? A collector? A vintage enthusiast? A new frame could cost twice or three times that so technically it is a bargain? Someone wants to make a huge mistake? And so on and so fourth...?

Not all PX10's are created equal. For any given year there are 6 distinct lug/fork crown combinations. There are 2 fork corwns you'll find, the more typical Nervex style and the less typical UO8 style. Aside from a shortage of crowns I haven't come across any plausable reason as to why one bike has one style while another one doesnt. There are 3 lug work combinations you'll find, full fancy Nervex, fancy Nervex head and seat lugs with a seamed BB shell and last combination will have NO fancy lugs. A bike with NO fancy lugwork isnt a bad thing as long as it has a Nervex fork corwn and its a '74 PX10LE. The PX10LE model, which is 1 step above the PX10, has plain lugwork. The LE model wasnt available until '74 so the lugwork hierarchy pertains primarily to pre-'74 models although the regular '74 PX10 would fall into the 6 groups as well.

The 6 combinations are:

Nerves fork crown with:
Full fancy Nervex lugs
Fancy head and seat lubs with a seamed BB
NO fancy lugwork

UO8 style fork crown with:
Full fancy Nervex lugs
Fancy head and seat lubs with a seamed BB
NO fancy lugwork

Some bikes have riveted serial number plates while others dont. As best as I can tell bikes with seamed BB shells have no plate while seamless (Nervex?) have a plate.

That being said, aside from the frame being a small size and having the most desireable of lug/crown combinations I have no explanations as to why it sold for so much.

$710 is ridiculous in my opinion. However, capitalism is supply and demand. Someone who was 16 in the early 70's and could not afford it then, has the shekels to afford a PX-10 now. I am still trying to get my hands on a nice copper Raleigh International bike or frame. However, prices have been way above what I would consider paying for them.

Now is the best time to buy a vintage road bicycle. Next year they will cost more. As for the value of the PX10, it does seem a bit high to me. Were anyone to offer me $710 for my restored 1963 PX10, I would say sold. But I would not sell it for much less.

Hey Jim, can you show us some photos of your PX10 collection. I know you got a few from the meth lab bust.

All 3 of mine look Randy's except they're unrestored. 2 are in box's at the moment.

Wow they are sweet. Everything look original except for the saddle on the 58cm? Are they all pre-73? Any idea why Peugeot mounted the brake levers so low on the handle bar?

Yes, both are all original except for the 58's saddle. I even have tool kits for all 3 of my PX's. I have no clue about the lever position but what I can tell you is that the lever position of both is where they were when they left the factory. Both bikes still have the original bar tape.

I've been jealous of that 58 ever since you purchased it from that guy in Ft. Lauderdale, Jim

I almost went for it, but talked myself out of the trip.

-Kurt

I was watching that auction as well... but I liked the outcome. I bought 2 69' PX-10s recently and will sell one of them when I clean it up. I wouldn't mind increasing my investment by a factor of 5.

I sometimes wonder how we...who love these bikes and seem to find them hidden in the cracks... wouldn't pay top dollar, while somebody out there is. Can't they find them in the cracks as well? Or are they playing a vastly different game from us???

They're playing a different game. It's called "I see, I want, I get."

-Kurt

I have a feeling a lot of the high rollers are in other parts of the world, where they didn't have a bike boom back in the 70's.

I remember that trip. The owner lived a very nice gaurd gated community that was infested with mosquitos. I guess thats what happens when a developer builds in the middle of the Everglades. I couldnt have gotten out of there any faster.




Having worked in a bike store for 12 years I came to the conclusion that diehard cyclists are relatively cheap. There's a certain group of people who enjoy cycling but dont want to be bothered with the cost or time involved. Back in the day we had customer who only bought top of the line bikes, Team Miyatas and Miyata Ridge Runners. We got into a conversation and he said, "I work alot of hours, when I want to ride its usualy on a Saturday morning. All I went to do is put air in the tires and go. High end bikes minimize my down time." Fair enough, he worked hard his money, his money allowed certain luxuries.

For others its the dream. A 15 year kid in '73 is now 46. There are alot of 46 year olds out there making good money that allows then to buy their dreams.


Yep, nothing wrong with that.

All true, all true.

I just hope that I can find all the bikes I want at my price and when I want to sell them they find me at their price. I'm in it mostly for the beauty and the mechanics... I fall into the category of "works a lot of hours", but I enjoy the nightly wrenching and the occasional ride.