ColonelJLloyd 

My LBS recently received what I think is a late 60s or early 70s UO-18C mixte. It's the classic white color with great decals and little to no rust. Someone obviously upgraded it as it came with aluminum Fiamme rims laced to Campagnolo high-flange, Nuovo Tipo hubs and Lyotard rat traps with aluminum, not steel, cages.

I've purchased all but the brakeset and wheelset but have yet to take possession. I'd like to start gathering the parts I need as this bike is going to be a birthday gift to my mother (September).

Here are some questions I have.

What size is the seatpost? Again, it's not in front of me, but I texted the LBS owner and asked him to measure. He texted back that it looks to be ~21.6. I'm assuming that's probably 22.0. That would mean there's a shim in there I guess. Why were shims used?

Standard French BB? I'll be removing the cottered crankset. I have a VO sealed unit I plan on using with a Stronglight 93 and single 45t ring.

Where can I find a rack to fit the seat stay braze ons? It seems these came on lots of Peugeots so they shouldn't be terribly difficult to locate, but it would help to know just what I'm looking for. Were they branded with a name or other identifier?

My mom is awesome so that's how I'm going to build the bike. Here's what I have in my mind so far.

Front wheel: Sanyo Dynohub, CR-18, 700c
Rear wheel: SRF5, CR-18, 700c, twist grip shifter
Tires: Soma Xpress 700cx35mm Terra Cotta
Fenders: VO aluminum fluted 48mm
Crank: Stronglight 93
Saddle: Honey B67S
Pedals: Lyotard Rat Traps
Lights: Spanninga Micro FF front and Pixeo XBA rear
Stem: Original Atax or Pivo or whatever it is
Bars: VO Left Bank
Brakes: Weinmann 750
Levers: Probably some Tektro levers
Racks: OEM type rear and maybe some sort of brake mounted rack in the front
Kickstand: double leg of some sort
Chainguard: vintage would be great

This is a very similar bike.



This is the rack for which I'm looking:

F16BP

I did a conversion on a similar uo-18. You can find most of the specs requested above here: https://mysite.verizon.net/vzerndgo/index.html

I lucked out and found a NOS Shimano UN72 bottom bracket that I mounted mounted with some expensive phil wood french cups.

Love the bike in the end!

markk900

Colonel: seat post with shim is 22mm, without is 26.0 (you can just pop the shim out). And for the bottom bracket, you can reuse the original cups with the appropriate spindle and it will work well. The build sounds awesome - your mom should be pleased!

Mark

ColonelJLloyd 

Thank you, sir!

Thanks! I've read without the shim it's closer to 25.6mm. 25.4mm are pretty abundant, but a 22.0 BMX post is easy enough to find.

If the cups are in good shape I may consider using them. Will I need a type 5 spindle?

randyjawa 

The seat post for the UE8 is 22mm and fitted with a shim. I have spares of both. The rack you can find in The Old Shed. Again, I have spares. I also have original alloy Peugeot fenders to fit and even an alloy chain guard but not sure if I have a spare.

Original steering stem is no problem either. Double leg kick stand is not a problem either. Brakes also tucked away in TOS. Perhaps a PM would be in order if anything is of interest to you.

Grand Bois

I believe the the seatpost size without the shim is 25.4 mm. That's what I'm using on my PA10 and it's the same tubing. It's a snug fit. There's no way a 25.6 will go in.

I was going to offer one, but I think I used it on my Jeunet beater.

ColonelJLloyd 

Done. Thanks!

Thanks, GB. Between Randy and my LBS' removals I'll have that covered before too long. I suppose I could use a 25.4 post with an integrated clamp, but I don't think they really save all that much weight and the straight post and clamp will probably fit in better with the overall aesthetics.

SteveSGP

My local bike shop had the shim (brand new in the bag) and seat post in stock when I built one of these a couple weeks ago.

Grand Bois

I have straight posts and clamps on both of my Sturmey Archer conversions for aesthetics, but it didn't save me any money. They're new aluminum posts and NOS Ideale clamps. The weight difference is not what I consider significant.

markk900

My apologies - I measured in a rush and got 25.9 (so I said 26) for the seat post in my AO-8 - doing a more careful measure it was indeed 1" (25.4mm).

RobE30

I have a shim kicking around the basement and I think there is a post as well. I'll check

Grand Bois

I think they look much better without the shim. A 22 mm post is just too skinny. A Kalloy 25.4 aluminum post with clamp is only $9.

https://www.wallbike.com/kalloy/handl...n-top-seatpost

They look like this:



That's a 27.0.

jimmuller 

Colonel, I suggest using a real seatpost without the shim. Those original posts were steel and heavy. Also they had a straight shaft with no narrowing for the seat clamp. If you didn't keep the clamp tight enough it could slide down and the post would end up pressing a distinctly non-anatomical bump in the middle of the saddle. My UO8's alloy post which which I replaced the shimmed post ages ago is 26.0.

Grand Bois

The original post really weren't very heavy because they were very short and very thin steel. There's no way a 26.0 post will fit. My PX10 takes a 26.4. The UO8's tubing has much thicker walls because it's just high tensile steel. The outside diameter of that tube is only 28 mm.

ColonelJLloyd 

Here are some pics of the actual bike. It does not have the brazed on rack mounts, so I'll just figure out use with another rear rack. Probably the VO Constructeur.

The drop bar is aluminum, not steel. The pedal cages are aluminum. The wheelset looked to have been on the bike since day one. I suppose this one was upgraded at purchase. The paint and decals are in very good condition. The pedals are 9/16" x 20.

What's the general consensus on polishing the fork tips? That's some thick clear coat. Will Scratch X shine the clear coat or dull it?

Regarding the seat tube shim: Are they very easy to remove? It wouldn't appear to be so at a quick glance.

I completely disassembled the bike last night. Man, just swapping the cranksets and BBs is going to drop a good bit of weight. The frameset itself feels of a very respectable weight. The frame has only the drive side shifter braze on which is quite convenient for the SRF5. I'll just need to tap it to 5M x .8 and mount a cable stop.

I think I can build this into a great little bike.

Daveyates

I should have the original rack somewhere.
Also i have an original Peugeot bell and possibly the original front and rear lights and dynamo.
I'm not sure how much postage would be though if you need these bits.

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

would look *****in with a front porteur rack as long as it didn't play havoc with the steering.

You can make a budget porteur rack out of one of those big Wald front Baskets and a cutoff wheel. There's some examples floating around the forum.

ColonelJLloyd 

Dave, that's very generous. I'd LOVE to have the bell and likely the rack. Just don't send it "economy". I've been waiting six weeks for a pair of Motobecane cranks to arrive from Paris.

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

6 weeks is nothin! Remember that seatpin took like 10 weeks over the winter that one stretched out over new years!

Daveyates

I'll have a hunt for the rack tomorrow and post a photo so you can see it.

nlerner

Colonel, I might have a variation on that rack in The Old Junk Closet. It doesn't have the sprung clamp a la Pletscher, but it does attach to the stays and was formerly on something French (Scott Ryder gave it to me). But I'm not seeing those braze-ons on your seat stays as you showed in the frameset in the #1.

Also, on the seatpost diameter, I thought it was the case that some Peugeot tubing is seamed and that the shim allows you to clear those seams. That's at least the case on my PHX-50. See any seams down there in the seat tube?

Neal

ColonelJLloyd 

It think a porteur rack would look swell and probably work pretty well. But, my mother has bad neck problems and no need to haul much in the front. I'm going to set her up with some inexpensive panniers. She's doubtful she can ride a bike without neck pain, but she's never ridden a bike with the upright style in which I'm going to build this one. I've told her just to ride it and my dad can help her dial the fit in with my guidance. If it doesn't work out, at least we tried and someone else I know will get a sweet mixte.

I cannot friggin' wait to see that white frame/aluminum fender/terra cotta tire combo!

Yes. The seatpin this bonehead thought was aluminum is made out of early 80s French Rubbermaid material. Pretty cool, but NOT what I was after. I won't be able to give the thing away.


Come one, come all! See the treasures of NLerner's Old Junk Closet (tm)! It's contents are responsible for several of my builds, that's for sure. You are simultaneously a lifesaver and an enabler.

See post #15. The frame does not have those braze ons. The seat stay bridge is drilled "vertically" so that's great for fender mounting, but not for the traditional brake bridge rack mount. That's why I was leaning toward the Constructeur rack. I'm certainly open to other options.


I didn't see any seams, but didn't specifically look. I did not see the end of the shim. How deep do they go?

jimmuller 

As i recall (it has been only a few decades) the shim just poips out easily, little or no encouragement required, and it isn't very long, perhaps only an inch or so though I could be misunderestimating that.

That's a nice looking bike. I don't recall ever seing red bartape back then but it could have been replaced. When did AVA switch between with or without the hollowed out section in the back?

ColonelJLloyd 

I put my finger down there and didn't feel the end. I get the idea the shim or whatever is in there well. I'm thinking a 22.0 post rouged up a bit to ensure a good bite will work fine.


Not sure, Jim. But I want to say it was somewhere around this time (mid 70s).

The bar tape is really old. I'd wager it's original or at least installed close to that time.

nlerner

Ah, I got you. I wasn't reading very carefully (late night flight last night, early breakfast for my son's 3rd-grade class this morning). I agree the Constructeur rack or something along those lines would be good. I actually have a fitting made by Weinmann that fits in those vertically drilled bridges and allows you to mount a standard brake. I suppose you could use it to mount a rack with one of those brake-bridge brackets if you had to. That would look nicer than P-clamps, but probably not ideal.

Neal