Advice sought on modernizing '50s French bike
 

I found this up last year and some of you might remember a post about it. It appears to be a mid '50s Peugeot PHX40. At the time, I *shouldn't* have been buying long term project, but when do you find something like this in your size. Now that I've finally found a job, and in a lbs at that, doing something with it now is finacially viable and probably a good investment.

As I have no interest in running the original 4spd drivetrain and don't imediately plan to modify the frame, my options are IGH or 120old freewheel hub. Timeless Sturmey AW or modern. Short list of freewheel hubs and Phil comes to mind. I see Paul has an offering that narrow as well if anyone has seen one. VO rims or Velocity?

Here's a shot of bike. It's currently disassembled awaiting an OA bath.

http://img864.imageshack.us/img864/6166/pugif.jpg

I dunno. To me, the coolest thing about a 1950s French bike is it's a 1950s French bike. There are plenty of other bikes to modernize.

When such an old bike is as intact and complete as yours, I agree with DR-- just clean it up and enjoy it. It has lots of very cool parts on it: the bars, brakes, chain guard, rack, fenders, derailleur, tool packs, lights, etc. The only change I would make would be to get a nice old leather saddle.

You have a unique and beautiful bike that is fully in tact. It would be sad to see it maimed in such a way.

Sell it to someone that can appreciate it for what it is and buy yourself something to fit you needs.

+1000. If your looking for something with an IGH there are lots of Raleigh Sports and their clones out there. Nice bikes and it would save this one from being interfered with.

I'm with the rest of the guys who posted above.

If you are working at a bike shop, more bikes will be coming your way, including Raleigh Sports and similar bikes. I'd suggest you wait for one of those to turn up. As for this Peugeot, I don't believe you will make it into what you want by changing parts one or two at a time. You will eventually end up with a bike that is no longer a classic, and no longer an antique, but still falls short of being the perfect rider. Which would be a pity, because it really is quite lovely as it is.

Wow, Dylansbob, that is quite a neat bike! So long as you aren't doing anything to the bike that can't be reversed, I say do whatever you please and enjoy it in good health. Of course, I'll put an IGH on any bike that doesn't already have one fitted, so I'm not going to discourage you from moving in that direction with the bicycle.

Modernize? Perish the thought.

Get rid of that godawful saddle and see if you don't like it a lot more. ;)

Ouch, I'd keep it together as is, but that's just me! Seat could change though. I understand those rear deraillers are hard to come by these days... shame to lose it.

The four speed freewheel is even harder to find!

I'd trade ya straight across. (Minus the cat)

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/c...th_moto011.jpg

I think it is a very nice bike, I looked at the picture a long time to take in the beauty.

If YOU want to modernize it I go ahead-dump the seat first!

the bike looks great if you made it completly like original.

those cranks come around to save on replating, I just had a french bike with flawless chrome cranks.

I love the red tyres-you can find new ones

I would build a new rear wheel with a this version of the nexus 7 in it take off the decals to hide the modern look-
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=246361

you can use the exact same shifter and cable run, you just need to get the nexus cable running up-this will take a bit.

odds are you have stainless rims- they can be found.

the bars and stem have replated and please get some new grips.
you must retain the lights and the brakes.

that is a sweet ride, keep the original parts in a box so someone can put them back on if they must, just dont do any frame mods!

I think he's looking to build a pair of 'rider' wheels that can be ridden with more abandon so as to avoid damaging the original wheels.

That being said, 4 speed freewheels can sometimes be made out of vintage 5 speed freewheels due the sprockets being threaded on. Sutherlands has some freewheel sprocket charts to help out on that. This in combination with a freewheel hub for 110-114 OLD should work within the dropouts.

Another possibility that I've been wondering about is using a BMX or SS cassette hub with a 3/8" axle, these are usually spaced out to 110 OLD, and the cassette body should have space enough for 2-4 sprockets out of an 8 or 9 speed cassette. There may be other hubs, but the two cassette hubs that I know of that this can be done are a Dimension hub and a Profile hub. Ira Ryan used this setup in last year's Oregon Manifest. The issue I see with this route is that the hubs may not be the best aesthetic match, even after removing the black anodizing.

As far as rims go, either VO or Velocity rims work fine, but Super Champion rims are the best match.

I wouldn't modernize it. Just the thought of putting in an IGH seems kind of tacky. Like putting a chevette engine in an old Model A.
Not that I have anything against 3 speeds, but it seems inauthentic, counter to the bike's charm and appeal.

Congrats on finding a job that you like and taking an interest in a beautiful old bike. What this bike needs is a gentle cleaning and an Ideale saddle. Anything you do after that will decrease its value, not increase it. I honestly don't think it's a great candidate for a daily rider, more of one that you could take on an occasional jaunt or to a nearby cafe. The work that it would take to make it perform well would change it aethetically for the worse, and also devalue it and rob it of the charm that it currently has.

That is a really interesting idea. Is there a single speed free hub body that one could put on a hub made for a 7- 8- 9- or 10- speed freehub? That would be really cool. I bet it doesn't exist, though.

N+1. Keep this one for special events, recreational rides, whatever. Its lasted about 60 years in tact, with original pieces. Don't break that trend.

I would certainly take the chance to keep something like this in its current condition and aim to restore it completely... I'd put it back together and perhaps upgrade the lighting with LED retro-fits, perhaps. There are many great bike boom french frames that have similar geometry that make good IGH conversion candidates that are cheap, this is valuable as is.

Wow, I hate to agree with everybody on this one since I believe firmly that a bike is a bike and meant to be ridden (and thus can be modified however the owner wants that will make it more likely to be ridden) and I'm usually the one to say "hell with what the retrogrouches say, repaint it and add a 10s drivetrain!" but for this...yeah I've got to agree, clean it up and ride it as-is.

If you're looking for a lighter weight, every day rider with indexed shifting--look elsewhere. That thing is a sweetheart as-is (maybe add a sprung leather saddle).

+1

+1. In spades.

I think we freaked him out.

Nice bike! I might consider painting it and maybe alloy wheels but I don't think I would change much. Is the freewheel working?