I'm trying to find a classic mixte/ladies frame/bike for my wife. Prefer a french make, if possible, since she has good memories of them. Something along the lines of the Peugeot PH15 or PH18 from the 81(?) Catalog. Is just lurking on EBay the best plan, or is there somewhere else to look?

Sorry to be so simplistic, I'm a bit out-of-depth.

Edit: FOUND ONE!!!

Before I even got to read all your kind responses, she got on a 1981 U09 "touring" at the LBS which had initially inspired this post and loved it and bought it on the spot. Haven't heard her so excited in a long time!!!

Thanks, anyway. I love the awesome knowledge and generosity everone here has.

What size frame are you looking for and must it be a mixte? Lurking CL is probably a good idea. eBay could work too. Good mixte frames are not very easy to find.

I check our local Craigslist often. Easy to find something local that way. I've never purchased a bike on ebay since I live in an area considered a "hot" bicycle market.

Edit: I did a quick search and found 4 on my local CL.

siskiyou co bicycles "mixte" - craigslist

^ Looks like you have a few not too far away. (What's a hundred miles, give or take) You might want to check out the Mercier, if you think the Mrs can live with downtube shifters.

I'm almost tempted to offer you the Peugeot mixte I put together for my wife. It's not like she's actually riding it

I have a Peugeot mixte sitting in my garage right now waiting refurb and a Raleigh in the shed waiting for 27" rims to appear.

Apply some of the methods in How To Find Vintage Bicycles and you should have one in fairly short order. My methods, however, are not of the click and hope for the best results kind. Nope, you actually have to go out and search. I was, at one time, getting a couple of hundred vintage road bicycles each year from a town of 120,000 people.

The SearchTempest tool might help locate some nearby, on CL and EB: click.

I refurbish a lot of mixtes, with 10 plus in storage now. You can't just drop "mixte" in CL and have a bunch to pick from. About 3/4 of the sellers I bought from did not know what they had. For a French bike, copy this string and search:

Peugeot|Motobecane|Gitane|mixte|mixtie

There's a difference between 'ladies' and 'mixte', to the connoisseur it makes a difference.

A true mixte has two separate top tubes running full length from the head tube to the rear drop out.

I have what I beleive is a motobecane mixte thats too big for my fiance, its complete minus the wheels. I have a set if you needed them, but they arent great. If you are interested let me know

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...eot-mixte.html

Found this recently , its a classic PH18, taking it apart now, the white delrin brakes are so cool however they are broken, get involved in a bike coop , I only like old French bikes, eventually they will drop in your lap.