New guy, old Puch
02-15-15 | 09:19 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 9
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From: Cincinnati
Bikes: Diamondback Response XE, Puch Force XII
New guy, old Puch
So I picked up an old Puch Force XII today. I'm new to the vintage, (and bike) world, so I'm looking for info on it. All I know (which isn't much) is based on the worn decals. It says Renyolds 531 tubing and has a suntour cyclone derailleur. I'll try to get a photo in the morning, my phone isn't cooperating right now.
Any info on this bike would be much appreciated.
Any info on this bike would be much appreciated.
02-15-15 | 10:18 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,780
Likes: 17
From: Upstate NY
Bikes: Bianchi San Mateo and a few others
Looking forward to the pics -- sounds like a nice bike! Reynolds 531 is arguably the benchmark for good steel tubing. Suntour Cyclone gear was below their Superbe and Superbe Pro models, but still very nice.
Puch was an Austrian company that made bicycles, then mopeds and motorcycles, and later built cars. It merged with Austro-Daimler in the 1920s and became part of Steyr-Daimler-Puch in the 1930s. The bicycle business got spun off in the late 1980s, but the Puch name has continued to be used by the buyers. The Puch name is now controlled by Cycleurope, who also owns the Bianchi name among others.
Puch was an Austrian company that made bicycles, then mopeds and motorcycles, and later built cars. It merged with Austro-Daimler in the 1920s and became part of Steyr-Daimler-Puch in the 1930s. The bicycle business got spun off in the late 1980s, but the Puch name has continued to be used by the buyers. The Puch name is now controlled by Cycleurope, who also owns the Bianchi name among others.
02-16-15 | 05:56 AM
#3
Still learning
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 11,529
Likes: 88
From: North of Canada, Adirondacks
Bikes: Still a garage full
Welcome to bikeforums. You picked a great bike to start your journeys with. I picked up a
Force XII last summer and thought the ride quality and responsiveness were excellent.
Force XII last summer and thought the ride quality and responsiveness were excellent.
02-16-15 | 12:56 PM
#4
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 9
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From: Cincinnati
Bikes: Diamondback Response XE, Puch Force XII
Thanks. I took it for a short ride (I'm not going very far when the wind chill is below 0) and it rode great. It's got some rough spots on the frame, but what do you expect after 30ish years. Anyway, here are a pic.
02-16-15 | 12:59 PM
#5
Galveston County Texas
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 33,335
Likes: 1,286
From: In The Wind
Bikes: 02 GTO, 2011 Magnum
02-16-15 | 03:05 PM
#6
feros ferio
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 22,403
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From: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Of course it's good -- it's Austrian. 
Thank you, SkyDog, for the brief history of Puch -- very interesting and informative for an owner of bikes from Austria's other (and much smaller) bicycle exporter to the US, Capo.
Nice half-step gearing, too.
Thank you, SkyDog, for the brief history of Puch -- very interesting and informative for an owner of bikes from Austria's other (and much smaller) bicycle exporter to the US, Capo.Nice half-step gearing, too.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
02-16-15 | 04:45 PM
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,418
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From: New Haven, CT area
Bikes: Trek 7.5 Hybrid, Trek 1.1 Road, Holdsworth touring,Raleigh International,Ritchey Commando,Italvega Speciallissimo,et.al.
Nice looking bike. I believe that it sold for between $400 and $500 when it was new. Puch did a nice job of mixing European and Japanese parts on some of their bikes.
02-17-15 | 04:00 PM
#9
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Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 9
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From: Cincinnati
Bikes: Diamondback Response XE, Puch Force XII
I'm actually not sure if the chrome socks will stay or not. Do you think they're original to the bike? I just assumed they were added later. If they're original I may see if they clean up and I'll leave them on.
02-17-15 | 04:32 PM
#11
Full Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 387
Likes: 11
From: Dallas, TX
Bikes: 1986 Univega Gran Rally 1993 Univega Gran Premio 1995 Univega Alpina 501 Univega Nuovo Sport Univega Viva Sport
Nice bike! I just got into this as well and my first bike I got last Thursday 80's Univega Viva Sport for $90 with Shimano 600 components
02-17-15 | 05:12 PM
#12
Still learning
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 11,529
Likes: 88
From: North of Canada, Adirondacks
Bikes: Still a garage full
Yours looks very nice, seats looks a little uncomfortable though
I'm actually not sure if the chrome socks will stay or not. Do you think they're original to the bike? I just assumed they were added later. If they're original I may see if they clean up and I'll leave them on.
I'm actually not sure if the chrome socks will stay or not. Do you think they're original to the bike? I just assumed they were added later. If they're original I may see if they clean up and I'll leave them on.
https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalog...orce%20xii.jpg
A 1981 shows Suntour Cyclone, but not chrome.
https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalog...Force%2012.bmp
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