Is this a clunker?
 

To many people on this forum I'm sure this would be a clunker. This old Peugeot has been faithful to me since I started commuting in May. I ride everyday. Even in the Kitchen.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...h/IMG_0910.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...h/IMG_0912.jpg

Aside from my mtb and hybrid, all my bikes are at least 20 years old, are ridden regularly, and have caused me virtually no worries on a maintainence level.

A good number of them are pre 1960... here's a few.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...whitedoor2.jpg
1988

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...tenewbars1.jpg
1962

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/Nevilleside.jpg
1948

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/ccmpath5.jpg
1940

And my work bike that is expected to handle 45-50 hours of riding a week is a 1987.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...mberfive11.JPG

:o:o Night shade...thanks. I know i've posted this a few....ok lot's of times...but I still smile when I get on it and ask why i don't get on it even more :D

slloth, looks like your fork is bent?

I've recently started commuting myself; I'm currently doing about 15km/day 3 days a week, depending on weather/etc. I'm riding on this old 83 Giant I picked up on ebay -- replacing the crusty old tyres (pictured) with some nice Marathons cost me about as much as the entire rest of the bike did. From the condition it's in I'd say it probably spent most of the last 25 years relaxing in someone's garage.

http://cookieandscream.com/misc/bike10.jpg

nope. I think I'm going to have to put that in my signature. I get so many comments!

I own one bike.
I bought it new in 1973, Schwinn LeTour (Panasonic)
In '06 and '07 it took me to work and back most days for a little more than 4500 miles.

I want a new bike.
First thought I would get rid of my old friend.
Now, not sure.

Jeff, still fat

If you get rid of your old bike you will wish you didn't.

Here are my two "oldies"

1972 Schwinn Paramount w/ Schmidt Hub, E3 headlight and 9 Speed Ultegra rear. This bike illustartes why I love older bikes so much. Easily upgraded ( I made NO changes to the frame to accept a 9 speed rear) and am using the original friction shifter to operate a triple crank w/ a 9 speed rear. It all works beautifully toghether.

[IMG]http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/073.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/074.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/075.jpg[/IMG]

My 1981 Trek 710 Currently set up w/ Flip Flop rear

[IMG]http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ar13/001-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/002.jpg[/IMG]

ok you have treebeard's brothers face on your bike how did you manage that?

Well, here are a couple of my favorite mounts.

This is an early '70s American Eagle/Nishiki. I started riding it in either '75 or '76 and finally traded my best friend a load of wood for it in '78. It was my main commuter till I arrived in Little Rock in '05. Even at 30 years of age, it did an 18 mile round trip daily. But I estimated that Little Rock's hilly, rutted streets might be a bit much. So it's now in retirement, undergoing a restomod transformation adding bar con shifters, a Brooks saddle and more.

http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/AmEagleNishikism.jpg

When I moved to Little Rock, I thought I needed a bit stouter transport for the hills and potholed streets. This Specialized Hard Rock was given to my ex-wife by a friend of hers. As far as I can tell, it's 19 or so. It spent much of its life goofing off in a garage in the desert. When I came here for a job, we discovered that the bike was too tall for my ex. So she allowed me to take it with me to Arkansas. It's been a stalwart machine. Recently, I bought it a trailer.

http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/Bike&Trailer1.jpg

Im riding a 1970s (I wanna say '73) Motobecane Mirage, have all the original parts still but they are pretty ****tastic due to it being entry level back in the day. Still love the ride it gives me :D

This has been making me mental...

Take this from a professional bike mechanic (who specializes in old Peugeots), bike courier, and long time rider...

Your

Fork

Is

Bent

My old P6 (the orange Pug I posted) has less rake than a UO8 due to it's different fork and I have more tire to down tube clearance that you do on your UO8.

Look at this Pug... and note the clearance between the tyre and down tube...and the straight fork.

http://www.geocities.com/randyjawa/P...iteUO8Half.jpg

Thanks Sixty Fiver. Now I see what you are talking about. Sometimes people just need a good whack on the head!

See I told you my was a true 30 year old clunker!

slloth - If you can't find a new fork for your Pug (cause you need one) send me a pm... I am sure I have a few kicking around at my shop that I would send for the cost of postage.

I would need to know the steerer length and with a Pug it would have to be a nearly exact match as I don't have the tools to re-thread a french steerer.

I will PM you. Thanks!

Here's my old Motobecane Mirage frankenbike that I've been riding to class daily. It was pieced together with different found parts by my dad who's knows how long ago and then lived for about 10 years at my camp in the shed until I got it out this past summer.

http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost...MG_1190_es.jpg

I'm slowly working on converting it to single speed.

Here is my '68 Schwinn Varsity. It is my Utility commuter bike. Since this picture, I have started towing a trailer with it, I have also mounted a 7 rail cetma rack.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...r/IMGP2606.jpg

Here I used it to rescue an old 3 speed from my uncle's back yard. I don't think the 3 speed is as old as the varsity, its just had a harder life.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...r/IMGP2791.jpg

Shes a 40 year old beast, It handled this with ease
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...r/IMGP2979.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...r/IMGP2985.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...r/IMGP2988.jpg

That bike is awesome. I love those pics. I am kicking myself in the butt for selling my Burley Trailer.

Here's my commuter rides

1971 Nishiki Custom Sport fixed conversion (37 years old)

http://www.bikeforums.net/picture.ph...1&pictureid=78

1986 Achwinn Passage, set up to tour or commute (22 years old)

http://www.bikeforums.net/picture.ph...1&pictureid=55

So I'm finding out the one downside to commuting on an old bike, I've busted three spokes so far in the old wheels, so I'm now on the lookout for some new ones.

I busted a few on my rear wheel. While I was replacing a broken spoke I just went through and replaced a few spokes that looked bad. I can't afford a new wheel. I havn't had any break since I replaced a bunch.

Yeah I broke one on the rear the other day while towing the trailer.

Oh yeah, well the old Varsity did good with this load, until it started to rain. Old style brakes+Wet Steel rims=Taking forever to stop. Add that extra 200 pounds of boxes and i might as well just put a stick between the spokes.