cheezliz

I found this bike on Craigslist for $175. I am thinking about buying it to commute to and from light rail stations in Baltimore for work. It won't be more than a one mile commute at either end of the rail ride. I like it for its light frame and mustache handlebars that allow me to sit upright or lean forward. Is a three speed acceptable for a commute as short as mine? The route from the light rail to work is a slight incline (you can see it if you search "railroad ave, Baltimore" and head north on Fall Rd using street view). I'm a little concerned about not being able to change gears while pedaling, but I could get used to it. Besides commuting, I'll use my bike to get around the city. Thanks for your help!

Lug

Knowing guys who commute 5-10 miles on single speed bikes ,a 3 speed is a big plenty unless your one mile is straight up. If you like it, and the price is acceptable, buy it and ride the stuffing out of it.

-=(8)=-

The only issue with Peugeots s that if the require any parts, it can be a little frustrating matching them up due to the odd french sizings and threads, etc.
I would not let that stop me from buying a nice one, though. that looks like a nice one

fietsbob

cheap old used bike if stolen is not much of a loss .. but get a really good lock ..


Sturmey 3 speed .. why worry about shifting while pedaling

you only need to stop pedaling for a half second for the gear change to take place, ,and you can downshift while stopped . (stop sign/light)

its actually simpler than a derailleur bike , in the long run ..

cheezliz

All very good points. Thanks! Keep 'em coming; I want to give the seller an answer tonight before someone else tests it out tomorrow.

Very true, and important to consider in Baltimore. I have a U-lock and a cable that I assume will be enough protection.

bikemig 

That was a very solid bike. It came with, I believe, Rigida 16-22 aluminum rims which are very good. The parts on the bike is solid as is the frame. This will make a fine commuter.

TransitBiker

Hope you got it, looks quite good for your described uses!

- Andy

tjspiel

Bring a magnet with you and see if the rims are aluminum or steel. If they are steel stopping in the rain will be a challenge. I've had a couple of Peugeots and I'm having a little trouble figuring out how old that one is. The lion decal on the head tube was something I thought they used in the 80's. On the other hand it looks like it has cottered cranks which I thought they quit using in the 70s but maybe I'm wrong. Cottered cranks are a pain to work on.

There's a lot of steel parts on it so it's going to weigh at least 30 lbs. However, it should be fine for the distance you're planning on traveling and it sounds like the seller took good care of it. The wheels would be my only concern. My wife's old Peugeot came with steel wheels that had a serrated braking surface. Not only was it tough to stop in the rain, it always made an unpleasant noise while braking until I replaced the wheels. Make sure you ride it and try the brakes out (as well as the shifting and everything else).

WestPablo

Looks like a nice enough bike...Beats a Walgoose for sure!

cheezliz

Thanks for the tip. I asked the seller and he says they are aluminum. I'm buying it today! Thank you all for your help!

Gnosis

Be advised that you can place a magnet directly on an actual aluminum rim only to potentially discover that the rim appears to be attracted by the magnet! Thus, this would seem to suggest that the rim is made of steel when in fact the rim could be made of aluminum with steel joining pins at the rim’s joining seams.

Hence, apply the magnet at various points along the rim to determine the rim’s aluminum or steel composition or you might just coincidentally apply the magnet at its joining seams and detect the steel joining pins and be given a false impression of the rim’s composition. The Bontrager rims on my road bike give this false impression at their seams only (which is precisely where I coincidentally initially tried the magnet trick).