rcschafer

At $100 this probably doesn't qualify for the "Catch of the Day" thread but I'm happy about it - a 1986 Peugeot PSN-10 Triathalon - 60cm, Super Vitus 980 tubing:



It sat under the seller's porch for some time so there's a good amount of rust; definitely will need a full overhaul and Framesaver. Paint and chrome should polish up nicely. The aero brake levers aren't stock but look serviceable. I'll stick with the red+white color scheme but that polka-dot bar tape has to go!

old and new

Nice bike ! as for the catch of the day ? In the running considering its condition and quality. Red, plenty of chrome , Vitus ... It'll grab the attention of many.

Chombi

Many good Peugeots that come up are giant 60+ CM sizes like this PSN. I'm wondering why so many tall riders seem to have barely used their bikes........Uhmmm basketball ended up to be a better choice of sport, maybe?? ;^)) ...........Just another theory out there why there seems to be such a big population of these classic big sized bikes. Interesting though that the seat is positioned so low on this one.

T-Mar

Based on what I see in the ads, people were bicycles that were too big, as the saddles are generally too low. I suspect they bought them because they were leftovers at a good sale price. They rode them a few dozen times, then parked them because they were the wrong fit.

BTW, there are qualifications for catch of the Day???

old and new

You know what I'd noticed T .. Back then, in my experience, some shops would steer me and my fellows , 5'8".. 5'10" to the 23" bikes. Not the pricey ones as posted necessarily but the average ones. I believe prevailing theories on sizing have normalized.

rcschafer

In this case the seller was in the 5'6-8" range but he only had the bike because someone had left it behind in a house his family had purchased. It probably accumulated most of the cosmetic wear while it was under his porch!

I guess not - it's not as screaming a deal as some but for around here it's pretty decent. I'll post it there, too.

T-Mar

That's very true. Mass produced models generally only came in 3 sizes. When in doubt, or between sizes, most sales people would steer consumers towards the larger size, using the "grow into it" pitch, as most buyers were teenagers. Most purchasers didn't want to spend the extra money to step up to a bicycle with more size options. And a lot of salespeople didn't have the knowledge to properly fit a dropped bar road bicycle.

And yes, over time, bicycle sizes have tended to shrink for a set body size. Constantly improving road conditions allow for smaller and stiffer frames.

Still, a lot of the large bicycles I see for resale are obviously a couple of sizes too big. When you've only got about 1" of post showing, there's probably more to the story, usually either a good sale price or a 2nd hand purchase. Let's face it, the improperly fitting bicycles are more likely to be resold, so you'll see them more often.

Tigerprawn

That Vitus tubing is great! I have a PSV-10 from 83 and my friend has a PSN from 85.

JunkYardBike

Another theory is that the owners wanted to stand flat-footed on the ground while seated on the saddle.

Regarding Chombi's theory, I'm not sure too many basketball players would ride 60cm frames. I'm 6' and ride 60cm...I've got the ball handling skills of a cyclist, and the cycling skills of a basketball player.

auchencrow

+1 !

A really nice snag there, BTW.

Chombi

Here's a pic you might enjoy!:



Must be an 80CM frame or something.....
I used to stare at this pic in disbelief in the 80's.
The top tube on that bike loks to be a mile high from the ground.
Seeing Bill Walton attack from behind on his bike must have been scary!

JunkYardBike

I knew someone would catch me on my disparaging comment about basketball players and bike handling!

His frame makes those look like 20" rims.