PeugeotGuy78

I own an ultra-rare, one-owner, PY10CP 'Prestige Peugeot' - the bike on which Bernard Thévenet won the 1977 Tour de France - dating from January 1978, in metallic silver, purchased new by its original French owner Jean Spitz. It was imported into the UK, by myself, during 2023.

This particular machine - as with all other 'Prestige' models - was hand-built to special customer order at Peugeot's 'Atelier Prestige' workshop which was separate from the main factory at Beaulieu, near Valentigney, in France. The workshop was headed by the experienced Raoul Jeand'Heur and just eight skilled craftsmen. Each bike took a minimum of three months to be made.

For the years 1977 and 1978, Reynolds 531 SL - red label - tubing (5/10mm) was utilised with brazed on brake caliper mounting bosses (front and rear) and including custom filed...to remove the mudguard eyelets...Simplex forged dropouts.

1978 was the final year that the particular, traditional, decal scheme (my personal favourite) shown on this bike was used. For 1979, a newer, more modern looking, decal scheme was introduced which then continued until 1983.

The cost of a complete bike was dependent on the final equipment specification (restricted to French parts only) chosen by the customer on the dedicated order form. However, the average list price in 1978 was around £500.00 GBP (£3,700 GBP in 2023); $1,000.00 US ($4,700 US in 2023); 4,500 FF (4,290 Euros in 2023). In comparison, the average house price was £12,000 GBP, the average weekly eage was £85.00 GBP, and a brand new Austin Mini was £750.00.

Very few (red label 531 SL) PY10CP 'Prestige' examples have survived from the years 1977 and 1978, and those that do survive are tightly held and highly prized by their owners.

This particular example retains its original paint and decals (although there are some paint touch-ups here and there) and, aside from tyres, is equipped with all its original specification components - including one or two super-rare optional items...a Stronglight D6 head set and hard-to-find 'Maillard 700' 28 hole front and rear hubs, with corresponding Super Champion sprint rims.

The total weight of the bike (minus the optional 'lightweight' upgrades) was 10.40 kg (22.88 lb).

Does anyone else on this forum own a similar example?

Prestige Peugeot (PY10CP) Specification

Frame

Sizes: 52 cm (20.5") to 64 cm (25.25") in 1 cm increments.

Tubing: 0.5 mm Reynolds 531 SL throughout (except down-tube at 0.7 mm).

Lugs: Nervex Italian style cut-outs.

Bracket Set: Nervex.

Rear Ends: Simplex with threaded adjusters.

Rear Brake Mounting: Brazed on bosses.

Cable Eyes: Brazed on front and rear derailleur cable stops.

Lever Mountings: Brazed on shift lever mountings.

Bottle Carrier Fixing: Brazed on fittings on down-tube

Forks

Blades and Column: 0.5 mm Reynolds 531 SL

Crown: Nervex sloping crown.

Ends: Simplex.

Front Brake Mounting: Brazed on bosses.

Head Set

Stronglight Super Competition S5 or (optional) Stronglight Extra-Light D6 (D6 fitted).

Chainset

Stronglight Type 105 bis, Silver anodised (53 - 38).

Wheels

Hubs: Maillard 700 Professional "Team Issue", 28 hole - front and rear - forged dural.

Rims: Super Champion, 28 hole, sprint rims.

Spokes: Double-butted chrome plated.

Fixing: Simplex Quick Release (red dot type).

Tyres: Peugeot Professional (Hutchinson GTX80 Corsa currently fitted).

Freewheel: Maillard 700 6-speed alloy spockets on a lightweight body.

Transmission

Chain: Sedis Silver 'Sedicolor'.

Derailleur: Front - Simplex SLJ A 500;
Rear - Simplex LJ 4000 T (Delrin) or Simplex LJ 5000 CP/SP (latter fitted).

Shift Levers: Simplex SLJ retro friction - solid design type.

Bottom Bracket: Stronglight 651 or (optional) Stronglight 650 'Titane' (651 fitted)

Saddle

Seat Pillar: Simplex SLJ 4164 or (optional) Laprade 606.

Saddle: Ideale 2002 or (optional) Ideale 2002 'Titane'.

Handlebars

Bend: Philippe Professionnel.

Stem: Philippe Atax (Peugeot labelled) forged dural.

Finish: Black or white 'Tressolux' tape.

Brakes

Levers: Mafac drilled levers with natural rubber hoods.

Brakes: Mafac Competition mounted on brazed on bosses.

Pedals: Maillard 700 RA.

Toe Clips: Christophe 'Z' Special - zycral finish.

Straps: Christophe Competition 'Z' 496 leather (tan) - zycral quick release.

Pump: Zefal 'Z', chrome finish, plastic pump.

Bottle Cage: T.A. alloy cage (ribbed first edition).

Bottle: Peugeot lion logo design (1975-1978).

Colours (1978 only): Metallic Silver, Pearl Sky Blue, Pearl Yellow, Pearl White, Pearl Silver, Pearl Red.

Price (in 1978): Approx. £500.00 GBP (£3,700 GBP in 2023).

I'd love to include photos, but the rules say that I have to post at least 10 times before I can do that!

El Chaba

I have a 1981 PRO 10.

bikemig 

These are beautiful bikes and rare. A few of them have popped up on BF.

If you create an album and post your photos there, someone will post them to this thread.

PeugeotGuy78

That's stunning!

PeugeotGuy78

I have a Blogger page for the bike which can be found at: ......peugeotpy10cpprestige.blogspot.com/2023/07/1978-peugeot-py10cp-prestige.html
add the usual HTTPS(lowercase):// at the beginning.

machinist42

OP's Album.
(Six pages of pics!)

PeugeotGuy78

Many thanks for helping out!

georges1

great bikes thanks for sharing

El Chaba

They are rare. I looked off and on ( always with an eye out but sometimes more actively than others) for over 30 years for one in my size and in good shape. I was even a little open as to the year…Each year is a little different and each one has features that recommend it. By the 1980s, the shop was down to 3-4 people. On the Pro 10s, I am told that the countersinking on the holes of the dropouts and this particular treatment of the curved rear brake bride were the marks of Raoul Jean D’Heure. Whoever ordered mine originally…and as an aside I am eternally grateful for him ordering it in exactly my size…was a bit of a weight weenie as it has a titanium BB axle and an all alloy Maillard freewheel (not mounted in the photos), titanium saddle rails, etc. They are interesting bikes and they ride and handle beautifully.

1simplexnut

Best I can do is an ex Pascal Simone PY10 in 753
Dated to 1979
Has a curved brake bridge and an integral rear brake cable hanger .

seagrade 

Such great lightweight racing bicycles.
I didn’t start racing until 1984, by which time the Peugeot pro team frames used by the many English-speaking racers of the so-called Foreign Legion were anthracite grey, but those or an earlier pearl white frame with Reynolds 531SL tubes were among the highly-desirable European models, to me at least.
In New Zealand one of the largest mass-market bicycle manufacturers, Healing Industries, offered Japanese Shoguns and French Peugeots as high-end alternatives to their Healing house brand. I can no longer remember whether the Peugeots were imported or built locally under licence, but Healing did sponsor the A team at the school I attended with five pale green racing Peugeots. Probably top of the non-Atelier Prestige range with some sort of Super Vitus tubing but sponsoring school teams certainly raised a few eyebrows back then.
Great to see these bicycles enduring and hopefully still rolling over a few undulating roads, on fine days at least…

1simplexnut

I wonder if this is one of those bikes ?
Sticker on base of seat tube says made in NZ by Healing Industries


super vitus 980

seagrade 

That’s just as I remember the school team frames all those years ago. Looks like they were locally manufactured under licence, which would indicate the sponsorship frames were just a few of many, although I can’t recall seeing too many elsewhere. “The Bikes We Built”, a recent book of New Zealand-made bicycles doesn’t list them, although there are a couple of mainstream Healing models.

Anyway, I digress from the subject of the OP. Look forward to seeing a few more of the Atelier frames with the iconic red 531SL decals resurface, especially later versions equipped with almost as iconic Stronglight 107 crankset…

santa fe 2926 

do you think the frames were shipped to NZ, and then ‘assembled’ into complete bicycles?

1simplexnut

hi - Apologies to the OP for hijacking his thread .

The green frame has a frame sticker clearly stating made in NZ under license to Peugeot .
I have been cleaning up the frame recently and have found the braze finish etc to be pretty rugged when compared to known french made frames of the same era .
I sold a few of the later white ones new back in the late 1980s and their frame finish was excellent .
this green one is not very tidy once you start looking .
Also it is spaced to 95,120 front and rear which seems a little odd for a 1983 machine . Would have expected 126 mm ?
Healing made a lot of "gas pipe'' type bikes back then and the Peugeot frame exhibits some of the same joint finishes as the cheap and cheerful frames .

I had not seen a green NZ built one till this popped up for sale .
Will be interested to see how it rides one built

Stavros2830

We had bought a PY10 as decoration for my father's home office, definitely better than a painting. Apparentely i can't post some pictures as i'm new to the forum

andrewcd

Beautiful bikes to the OP and the other Prestige/Pros. It would be cool if there was a Prestige/Pro10 website to discuss/document these unique Peugeots and their histories.

Here you go, my 1983 Pro 10 with 531SL red decals and Stronglight 107 crankset

IdahoBrett 

I recently passed on an opportunity to buy a PKN 10 that had the “Prestige Peugeot” on the top tube.

Were all the bikes labeled as such from the Atelier prestige workshop?

andrewcd

My understanding is that the Prestige shop built Peugeots were only PY/Pros in 531/531SL/753/CF so guessing someone put a Prestige sticker on it

PY-10 CP (1977-1980)
PY-10 EC (1978-1979)
PY-10 FC (1983-1986) (Carbon Fibre)
PY-10 LC (1980)
PY-10 LCP (1979)
PY-10 P (1981)
PY-10 S (1981-1983)
PRO-10(1982-1985)

seagrade 

Check. And check. Stunning classic. Can’t be too many left in that condition.

IdahoBrett 

Well, thanks a lot. Another bike added to my wish list. 🤪

romperrr 

I need to know more about this bike, please.

1simplexnut

There is a thread I did a while back . Not sure how to link it . Hopefully below works ?

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...t-753-a-2.html

Cheers