Rescued 1972 Peugeot PX10!
11-10-19, 04:12 PM
#27
Rouleur
Thread Starter
That question was pretty easy really - I do love a nice supple pair of tubulars, but for the maintenance and inconvenience if out 30 miles from home and one goes "psssssssssssssssssstt" I chose to go with the something else clinchers. Keep it to period French made rims and you'll be OK. Really. You will...
11-10-19, 05:01 PM
#28
blahblahblah chrome moly
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,984
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1172 Post(s)
Liked 2,566 Times
in
1,072 Posts
That question was pretty easy really - I do love a nice supple pair of tubulars, but for the maintenance and inconvenience if out 30 miles from home and one goes "psssssssssssssssssstt" I chose to go with the something else clinchers. Keep it to period French made rims and you'll be OK. Really. You will...
When I worked in bike shops, I rode fancy high-end tubulars because I took them out of the trash when wealthier customers threw them away after one flat. I got pretty fast at repairing them. I don't have that supply chain anymore, alas, and arthritis might make sewing them back up less fun. I have to decide, what price am I willing to pay for nostalgia?
I do have some unanodized Module E rims, almost period-correct, and Grand Bois tires look cool on old French bikes -- unobtrusive logos, and in French!
Ooh I know -- I have two pairs of Normandy Luxe hubs, so I can build both sets of wheels, tubs and clinchers! Why didn't I think of that before? "Dare to want it all!"
11-10-19, 05:03 PM
#29
Senior Member
That is so full of awesome, I don't know what to say.
11-14-19, 07:06 PM
#32
Useless Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 745
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 380 Post(s)
Liked 181 Times
in
113 Posts
I dream of finding a grail bike in a thrift or antique store.. Oh wait, I did one time! My Schwinn Paramount for $300. I didn't even dicker on the price.
11-15-19, 11:21 AM
#33
rmfrance
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: SW France
Posts: 108
Bikes: 1968 Peugeot PX10, 1974 Peugeot PX10, 1964 Peugeot PX10, 1977 Peugeot PSN10, 1975 Gitane Super Olympic, 1978 Gitane Vuelta, c1958 Gitane Competition(?), 1983 Mercier?, 1981 Peugeot PF10, 1985 Peugeot PH501 Ventoux, 1965 Moulton M4 Speed
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 34 Post(s)
Liked 36 Times
in
14 Posts
A cork in the seat tube? You're not alone; I found one in my late-60s PX10, so searched around and discovered that there are loads out there, probably inserted at the factory. It's the same with the famous cork found at the base of the steerer tube.
The reason for it being in the seat tube is uncertain, but might have been to protect the BB from anything falling onto the bearings. Who knows..?
The reason for it being in the seat tube is uncertain, but might have been to protect the BB from anything falling onto the bearings. Who knows..?
Nice! I wasn't going to say anything but the black rims in the first photos were bumming me out. Now it's perfect!!
I ended up with two PX-10 frames, both circa 1970, and I have all the parts I need to build up at least one of them, down to the old wide 5-speed Sedis chain, black rubber Mafac toolkit, and original Simplex cable housing. But it's a big project, keeps getting put on the back burner. For example, I have the right hubs, rims and Trois Etoiles spokes in the right length, but if I build with the original rims, I'm stuck with tubular tires. If I build it with clinchers, then that opens the whole can o' worms of what else will I allow that's not original? Maybe I'll do a 650b conversion... Di2 shifters? [kidding!] So far I don't have answers to some of those questions and so I kick the can down the road, to decide later.
One of my PX-10 frames is possibly a goner, haven't decided whether to repair the frame. Get this: some previous owner put a cork in the seat tube to keep water out of the bottom bracket. Well, it worked -- the water that inevitably gets in through the slot in back of the seat lug, instead of going down to the BB shell, just puddled there on top of the cork. I don't know how many years it took, but rust eventually perforated the seat tube -- all the way around! The top part of the seat tube is completely disconnected from the bottom part, right at the top of where the cork ended up. I'm an ex-framebuilder, still have some equipment including an ocy-acetylene rig, so I can repair it, but is this old frame worth it? I prefer original paint and decals, no matter how much patina it has, so this one after repairing and repainting will be worth less to me (not worthless, just worth less). And I already have an almost identical frame. So this one continues to hang in my shed, waiting for me to make a decision.
Moral of the story: Look to see if someone put a cork in your seat tube, and if so, get it the heck out of there!
I ended up with two PX-10 frames, both circa 1970, and I have all the parts I need to build up at least one of them, down to the old wide 5-speed Sedis chain, black rubber Mafac toolkit, and original Simplex cable housing. But it's a big project, keeps getting put on the back burner. For example, I have the right hubs, rims and Trois Etoiles spokes in the right length, but if I build with the original rims, I'm stuck with tubular tires. If I build it with clinchers, then that opens the whole can o' worms of what else will I allow that's not original? Maybe I'll do a 650b conversion... Di2 shifters? [kidding!] So far I don't have answers to some of those questions and so I kick the can down the road, to decide later.
One of my PX-10 frames is possibly a goner, haven't decided whether to repair the frame. Get this: some previous owner put a cork in the seat tube to keep water out of the bottom bracket. Well, it worked -- the water that inevitably gets in through the slot in back of the seat lug, instead of going down to the BB shell, just puddled there on top of the cork. I don't know how many years it took, but rust eventually perforated the seat tube -- all the way around! The top part of the seat tube is completely disconnected from the bottom part, right at the top of where the cork ended up. I'm an ex-framebuilder, still have some equipment including an ocy-acetylene rig, so I can repair it, but is this old frame worth it? I prefer original paint and decals, no matter how much patina it has, so this one after repairing and repainting will be worth less to me (not worthless, just worth less). And I already have an almost identical frame. So this one continues to hang in my shed, waiting for me to make a decision.
Moral of the story: Look to see if someone put a cork in your seat tube, and if so, get it the heck out of there!
11-15-19, 03:11 PM
#34
blahblahblah chrome moly
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,984
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1172 Post(s)
Liked 2,566 Times
in
1,072 Posts
I don't speak French but Google translate says "empechânt la rupture brusque du tube fileté" means "prevent sudden rupture of the threaded tube". Sounds about right.
11-15-19, 03:42 PM
#35
rmfrance
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: SW France
Posts: 108
Bikes: 1968 Peugeot PX10, 1974 Peugeot PX10, 1964 Peugeot PX10, 1977 Peugeot PSN10, 1975 Gitane Super Olympic, 1978 Gitane Vuelta, c1958 Gitane Competition(?), 1983 Mercier?, 1981 Peugeot PF10, 1985 Peugeot PH501 Ventoux, 1965 Moulton M4 Speed
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 34 Post(s)
Liked 36 Times
in
14 Posts
Great pic! I live in France, so can tell you that it translates as the block's intended purpose is to reinforce the (threaded) steerer, and prevent it suddenly shearing, rather than just keeping things together when it does.
The pavé sections of Paris-Roubaix are pretty much like a fatigue test for any stressed component, and this largely hidden feature is an indication that these bikes were actually intended for competition use, even if many more were sold to discerning amateur riders for leisure use.
Although this particular detail is well-known as an identifying feature of PX10s, the seat tube plug is less often discussed. I only discovered it in my frame while cleaning out the tube with a bottle-brush, which hit something solid around midway. A Google search will find various theories as to why that's there. I love a good mystery...
As for letting water build up, Peugeot fitted the bikes with a Simplex seat pin with the top capped, so nothing was going to get down there.
The pavé sections of Paris-Roubaix are pretty much like a fatigue test for any stressed component, and this largely hidden feature is an indication that these bikes were actually intended for competition use, even if many more were sold to discerning amateur riders for leisure use.
Although this particular detail is well-known as an identifying feature of PX10s, the seat tube plug is less often discussed. I only discovered it in my frame while cleaning out the tube with a bottle-brush, which hit something solid around midway. A Google search will find various theories as to why that's there. I love a good mystery...
As for letting water build up, Peugeot fitted the bikes with a Simplex seat pin with the top capped, so nothing was going to get down there.
Last edited by rmfrance; 11-15-19 at 03:48 PM.
11-15-19, 04:27 PM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Berkeley CA
Posts: 2,533
Bikes: 1981 Ron Cooper, 1974 Cinelli Speciale Corsa, 2000 Gary Fisher Sugar 1, 1986 Miyata 710, 1982 Raleigh "International"
Mentioned: 97 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 929 Post(s)
Liked 1,289 Times
in
486 Posts
Magnifique! You did a fantastic job, and replacing the wheels provided a perfect finishing touch.
It's funny, back in the day I didn't like the PX-10 because it looked too much like the low end Peugeots, and I found the decals to be too busy. Now, 40 years later, I am totally appreciative of its gallic individuality.
It's funny, back in the day I didn't like the PX-10 because it looked too much like the low end Peugeots, and I found the decals to be too busy. Now, 40 years later, I am totally appreciative of its gallic individuality.
11-15-19, 07:55 PM
#37
Rouleur
Thread Starter
This is absolutely brilliant - and some nice detective work. I'm going to remove the seatpost and stem tomorrow to see if they continued doing this as late as the '70's frames. Considering the PX-10 was their flagship model if it will be on any bike it would be this one. No way I'd remove them if actually there, I'll just take extra care in maintaining the frame and perhaps use a very light film of (Water Displacement)-40.
11-16-19, 05:44 AM
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 16,866
Bikes: 1980 Masi, 1984 Mondonico, 1984 Trek 610, 1980 Woodrup Giro, 2005 Mondonico Futura Leggera ELOS, 1967 PX10E, 1971 Peugeot UO-8
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1854 Post(s)
Liked 661 Times
in
504 Posts
What I intend to do for Coffee Shop rides or light touring is to see if I can find a better quality pair of the "clipless platform" pedals and remove the ones in the photo. I do have another set of pedals that may be the correct ones, but the bearings on one side are shot and they did not have the toe clips & straps.
11-16-19, 06:47 AM
#40
blahblahblah chrome moly
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,984
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1172 Post(s)
Liked 2,566 Times
in
1,072 Posts
I live in an area with a lot of wet days, so if you only ride when it's dry, you don't get enough riding. Around here we know that every bike needs an opening at the lowest point of the BB shell to let water out. That water is going to get in, that's a given, no sense in denying it.
11-16-19, 08:58 AM
#41
Rouleur
Thread Starter
