PHL67
Veteran
- Location
- Frinton on Sea
Doesn't matter about the tubing. As soon as you mention Peugeot and it looks nice people just love them. I know I do. It does look really nice. Better than the old red colour.For no reason at all I've decided to document this project, I lie, any tips and tricks more than welcome.
I had one of these new in the mid 1980's and used to ride it to school. I kept it and kept it and even used it for a while to communte to work across central London back in the early 90's. I loved that bike and kept it until about six years ago where in a moment of madness I took it to the dump!
I deeply and sorely regret that decision.
About four years ago I had a real near miss health scare which came with a six month medical driving ban. The plus side of that, if there could ever be one was it got me back into cycling in a big way. I already had a small collection with my N number equalling five and as you do was always on the lookout for the +1. When this current Pugcame up locally for a very reasonable pprice I snapped it up.
It is 25" 'carbolite' (nothing special) steel framed beast but rides so, so nicely.
This is the only pic of it as was just after I purchased it.
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Shortly after I stripped it down and gave it a quick blowover with some satin black paint. This was done as I fancied it and that the forks didn't match the frame.
This is how it stood up until a week or so ago, all original components except for a narrower saddle.
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Slightly dulled now but when I gave it the blow over I properly polished up the aluminium comonpents. And yes I know a frayed cable, tut tut.
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All black and shiny shiny bits
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And then I went bonkers deciding to give it a proper refresh and a bit of a modernisation. Plans and work in progress is / are;
Anyway, a few more pics...
- Strip down the paint and re-apply using and etch primer, matt black base coat and a satin laquer topcoat. This was after going over the frame and forks with 120,180,240,400 and 600 grit wet and dry. Each rub down with each grit of paper took about and hour. All hell of a lot of work.
- MTB chainset. Having a heart condition and being on some hefty drugs which won't allow my heart rate to go above 110bpm means that I am no longer able to meaningfully push a 52 cog front ring. So I've plumped for 42/32/22 triple MTB item up front and an 11-32 8 speed out back instead of the approx 12-24 five speed that was on there. Interstingly the stock front was a 52/42 now the biggest is a 42!
- New low/mid range Acera derailleurs going on, choice seems to be limited for the small diameter seat tube and rear direct mount.
- Staying are the downtube shifters.
- Staying are the Weinmann / Diacompe duel brake levers, some people call them suicide levers for some reason, I absolutely love them.
- Going though are the old and feeble Weinmann 500 sidepull brakes and in there place are some Tektro A559 long drop 'nutted' duel pivot calipers. I've got these and may have a problem, more later on that.
- Blumel mudguards currently being fitted, what a lovely fiddle they are. More problems, more of hich later.
- All new cable and any other embellishments I can mount on the thing.
Frame painted. I decided to purchase a set of decals off e-bay for about £6 and stuck some of them on, not all but some! The laquer was sprayed over the decals.
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Shiny shiny A559 caliper.
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Huret downtube shifters and a "Carbolite 103" decall worn with pride. It might be a gas pipe frame but who cares!
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As it sits tonight. A world of pain. Lots of clearance issues clustered around the BB, front derailleur, mudguard and kick stand area.
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Talking of stands. Did you know you can still but brand new Pletscher items exactly the same as they were back in the 1970's? I had to have one and it HAS to fit! And the real biggy, you can also buy brand new shiny shiny Pletscher rear 'rat trap' racks as well, so I bought one!
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No downtube water bottle bosses on this frame so I bought some DMR clamp ons. They are beautiful beautiful things.
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I know, I know, I'm lavishing loads of cash on a bike that is worth next to nothing and is nothing special. Nostalgia eh?
More to follow...