'86 Peugeot Elite Road Bike Project

[Rachid]

Hello!

I recently purchased a 1986 Peugeot Elite road bike. Always been a huge fan of these road bikes and when I found one on Gumtree I quickly snapped it up. It's in really good condition with all the original 80's components still fitted. I've done some research online and found that It has the low end carbolite 103 frame however I'm still really keen to continue with the project. My plans are to use the bike for road cycling this summer.

The bike currently has:

CLB brake levers
CLB front and rear brake calipers
Simplex downtube friction shifters
Simplex front and rear derailleurs
5 speed maillard free wheel
Double front crankset (unbranded)
Rigida chrome rims on maillard hubs

I've been out on the bike in the wet and i'ts rather scary, takes so much longer due to the chrome surface of the oldschool rims. I'm looking to upgrade the wheels and some of the components, hopefully to a nice campagnolo/ultegra groupset. Has anyone done anything similar? I'm worried about compatibility issues etc.

 

[biggs682]

std issue steel rims and damp weather can be improved by using koolstop brake pads or as you say alloy rimmed wheels .

the old Pugs make great everyday bikes no matter what tubing so enjoy it , pics please

 

[smokeysmoo]

What biggs said

I've done a couple of 'low end Carbolite' Pugs and they've always turned out well and ridden really nicely.

+1 for a brake pad upgrade, and this will benefit you even if you replace the wheels, so it's a win/win.

The only negative with some French bikes, and Pugs in particular is their use of 24mm seatposts, but if it's not stuck and/or you've got enough post then it's not a problem, if not they are a right bitch to find.

A word of warning though, resto's can easily run aawy with your budget if your not careful, trust me on that

These are the two I've previously done. First one I did a fixed gear conversion and cheated with PX10 decals for a period look, but it was a 198* Carbolite in reality

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The second one I did a modern 10 speed conversion from what was basically another Carbolite frame, (can't find the before pic), into a full on winter bike/commuter: Note the use of older decals again

Both projects were a joy to do, but both blew my initial budget out of the water, but you do these things for fun don't you. You'd never make money doing this for a living!

Important note: COLD SETTING alu frames to accept modern hubs is not recommended. I braced the whole thing at every stress point and went really slowly using the threaded bar method. Steel is perfect for cold setting but alu is a no no, although it can be done you need to be aware of the risks.

 

[HovR]

I've been out on the bike in the wet and i'ts rather scary, takes so much longer due to the chrome surface of the oldschool rims. I'm looking to upgrade the wheels and some of the components, hopefully to a nice campagnolo/ultegra groupset. Has anyone done anything similar? I'm worried about compatibility issues etc.

Wheels are a good upgrade, but there are some compatibility issues you can work around. Older hubs were narrower than modern versions, either 120 or 126mm over locknut distance, whereas modern bikes use 130 or 135mm. This can be solved by 'cold setting' the frame, as Smokey has linked to above. Be sure to measure the frame spacing first though, as I found out one of my bikes had been re-spaced to 130mm by the original owner.

As above, don't expect to be able to turn a profit on a retro rebuild - Whilst the project is great fun and you'll end up with an excellent bike at the end, it's not exactly cheap!

 

[Rachid]

std issue steel rims and damp weather can be improved by using koolstop brake pads or as you say alloy rimmed wheels .

the old Pugs make great everyday bikes no matter what tubing so enjoy it , pics please

I'll look into those brake pads, thanks!

What biggs said

I've done a couple of 'low end Carbolite' Pugs and they've always turned out well and ridden really nicely.

+1 for a brake pad upgrade, and this will benefit you even if you replace the wheels, so it's a win/win.

The only negative with some French bikes, and Pugs in particular is their use of 24mm seatposts, but if it's not stuck and/or you've got enough post then it's not a problem, if not they are a right bitch to find.

A word of warning though, resto's can easily run aawy with your budget if your not careful, trust me on that

These are the two I've previously done. First one I did a fixed gear conversion and cheated with PX10 decals for a period look, but it was a 198* Carbolite in reality

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The second one I did a modern 10 speed conversion from what was basically another Carbolite frame, (can't find the before pic), into a full on winter bike/commuter: Note the use of older decals again

Both projects were a joy to do, but both blew my initial budget out of the water, but you do these things for fun don't you. You'd never make money doing this for a living!

Important note: COLD SETTING alu frames to accept modern hubs is not recommended. I braced the whole thing at every stress point and went really slowly using the threaded bar method. Steel is perfect for cold setting but alu is a no no, although it can be done you need to be aware of the risks.

Wow! Great work, they both turned out really well! I know who to ask of some advice then?
I think I will definitely look into cold setting the frame to accept a newer hub. Looking to upgrade the components.

 

[Teuchter]

I love my 80s Carbolite Peugeot - I find it a great bike to ride.

I do second the advice on changing wheels to something with aluminium rims. Saying that, I do have an old Raleigh with chrome rims and I don't actually find it that bad unless it's chucking it down. In the more usual damp conditions or light rain it stops perfectly adequately (with forward planning!). Having the brakes properly set up with decent pads and free running cables helps a lot here.

If you're changing wheels, you may as well stick on a new 6 speed freewheel while you're at it. It'll be compatible with everything else you currently have. No need to cold set the frame if you're sticking with good old-fashioned freewheels... how many gears do you need?

My Peugeot also has the original CLB brake calipers (though I fitted modern aero brake levers) and with alloy rims they stop me just fine. The Simplex kit is probably better than the Sachs-Huret that mine has - Simplex shifters seem to be well thought of.

As mentioned, the seat post is another issue - I'm lucky that mine fits me perfectly at max extension (based on the markings on the post). Longer replacements are hard to find being an unusual size.

Oh, and any photos of the bike?

 

[Rachid]

I love my 80s Carbolite Peugeot - I find it a great bike to ride.

I do second the advice on changing wheels to something with aluminium rims. Saying that, I do have an old Raleigh with chrome rims and I don't actually find it that bad unless it's chucking it down. In the more usual damp conditions or light rain it stops perfectly adequately (with forward planning!). Having the brakes properly set up with decent pads and free running cables helps a lot here.

If you're changing wheels, you may as well stick on a new 6 speed freewheel while you're at it. It'll be compatible with everything else you currently have. No need to cold set the frame if you're sticking with good old-fashioned freewheels... how many gears do you need?

My Peugeot also has the original CLB brake calipers (though I fitted modern aero brake levers) and with alloy rims they stop me just fine. The Simplex kit is probably better than the Sachs-Huret that mine has - Simplex shifters seem to be well thought of.

As mentioned, the seat post is another issue - I'm lucky that mine fits me perfectly at max extension (based on the markings on the post). Longer replacements are hard to find being an unusual size.

Oh, and any photos of the bike?

Hey there,
Just noticed that you're in Erskine, I'm in Beith not too far away!
What wheels did you upgrade to on your Peugeot?
The seat post is just a little too short but not too bad, I'll be watching ebay for a longer one though.
Going on a cycle this afternoon so I 'll take a picture then

 

[Teuchter]

Hey there,
Just noticed that you're in Erskine, I'm in Beith not too far away!
What wheels did you upgrade to on your Peugeot?
The seat post is just a little too short but not too bad, I'll be watching ebay for a longer one though.
Going on a cycle this afternoon so I 'll take a picture then

Not far away at all!

I put on a new pair of Weinmann rimmed wheels available cheaply from eBay - think I paid somewhere around £50 for the pair.

Your bike is in a lot nicer condition than mine was when I pulled it out of the local skip. I posted about it in this thread:
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/1989-peugeot-skip-find-restoration.107571/

 

[Rachid]

 

[biggs682]

that looks nice and clean , so apart from wanting to upgrade the wheels whats the plan for the pug ?

 

[Teuchter]

Looks more or less the same as my frame including the brake cable routed inside the top tube.

Nice find.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Lots of Pugs of this vintage knocking about and they make great bikes to cut your retro teeth on (it's better to make cheap mistakes): you'll find lots of threads, both here and on other forums, about renovating/converting them.

Don't worry about it being made from a low-end tubeset: you don't want to practice on something exotic and the ride will be lovely.

As has been mentioned the seatposts are an unusual size and if you do find one on Ebay they go for around £50; I have seen bespoke options, but a similar price. A more viable option is this post from Decathlon; it's 23.4mm but comes with a 25mm shim which you cut in half along the vertical axis and with a bit of grease (both real and elbow) it will go in.

It's possible, but unlikely, that your bike may have a French bottom bracket: Peugeot completely swapped over from the French to British standard during the early/mid-Eighties, but were making British spec bikes throughout this period. Unless you plan on swapping-out the cranks, it won't be an issue and, as I say, it's likely that yours is British. All you need to know about bottom brackets can be found here (scroll down to the third from bottom table).

With regards to the spacing of the rear hub, yours should measure 126mm between the dropouts, which is the standard for 5 to 7 speed freewheels (which screw onto the hub). 8 speed cassettes and above (which slide onto a splined hub) are 130mm. Should you decide to upgrade to 8 speed, steel frames have enough flex to spring apart (it's only 2mm either side) so cold-setting isn't necessary but will make getting the wheel in and out easier.

You mentioned "a nice campagnolo/ultegra groupset" above; I would suggest you take things a little more slowly. First of all replace the consumables: cables, chain, brake pads and bar tape. With a good clean/degrease, lube and adjustment you will be surprised at the difference. Then upgrade to alloy rimmed wheels, a 7 speed freewheel, good tyres and dual pivot brakes. This will give you a good introduction to how your bike works, has minimal risk of compatibility problems and provide maximum performance bang for your upgrade bucks.

You will then have a rather decent bike for minimal outlay (£100ish) and have learned a lot. All that's then left to do is ride the hell out of it!

 

[biggs682]

bravo Scilly Suffolk

 

[Rachid]

Lots of Pugs of this vintage knocking about and they make great bikes to cut your retro teeth on (it's better to make cheap mistakes): you'll find lots of threads, both here and on other forums, about renovating/converting them.

Don't worry about it being made from a low-end tubeset: you don't want to practice on something exotic and the ride will be lovely.

As has been mentioned the seatposts are an unusual size and if you do find one on Ebay they go for around £50; I have seen bespoke options, but a similar price. A more viable option is this post from Decathlon; it's 23.4mm but comes with a 25mm shim which you cut in half along the vertical axis and with a bit of grease (both real and elbow) it will go in.

It's possible, but unlikely, that your bike may have a French bottom bracket: Peugeot completely swapped over from the French to British standard during the early/mid-Eighties, but were making British spec bikes throughout this period. Unless you plan on swapping-out the cranks, it won't be an issue and, as I say, it's likely that yours is British. All you need to know about bottom brackets can be found here (scroll down to the third from bottom table).

With regards to the spacing of the rear hub, yours should measure 126mm between the dropouts, which is the standard for 5 to 7 speed freewheels (which screw onto the hub). 8 speed cassettes and above (which slide onto a splined hub) are 130mm. Should you decide to upgrade to 8 speed, steel frames have enough flex to spring apart (it's only 2mm either side) so cold-setting isn't necessary but will make getting the wheel in and out easier.

You mentioned "a nice campagnolo/ultegra groupset" above; I would suggest you take things a little more slowly. First of all replace the consumables: cables, chain, brake pads and bar tape. With a good clean/degrease, lube and adjustment you will be surprised at the difference. Then upgrade to alloy rimmed wheels, a 7 speed freewheel, good tyres and dual pivot brakes. This will give you a good introduction to how your bike works, has minimal risk of compatibility problems and provide maximum performance bang for your upgrade bucks.

You will then have a rather decent bike for minimal outlay (£100ish) and have learned a lot. All that's then left to do is ride the hell out of it!

Thanks for your reply, some really good advice that I will take on board, thanks!

Since buying the bike I've replaced gear and brake inner cables, stripped and cleaned the calipers and fitted new brake blocks and also replaced both tyres and tubes.

I went on a 25ish mile round trip cycle from Beith to Largs today. The cycle there was really good, it was all uphill and very challenging (for me anyway). I was looking forward to the cycle back however my rear derailleur broke about 1 mile into the return journey. Nightmare!

So now I'm looking to replace the rear derailleur asap. Can you recommend a make/model ? I'm not really sure what is compatible and what isn't .

 

[jim55]

i recently bought an 80s peugeot and then sold it on after converting ait to fixed gear ,i had a lot of spare parts so over and above the cost of the bike (50)i didnt spend much on it ,bar tape (8) chain (4) and inner tubes(3 quid for 2 from decathlon ) i think were the only parts i bought new the rest was just stuff i had lying about ,sold it for 150 ,lovely bike in the end
from this

to this