Unknown French bike, can you assist ?

[Gillstay]

Hi. A chum and I went cycling a few years ago near Domfont and went through a tiny village having a bit of a car boot. We both clocked this bike on one of the stalls but were going quite fast. We discussed it as we went along and decided from the bits each of us had seen that it was okay. So 5 hours later as we returned we saw it was just being packed away. so we offered 20 euro's, got it and loaned a pump so we could ride home with it. our partners were SO impressed when we got back.
W

e have no idea what it is though, so idea's please.

 

[DCLane]

No idea either but it's got a drilled crankset and tub wheels. It looks to be OK although the rest of the components seem quite basic.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Simplex gears and brakes brand named "Racer" suggest you haven't stumbled across a bike that was actually ridden down the Champs Elysees by Eddy Merckx.

But nice, nonetheless

 

[MichaelW2]

Pug AO8 has those characteristic cable guides and is common enough.

 

[Cycleops]

So now you know what it is what are you going to do with it? Those rotted out tubs won't get you very far. Might be worth restoring if you have the inclination but won't leave you much change out of £3/400.
Wouldn't have come with those drilled crank rings.
Does the seatpost and stem move?
Like to have a close up of that RD.

 

[T4tomo]

Simplex gears and brakes brand named "Racer" suggest you haven't stumbled across a bike that was actually ridden down the Champs Elysees by Eddy Merckx.

But nice, nonetheless

Agree, frames also a bit large for EM's stumpy legs...

 

[Gillstay]

Popped out the seat and bars and greased they soon as I got it so they are fine, but have done up a Swinerton recently and that was £400 so not sure about this one.

Pug AO8 has those characteristic cable guides and is common enough.

Ah, yes it could be an early one. I forgot to take a photo of the frame number and its now at the back o the shed. Doh!

 

[si_c]

With that crankset it probably heralds from the late 70s as it's not cottered. The brakes look like Mafac Racers, which are decent brakes and held in good regard generally, again they put it age wise around the late 70s before sidepull calipers became more popular on french bikes. It definitely looks like a peugeot frame in terms of styling but absent any decals on the frame it's unlikely you'll ever know the manufacturer. You could check the bottom bracket for clues.

I'd also expect it to have French BB threads and a French style headset which could make restoration a bit more interesting. Overall it looks like a very nice bike and personally I'd invest the time and money to bring it back to life.

Edit to add: With those forks and the dropouts I'm fairly certain it could be a Pug, an AO8 would seem to be about right. Does it have a normally drilled rear brake mount or is it the top down mount?

 

[Gillstay]

With that crankset it probably heralds from the late 70s as it's not cottered. The brakes look like Mafac Racers, which are decent brakes and held in good regard generally, again they put it age wise around the late 70s before sidepull calipers became more popular on french bikes. It definitely looks like a peugeot frame in terms of styling but absent any decals on the frame it's unlikely you'll ever know the manufacturer. You could check the bottom bracket for clues.

I'd also expect it to have French BB threads and a French style headset which could make restoration a bit more interesting. Overall it looks like a very nice bike and personally I'd invest the time and money to bring it back to life.

Edit to add: With those forks and the dropouts I'm fairly certain it could be a Pug, an AO8 would seem to be about right. Does it have a normally drilled rear brake mount or is it the top down mount?

Will be great if its a Peugeot as I have always had them around.

 

[Cycleops]

I’d say it’s a lot older than 70’s. Probably a decade earlier. That looks like a Huret Svelto which began production in 1963 and were made in thousands up until the early seventies. Drilled chainrings were in vogue then too. Cotterless cranksets we’re around from the early/mid sixties. Unless of course components were swapped, but if they were they’d be later rather than earlier.
Certainly looks like a pug of some description.

You could always do an ‘oily rag’ restoration. Just tidy up the paint or do a rattle can spay over, replace the tubs, true up the wheels and replace any spokes as needed, degrease bearings and new cables. You’d be good to go for less than £100.

 

[biggs682]

Any date codes on hubs and or calipers if they are original it might give an idea

 

[si_c]

View attachment 610159

Will be great if its a Peugeot as I have always had them around.

Ok, so standard fitting, but it looks like the frame can take either - the vertical mounting in the centre of the brake bridge there would allow that, this was often used to combine the brake mount with a mudguard fitting, it was an elegant solution.

You might have to do a bit more work to identify if it is a pug, the frame number might help you get an idea.

 

[si_c]

A sidenote, I did a bit of digging as I wasn't 100% sure that those brakes were Mafac, they're not, they're CLB. They made a "Racer" branded brake also, essentially the same design as the Mafac units, but a bit heavier as they were built using cheaper materials. Braking performance was apparently similar as well.

They were made from 1973 through 1977, which would date the frame to that period, possibly up to 1980 if stock was still available.

 

[Gillstay]

Yep, thanks for that info, they are `Racer' brakes and that gives a nice idea of date of the bike. Been all over the frame today and cannot find a frame number so would need to remove paint to find it and then that's the start of a restoration....Decision made I guess, just got a couple to finish first..

 

[Drago]

All that drillium on a like with heavy centrepulls!