Riding around an old Peugeot...

[YesNdeed]

On the seat post. Old French standards are different from just every modern standard, so I ran into many problems on this project. I bought a 26mm seat post of I don't remember origin (the clamp points to Kalloy), and cut down the insertable area by about a tenth or two/mm by hand using a heavy grit sandpaper, as evenly as possible, then re-shining it with a finer grit which only takes a few rotations.

With the saddle attached, squeezing the insertion area of the post with one hand, and rotating the post by the tip of the saddle with the other hand. Took less than 30 minutes. The seatpost collar bolts were replaced with stainless steel carriage bolts from the hardware. A cheap set of vernier calipers helped with this.

I found this guy in my old neighborhood, leaning against a yard side light post under a sign that read "FREE". It had probably been left outside for decades and didn't even roll. I walked about 7" past it before doing an about-face, knowing I could do something cool with it. So I shouldered all 35 pounds of it home. The only restorable paint feature was the seat-tube emblem. It got a coat of paint original to Minis in the 1970s, because not a fan of the original dark forest green and because white bikes.

This thing is super fun to ride around the neighborhood with a stop at the pub. I'm not an established hipster so I don't push my luck when riding it, but steel is real frickin awesome.

[charliedid]

I think you can still get Conti Gran Sport in 1 1/4

[fmradio516]

Originally Posted by NHAero

Tink tink tink tink

Originally Posted by YesNdeed

On the seat post. Old French standards are different from just every modern standard, so I ran into many problems on this project. I bought a 26mm seat post of I don't remember origin (the clamp points to Kalloy), and cut down the insertable area by about a tenth or two/mm by hand using a heavy grit sandpaper, as evenly as possible, then re-shining it with a finer grit which only takes a few rotations.

With the saddle attached, squeezing the insertion area of the post with one hand, and rotating the post by the tip of the saddle with the other hand. Took less than 30 minutes. The seatpost collar bolts were replaced with stainless steel carriage bolts from the hardware. A cheap set of vernier calipers helped with this.

This reminded me that I have a metal lathe I could finally put to good use!

[EPOJoe]

Originally Posted by charliedid

I think you can still get Conti Gran Sport in 1 1/4

I have the Super Sports on my '72 Allegro, and I like those, also:

https://www.modernbike.com/continent...eel-bead-black

[Baron Blubba]

Originally Posted by jamesdak

Here's how I finished mine up years ago.

Now you’re just showing off. That’s beautiful. Got any more pics?

[YesNdeed]

Originally Posted by fmradio516

This reminded me that I have a metal lathe I could finally put to good use!

There ya go! Cutting the post by hand, <30 minutes is carpal tunnel city.

I forgot to mention wheels.

I found a wheelset with 105 hubs laced to Wolber hoops on craigslist for cheap, so I'm using 700 size modern tires (Pannies). The steel has enough give to accept the wider hubs, but I wouldn't go for any KOM descents using this setup.

For a bottom bracket, I used a non-threaded universal BB. But it sounds like yours is in good shape.

[Ken Robb]

Would it be easy to use 700mm wheels with this bike?

[YesNdeed]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

Would it be easy to use 700mm wheels with this bike?

Yes. But...

The French hub spacing of that time is shorter by 4mm in front and 5mm rear (@ 130). The frame has enough flexibility to accommodate modern 100/130 hub spacing, but one should keep in mind that's uncommon stress on an old frame and likely compromises the frame's structural integrity.

[fmradio516]

i was thinking about 700c wheels that I have. theyre like a Shimano 600 rear and campy front wheel but then i thought it might be a problem with brake reach... Might need to change out the brakes for longer reach and at that point, for how much id be riding the bike(maybe once every 3 months), its not worth it

I might just get some cheap Kenda gumwalls and call it!

[jamesdak]

Originally Posted by Baron Blubba

Now you’re just showing off. That’s beautiful. Got any more pics?

A little gallery of the shots I took of this one along the time I had it.

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/peugeot_u08

[Louis]

Before anyone gets too infatuated with this sort of bike and assumes that everything is fun and games, let me mention two things, one obvious, the other one less so: 1) Finding compatible replacement parts is a big pita, and 2) The cottered cranks on my old Peugeot drove me bananas, and were the main reason I stopped riding it in '86 or so (I had bought it from a buddy at work, who actually bought it in Germany when he was stationed there with the US Army). I replaced it with a Trek 400 (maybe it was a 410, I can't remember). In hindsight, the Trek was about as stiff as a wet noodle, and it handled horribly, but at least I was able to upgrade the drivetrain without having to perform major surgery on the frame or make parts on a lathe and milling machine.

[dddd]

Originally Posted by Louis

Before anyone gets too infatuated with this sort of bike and assumes that everything is fun and games, let me mention two things, one obvious, the other one less so: 1) Finding compatible replacement parts is a big pita, and 2) The cottered cranks on my old Peugeot drove me bananas, and were the main reason I stopped riding it in '86 or so (I had bought it from a buddy at work, who actually bought it in Germany when he was stationed there with the US Army). I replaced it with a Trek 400 (maybe it was a 410, I can't remember). In hindsight, the Trek was about as stiff as a wet noodle, and it handled horribly, but at least I was able to upgrade the drivetrain without having to perform major surgery on the frame or make parts on a lathe and milling machine.

Emphasis on finding a low-mileage example, especially considering that any refurb work might quickly exceed the bike's market value by 100%.

In this context, the low-mileage bike will respond perfectly well to a conscientious annual "oil-can" tune-up in the manner of ye olde days, no real need to take apart the bottom bracket and have to use a torch to get the precious, original (hardened) cotters out without damage (the originals are the only good ones that you would want to use, and almost no modern shop will have them). All adjustments or tightening of the bb cups can be performed with the cranks left in place. Regular oil gives the bearings all that they need.

I would say that you could ride thousands of miles using oil-can methods with no bearing problems at all. Bikes like these seldom get ridden that much!

LOTS of tire choices in 27" these days, skip the cheapies since they aren't even cheap any more.
Basic tires of choice are either the Conti Ultrasport, Vittoria Zaffiro, or Conti
Gatorskin, in order of increasing puncture resistance. All are good choices and Paselas are also available in belted and non-belted versions with more supple tan sidewalls.

Front derailers on these bikes fail easily, will fail instantly if the clamp bolts are tightened all these years on. They are super-fragile, fortunately most lower-tier old Suntour front derailers will clamp down on the French 28mm seat tube.

Hub cones on the Normandy hubs aren't the best, but do tend to hold up well enough if there is enough axle bearing free-play to accommodate axle compression from the QR.

The original French freewheels usually don't get along with modern chain so well, but I have forced many an English-threaded, Japanese (usually 6-sp) freewheel onto a French-threaded hub with no problems at all. Just don't change back and forth or the threads will break right off the hubshell.

These bikes have pretty long chainstays so won't encourage sprinting, but one can do a century on one.
I bought a 24-1/2" frame model identical to the OP's bike at Salvation Army 20 years ago, for $20, and have enjoyed showing it off and showing what it can do. The standard gearing is even adequate for our foothills rolling terrain.

The crankarms should be re-tapped for modern pedals in lieu of forcing them in with brute torque. I've seen pedal eyes split open after someone rode too many miles on a crankarm having forced-in 9/16" pedals in their 14mm-threaded crankarm eyes.

[Peter P.]

Regarding the seatpost, from my Sutherland's Manual:

"Tubing inside diameters vary so much from maker to maker that no size listed can be considered correct until actually tried in a bicycle."

French Seatpost Sizes (note: Older French bikes had 28.0mm seat tubes which is smaller than the more common 28.6. Therefore it stands to reason the seatposts would be smaller.

French

(Common Tubing) 25.0, 25.5, 25.8, 26.0
(Quality Tubing, Plain Guage) 26.2
(Butted) 26.4, 26.6

Specs from my Sutherland's Manual as well.

Definitely don't spend any effort trying to hunt down replacement parts unless you're into a true restoration. As has been pointed out, French specs are not your common, interchangeable specs. That includes stem and bar diameter, and threading.

Don't replace the chain or gears; I see tons of bikes that vintage rolling fine, because the parts wore together.

As has been mentioned, the best way to improve braking is to replace the steel rims with aluminum. Many of those older bikes had textured rim walls to attempt to improve steel rim braking. Works well enough in the dry, not in the wet.

Mafac brake pads wear real quick. FYI.

I wouldn't change a thing on that bike except fix that slipping post.

[El Chaba]

That is a Peugeot UO8. If there was an official bike of the US bike boom of the 70s, that is it….Either that or a Schwinn Varsity, but the Peugeot was actually designed to be ridden…..The only thing a Varsity was possibly designed for was sustainability in consideration of the amount of recyclable plumbing pipe, etc. contained within. People often don’t understand the “quirks” of a French bike from that era, but all of the parts can be adjusted to perform very well. I always find it interesting that French standard fittings are considered bastard, but that only serves to illustrate the hatred that the industry has for standards. The French standards were the only ones that were truly based on the metric system instead of some insane combination of metric, English and ancient petroglyph. No matter where they appeared in the Peugeot lineup, all of their bikes seemed to have sensible geometry and were very straight. Neither of those things were all that common with bike boom bikes. The Peugeots may have had lackadaisical paint and finish quality, but the fundamentals were always very solid.

[tellyho]

If you want to make those steel rims work (which I would probably do for the occasional usage), you want Fibrax Raincheater pads. The secret sauce in the pad is a leather strip in the middle. Pretty sure my buddy still has a ton around, so let me know if you're interested and I can connect you.