My first 10-speed was a PFN-10. I bought it at a base garage sale in Germany in 1984. The family was returning to the States and it’s cheap to sell at a loss and rebuy than ship. I had it for 9 years until I moved.
jimmuller wrote:
A few pics from this morning. Taken with 55mm f/3.5 AI Micro (1979).
Two-wheeled French greatness: Peugeot PF-10, nee PFN-10. 1983, a bit younger than the lens. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55337503988_cbc991aa17_b.jpgPF10
by James Muller, on Flickr
The PF10 was a variant of the PX-10 but made with Vitus 181 (French) tubing instead of Reynolds 531 (English). Like most high-performance bikes back in the day they were equipped with sew-up tires. When equipped with clincher tires and wheels it was called the PFN-10. I built up this bike from a bare frame and used all original-style components. Since it now has sew-up tires it is a proper PF-10. N's need not apply, thank you.
At the viewpoint there are 3 benches arranged in a triangle. I sat on one while 3 Kea parrots (the world's only Alpine parrot) hopped around on one of the others so I whipped out the 180ED
leighton w wrote:
We are inundated with groundhogs! When we had guardian dogs for our sheep, they took care of the issue. Now, I have electric netting around the garden to prevent their access.
Lovely Oriole, we rarely see them.
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Hey, that's really all you need. Sometimes I think I won't have any garden (too much work) and just get it all from the farmers' market, but old habits die hard.
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Thanks. Looks like you stepped back in time with these.
kwoodard wrote:
My first 10-speed was a PFN-10. I bought it at a base garage sale in Germany in 1984. The family was returning to the States and it’s cheap to sell at a loss and rebuy than ship. I had it for 9 years until I moved.
Nice! FWIW, the term "10-speed" was ubiquitous for describing any steel-frame derailleur bicycle but I suspect yours was probably a 12-speed. Peugeot may have still been selling 10-speed frames in Germany (or elsewhere) but by that time most manufacturers had moved to 12 to stay competitive in the marketplace and race course. The new spec called for 126mm rear spacing instead of 120mm with 6mm longer rear axle, and to use current hubs a 6mm spacer inside the right side the bearing locknut and 3mm more rim offset (which slightly weakened the rear wheel and increased the likelihood of a drive-side spoke breaking). The only difference you would have noticed as a rider is the 6-speed freewheel instead of 5.
That paragraph was all about vintage bicycles, not lenses. So to bring this back into focus here is a cropping from that previous picture. PF-10Crank
by James Muller, on Flickr
You can see the lettering "12 vitessses SPEEDS" on the chainstay.
For you bicycle folk, this picture shows a few more interesting details. The crank is an original-style Peugeot-branded Stronglight 105bis, which I was delighted to find when equipping this frame. The "bis" suffix indicated a drilled outer chainring. The black color wouldn't have been original but was the only bis ring in that size I could find, and of course it had to be a Stronglight to have the correct bolt circle diameter (BCD) for the mounting bolts. I like the black color and it matches the black pedal cages .
The other interesting item is the very rare front derailleur, a Simplex SJA222 (IIRC) that screws directly into a threaded hole set into the seat tube. This would be one of the few bicycles ever to use that mounting technique. I could have used a derailleur with a standard clamp but I was trying to make this bike as authentic and original as possible. It's all about style anyway!
jimmuller wrote:
Nice! FWIW, the term "10-speed" was ubiquitous for describing any steel-frame derailleur bicycle but I suspect yours was probably a 12-speed. Peugeot may have still been selling 10-speed frames in Germany (or elsewhere) but by that time most manufacturers had moved to 12 to stay competitive in the marketplace and race course. The new spec called for 126mm rear spacing instead of 120mm with 6mm longer rear axle, and to use current hubs a 6mm spacer inside the right side the bearing locknut and 3mm more rim offset (which slightly weakened the rear wheel and increased the likelihood of a drive-side spoke breaking). The only difference you would have noticed as a rider is the 6-speed freewheel instead of 5.
For you bicycle folk, this picture shows a few more interesting details. The crank is an original-style Peugeot-branded Stronglight 105bis, which I was delighted to find when equipping this frame. The "bis" suffix indicated a drilled outer chainring. The black color wouldn't have been original but was the only bis ring in that size I could find, and of course it had to be a Stronglight to have the correct bolt circle diameter (BCD) for the mounting bolts. I like the black color and it matches the black pedal cages .
The other interesting item is the very rare front derailleur, a Simplex SJA222 (IIRC) that screws directly into a threaded hole set into the seat tube. This would be one of the few bicycles ever to use that mounting technique. I could have used a derailleur with a standard clamp but I was trying to make this bike as authentic and original as possible. It's all about style anyway!...Show more →
Interesting. I bought a brand new Peugeot in 1972 with some money from the sale of my drum set. All I can remember of it is that it was white and had a brooks seat. I put many miles on that thing riding along the C&O canal from DC to Leesburg VA.
leighton w wrote:
Interesting. I bought a brand new Peugeot in 1972 with some money from the sale of my drum set. All I can remember of it is that it was white and had a brooks seat. I put many miles on that thing riding along the C&O canal from DC to Leesburg VA.
Awesome. From what I saw at the time, in the early 70's Peugeot derailleur bicycles in the US used only three different frames. The pure racing PX-10 used Reynolds 531 steel. The entry-level UO-8 used Peugeot's own steel. The slightly less expensive AO-8 was like the UO-8 but with cheaper components. They also made a mixte frame (now called step-through) using the same steel and components as the UO-8, and possibly a mixte with AO-8 components. ALL of them were white! By mid-70's they offered a range of attractive colors.
My UO-8, somewhat upgraded from its original configuration. I still ride it. UO8
by James Muller, on Flickr
If you had a Brooks saddle it was probably a PX-10. I bought my UO-8 in 1972 too, IIRC. At that time the AO-8 cost $110, the UO-8 cost maybe $125, and the PX-10 cost $250. You could recognize the PX-10 from two features. The joints (called lugs) holding the frame tubes together were painted black, nice against the white frame. And the tires would have been sew-ups unless the wheels were swapped out. The gearing was decidedly high so that us mere mortals wouldn't be able to ride up any real hills! OTOH if you rode along a canal you wouldn't have hit many hills.
A PX-10 in good condition is considered a grail bike by some vintage bike enthusiasts.
jimmuller wrote:
Awesome. From what I saw at the time, in the early 70's Peugeot derailleur bicycles in the US used only three different frames. The pure racing PX-10 used Reynolds 531 steel. The entry-level UO-8 used Peugeot's own steel. The slightly less expensive AO-8 was like the UO-8 but with cheaper components. They also made a mixte frame (now called step-through) using the same steel and components as the UO-8, and possibly a mixte with AO-8 components. ALL of them were white! By mid-70's they offered a range of attractive colors.
My UO-8, somewhat upgraded from its original configuration. I still ride it. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55268551318_e9c9932660_b.jpgUO8
by James Muller, on Flickr
If you had a Brooks saddle it was probably a PX-10. I bought my UO-8 in 1972 too, IIRC. At that time the AO-8 cost $110, the UO-8 cost maybe $125, and the PX-10 cost $250. You could recognize the PX-10 from two features. The joints (called lugs) holding the frame tubes together were painted black, nice against the white frame. And the tires would have been sew-ups unless the wheels were swapped out. The gearing was decidedly high so that us mere mortals wouldn't be able to ride up any real hills! OTOH if you rode along a canal you wouldn't have hit many hills.
A PX-10 in good condition is considered a grail bike by some vintage bike enthusiasts....Show more →
Thanks for the info. A couple other things I remember is that it had quick release levers for the hubs and the gear changers were in the ends of the handlebars.
You are absolutely right! It was a 12-speed. The front gear and derailer looked just like yours, but the ring was silver instead of black on the gear. The bike was a bit rusty when I got it, so I took it completely apart, painted the frame, and did a “CLA” on everything else. Between me, my dad (who had access to every cleaning machine and chemicals known to the Air Force) and one of his airmen worked for Huffy before the AF. The bike was in excellent condition afterwards. I had an odometer on it and I put 9000 kilometers on it in 7 years. I rode it everywhere.
jimmuller wrote:
Nice! FWIW, the term "10-speed" was ubiquitous for describing any steel-frame derailleur bicycle but I suspect yours was probably a 12-speed. Peugeot may have still been selling 10-speed frames in Germany (or elsewhere) but by that time most manufacturers had moved to 12 to stay competitive in the marketplace and race course. The new spec called for 126mm rear spacing instead of 120mm with 6mm longer rear axle, and to use current hubs a 6mm spacer inside the right side the bearing locknut and 3mm more rim offset (which slightly weakened the rear wheel and increased the likelihood of a drive-side spoke breaking). The only difference you would have noticed as a rider is the 6-speed freewheel instead of 5.
For you bicycle folk, this picture shows a few more interesting details. The crank is an original-style Peugeot-branded Stronglight 105bis, which I was delighted to find when equipping this frame. The "bis" suffix indicated a drilled outer chainring. The black color wouldn't have been original but was the only bis ring in that size I could find, and of course it had to be a Stronglight to have the correct bolt circle diameter (BCD) for the mounting bolts. I like the black color and it matches the black pedal cages .
The other interesting item is the very rare front derailleur, a Simplex SJA222 (IIRC) that screws directly into a threaded hole set into the seat tube. This would be one of the few bicycles ever to use that mounting technique. I could have used a derailleur with a standard clamp but I was trying to make this bike as authentic and original as possible. It's all about style anyway!...Show more →
here is a cropping from that previous picture.
