Circa 1990 Peugeot 525 Comp - 1st road bike

bushu

Bought from a friendly chap on here mighty smooth to say its sat so long complete exage 500ex groupset
slight chain rust as expected all original even the brake blocks, rubber doesnt age well

So new saddle, tyres & tubes ordered soon to get round to ordering chain and brake blocks/cable inner

replacing the tired brake cable inners only for now im hoping to just thread a new inner through in place until i feel confident to replace the whole cable set on a road bike, its all new again... back to sheldon

back soon with updated bits

thiscocks

Very cool. What bars are they? I have similar on my commuter

bushu

Thanks
I have no clue im afraid, was just debating whether to apply some autosol to make it all shiney again would possibly damage the bike :?

When i get a chance i will check visible logo, would like to replace tape sooner rather than later but not confident doin that yet either

Teddy Westside

As you can see from my sig, I have the same bike on my turbo trainer. I don't remember exactly when I bought it but I've had it from new. It was my first serious road bike after the Halfords-branded racer I had as a kid.

Despite all the thousands of miles it did before semi-retirement to the trainer, it unbelievably still has the original chainset and chain! I check the chainwear and it's still within limits. The chainset and derailleurs are Shimano Exage 500 but the brake levers are 400 IIRC. I'd need to check the bars as I can't remember what they are. The brakes are Peugot-branded so I don't know who actually made them. The seatpost is a Stronglight - pretty budget but decent enough. Stem the same, I think. I still have the saddle but I swapped it out for a Selle Italia Turbomatic after a few months, although I've considered re-fitting it for the comfortable padding now that it stays on the trainer.

In fact, saddle swap and SPD pedals aside, everything is original (except for inner tubes!). I wore out the original tyres and put Conti GP Attack/Force on but the Contis are on my Focus these days, with the old tyres going back on till they totally give up on the turbo's roller.

I'm glad I can still put it to good use as it's a well-made bike and served me well on the road till a little under 3 years ago.

Teddy Westside

Oops, quoted myself instead of editing! :oops:

Feel free to delete, mods.

zx6man

I think the brakes (calipers) are also exage, can't even remember :-)

Teddy Westside

zx6man wrote:

I think the brakes (calipers) are also exage, can't even remember :-)

Possibly, just that mine have the Peugeot lion on and no Shimano branding.

A thread here on Retro Bikes. The owner there thinks his was from c1996. I don't know how long they made it for but I'd have thought mine was possibly a year or two before that though I could be wrong.

zx6man

that 525 comp was bought well before that even 1990 doessnt seem to bad . I am sure I bought it when I just left school, 88 possibly, not a chance it was near 96.

Just checked old photo of the brake caliper shows EX4/500 too

Teddy Westside

I've probably got the receipt for mine hidden away somewhere. It would definitely be post-'88 as I would have bought my (now scrapped) Trek 800 Antelope around then, and the 525 Comp was purchased later than that. If I had to stick a pin on a particular year, I'd guess at 1992.

But the pedals I fitted are Shimano PDA-525s, identical to these:

Weight Weenies says 1996 and I don't remember using the supplied 3 tonne pedals and toe straps for more than a year before deciding they weren't for me!

zx6man

Yeah, we will go with 92 :-)

Teddy Westside

zx6man wrote:

Yeah, we will go with 92 :-)

Until I find a receipt saying otherwise. :P

But that will probably be years from now and this thread will be covered in dust!

bushu

Bars - Guidons Philippe Atax Franco Italia, i'm still no wiser :? but 25.4mm on my verniers

Stem, saddle and probably post is peugeot.. pedals were just funky imho & scrap :?

Brakeset, chainset is 500 EX on this :|aged branding still visible, wheelset is exage rm50 or at least the hubs.
michelin rim tape spotted whilst fitting some lithion2's, do wish i bought blk/blue as the blk/grey is just black, is there anything i've missed..

think i will start polishing it up now i've put new rubber on the wheelset
something to show when i take a photo when its all fettled

RideOnTime

Nice one...

zx6man

bushu wrote:

Bars - Guidons Philippe Atax Franco Italia, i'm still no wiser :? but 25.4mm on my verniers

Stem, saddle and probably post is peugeot.. pedals were just funky imho & scrap :?

Brakeset, chainset is 500 EX on this :|aged branding still visible, wheelset is exage rm50 or at least the hubs.
michelin rim tape spotted whilst fitting some lithion2's, do wish i bought blk/blue as the blk/grey is just black, is there anything i've missed..

think i will start polishing it up now i've put new rubber on the wheelset
something to show when i take a photo when its all fettled

looking forward to seeing it

bushu

i stand corrected crank = 400ex & i need shorter crank arms after learning about correct fitting, thought my knees felt a bit stressed after a quick mile on the new tyres :shock:

new saddle & brake blocks, then spotted rear wheel wasn't true doubt i can afford a wheelset this month as I imagine it'll need new mech/shifter set unless i can source a new 7 speed cassette & compatible wheel/hub
possibly pootle to lbs for truing as this is something i'm not confident trying without at least half the tools..
so for now will try find a shorter crankset & keep the rest original

I would also like to raise the stem now i half understand it, well the quill yeh but threaded headsets :? an ive got my trusty park tools big blue book..
looks like i'm going to struggle with the stem bolt, if i manage to get it loose at all i'm replacing it maybe a less aggressive angle ¬ then i suppose i might as well do the rest replacing tape/hoods/cables and maybe bars :roll:

a few questions to answer before i get carried away, may have to start another thread in the correct forum bit

rolf_f

bushu wrote:

new saddle & brake blocks, then spotted rear wheel wasn't true doubt i can afford a wheelset this month as I imagine it'll need new mech/shifter set unless i can source a new 7 speed cassette & compatible wheel/hub

Why assume that an out of true rear wheel means you need a new rear wheel?!! A few twiddles with a spoke key might be enough......

7 speed stuff isn't hard to get - Shimano still make it. Don't make your life more complicated than it needs to be - these bikes are easy to keep on the road in original spec; modernisation is purely optional!

keef66

My son did up an 80's Peugeot. I managed to true the Pringle-like rear Campag wheel with a combination of brute force and aggressive spoke key use. Tensions are likely all over the place but the rim is true and round, and since it's got lots of spokes it seems to be staying that way.

bushu

I'm weary of making a reet hash trying to true without the dishing tool.. will probably get lbs to true tbh
Though i'm eager to get some lighter wheels, but could only see 8/9/10sp wheelsets on www

May have a tinker with my spoke key one day but i think its an art i need to learn properly..

rolf_f

bushu wrote:

I'm weary of making a reet hash trying to true without the dishing tool.. will probably get lbs to true tbh
Though i'm eager to get some lighter wheels, but could only see 8/9/10sp wheelsets on www

May have a tinker with my spoke key one day but i think its an art i need to learn properly..

I think the wheel would need to be a bit of a disaster area if you need a dishing tool to true it.

As for new wheels, you should easily be able to get handbuilts made to fit. Not that I'd bother for pure reasons of lightness. And not without determining whether the weight saving is likely to be in the rim or the hub.

bushu

Thanks for the input, think i really just need to get some miles in and see how it feels.

May even feel brave enough to get the spoke key out after i watch a dozen or so ytube tutorials...

So were staying factory standard for now barring the quill stem, actually looking at an adjustable one to find my own comfortable riding position. Anyone used the Promax brand? looking better than the generic eBay tosh.
Either that or a Raleigh one like this for now

RideOnTime

Coolio... 8)

bushu

Finally an update with pictures, though still hasn't received a good clean and polish that it deserves yet..
tried my best to hold a steady shot, i'm sure gadgets didn't used to be this fiddly when i was younger :?


changed so far - pedals, skewers, tube/tyres, brake shoes added, quill changed to aheadset for 1"1/8 stems , redeployed the spoon & mid way figuring out how to set up my controls.. struggling a bit :?

o and two bottles now for the club rides

keef66

Looking good, although the front brake cable looks a bit on the short side. And hopefully you're going to level the saddle before you do yourself an injury :shock:

bushu

Thanks, yes think the saddle does need sorting was a quick swap prior to a club run as i didnt get on with the saddle I'd purchased for this build the cabling is a bit short due to me majorly changing the bar positioning and not getting round to fitting new, once I'm certain I've got a comfortable position on the controls & tape them up too obviously (been consciously putting this off as I've not done this before & a perfectionist prat so dreading it!)

declan1

Rotate the bars down, move the hoods up and level the saddle - looks awesome though!

bushu

declan1 wrote:

Rotate the bars down, move the hoods up and level the saddle - looks awesome though!

Lovely jubbly much better now thanks, tho slight cramping in my left thumb after the morning ride so still a slight angle adjustment to do before taping the bars...

EDIT - saddle also now level

Ed J

If you got a normal bar, rather than the sloping down traditional one you could use a more aggressive, less MTB-like stem. This is all just aesthetics mind...

Looked better with the quill stem IMO

declan1

bushu wrote:

declan1 wrote:

Rotate the bars down, move the hoods up and level the saddle - looks awesome though!

Lovely jubbly much better now thanks, tho slight cramping in my left thumb after the morning ride so still a slight angle adjustment to do before taping the bars...

EDIT - saddle also now level

We need more pictures now

rolf_f

Ed J wrote:

If you got a normal bar, rather than the sloping down traditional one you could use a more aggressive, less MTB-like stem. This is all just aesthetics mind...

Looked better with the quill stem IMO

Yup - it's an ugly thing with that clumsy looking stem. Quills are much nicer for period bikes and more functional as long as you don't leave them out in the rain all the time.

bushu

while i understand some people are strict aesthetic queens, i found many issues with quill stems and decided they are not for me and my level of fettledom.. firstly the original flexed hideously, any swap to a better quill would require a bar re-tape anyway and future changes also would have that same issue as you need to slide the quill on from one end to the middle. Where as now i can barely see the quill as its just a big stem that came off the ss meaning any parts are inter-changeable between the two bikes and if i feel like a shorter stem or different angle its a two minute job instead of dismantling my controls each time.

Suppose if i knew my exact angle/length required & it was available in quill form with no further setup required I may have tried another quill, but otherwise no! :roll:

Ed J, i don't know what you mean a normal bar? it's my first drop bar purchase sorry

More pics when i've taped up

rolf_f

bushu wrote:

Suppose if i knew my exact angle/length required & it was available in quill form with no further setup required I may have tried another quill, but otherwise no! :roll:

Ahhh, well. Angle isn't really an issue on quill stems - one of the neat things is that those you can adjust by loosening one bolt and raising or lowering the stem. Something that potentially requires new forks on the current standard!

You gain and you lose - all systems have their advantages and disadvantages. On my old bikes I can change the brake cables and outers without taking the bar tape off! I can even swap which side brakes front and which back in seconds. Try doing that these days in a hurry!

Surprised the old one flexed though. Wonder if it was Peugeot original kit.......