Peugeot Professionnel

Pigosoratus
Pigosoratus Posts: 17
edited March 2015 in Road general
Just aquired this new project and grateful for any insights/information/history re. this model. I think its approx. 20 years old, although its been in storage for last 15+ years. Its currently equiped with Mavic MA40 rims/Dura Ace hubs with Shimano 600 chainset/uniglide 7-speed cassette ... Campagnolo Veloce rear derailleur/Athena brifters. I was attracted by superb frame geometry .. Columbus SLX lugged frame painted white.

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Probably nearer 26 years old with the white paint job:
    http://www.retrobike.co.uk/rbotm/rbotm- ... fessional/

    The Athena Ergos are a later addition - original bike would have been fitted with downtube shifters
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Pigosoratus
    Pigosoratus Posts: 17
    edited December 2014
    It carries the Blue Cycleurope label so I think it must be early 1990's ? .. the decals are also different from the bike you suggest and the frame is Columbus SLX lugged tubing, not 531. It really is a very nice frame; I wish I could include a better picture.
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    have a look at this thread.....
    http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vinta ... lease.html

    my peugeot professional is in 531 pro tubing and uni glide 7 sp but is a 1985, looks like the slx came in 4 or 5 years later, as the thread says check the ribbing in seat tube from BB.
  • Pigosoratus
    Pigosoratus Posts: 17
    Yes the tubes are "rifled" .. I checked the steerer .. contains helical ridges. The head badge is surmounted by "Fabrique en Francais", which I've not seen on Peugeots before. I suspect it was maybe aimed at Euro market.
  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,517
    "Fabrique en Francais", doesn't that mean "Made in French"?
  • lakesluddite
    lakesluddite Posts: 1,337
    Gethinceri wrote:
    "Fabrique en Francais", doesn't that mean "Made in French"?

    Yes it does - Well what language do you expect them to use?
  • me-109
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    Or, rather, 'Made in France'. :wink:
  • Lambda
    Lambda Posts: 12
    Gethinceri wrote:
    "Fabrique en Francais", doesn't that mean "Made in French"?
    Yes, it sounds like a chinese translation. "Fabriqué en France" is correct. Weird if it's genuine or really made in France
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,347
    Slightly off track but I do remember the Perthus Pro, really liked that one at the time. Maybe one day...

    Pretty sure that was Reynolds 753. When did they start building frames in Columbus tubing?
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Pigosoratus
    Pigosoratus Posts: 17
    See attached view of the Head badge. I'm begining to think this is mid 1990's model maybe sold in Europe - France/Italy possibly - by Cycleurope, the organisation that acquired Peugeot cycles in 1990/91. Nevertheless its a really nicely lugged lightweight Columbus SLX frame .. the geometry is just right and its feels very rigid. The frame is now being prepared for pearl-white re-spray, owing to superficial rust/scratches. Hope to have it looking like new in a week or two. Thanks for feedback so far.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,347
    Keep us posted on the spray job and build.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Pigosoratus
    Pigosoratus Posts: 17
    Hi .. just an update after refurb of the Peugeot Pro .. repainted in pearlescent white + new decals. Had to replace Athena brifters because the G-springs gone (with Mirage) .. (couldn't undo Athena retaining bolts !) .. picked up very nice Chorus calipers (ebay) and Ultegra FC6600 crankset. New continental GP4000 4-season tyres + a nice Selle saddle. It feels really good .. I'm very pleased with it.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,347
    Nice paint job but boooo - I was expecting a proper retro job with down tube levers etc.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Pigosoratus
    Pigosoratus Posts: 17
    .. but wasn't marketed with down-tube shifters ? .. according to the 1995 Peugeot catalogue. see: http://cyclespeugeot.com/files/1995French.pdf .. I tried to keep it as close to spec as I could. I think it was only sold in France.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    It looks lovely :)

    My quick flick through of the catalogue says Athena for the 800 though?? Maybe I read that wrong. What would finish it off nicely is some 25mm Vittoria Corsa SC tyres in black/tan. They look the dog's and are the probably the smoothest tyres I have ever ridden although they are very much a 'nice day' tyreset...although I ended up riding them in a monsoon last time out! Currently less than £30 each on Wiggle but don't expect to get 5,000 miles out of them.
  • Pigosoratus
    Pigosoratus Posts: 17
    Yes I have the original Athena brifters but they need new G-springs .. problem is the inner retaining bolts are jammed, hence the Mirage brifters (inners looks identical to Athena). I plan to send off the Athena parts for refurb (right only). The original Veloce rear mech was fine, I simply cleaned it up and re-greased. Retained the original Uniglide cassette, although I've lowered the ratio's from 13-24 to 13-28 .. its hilly where I live! Similarly the Dura-Ace hubs and Mavic MA40 wheels were simply cleaned/trued/re-greased. Re. tyres, thanks for the tip. bur the 23 mm Continental GP4000 have proved durable/ puncture-proof (for me) around the fairly rough Hampshire/Surrey/Dorset lanes I usually ride.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Campyoldy is always worth a mooch around for niche kit, also try Retrobike as they often have folks doing shed clearouts.
  • rower63
    rower63 Posts: 1,991
    Nice.
    I remember when I was in the market, as a young rower, for my first "proper" bike, mid-late 80s. The place to get them in those days was the Classifieds section of Cycling Weekly magazine. I remember that Peugeots were always significantly cheaper than anything else of equivalent spec, I could never understand why. Raleigh Record Ace was always up there, my brother had one. Colnagos and other Italians, in fact anything with SLX (except Peugeot) came with significant premiums.
    Anyway like a sheep (not really knowing the market) I avoided a Peugeot and eventually got a Graham Russell (531) which did me for many years, and even did service as a fixed-wheel commuter for several years before I retired it due to cracked seat-stay.
    Dolan Titanium ADX 2016
    Ridley Noah FAST 2013
    Bottecchia/Campagnolo 1990
    Carrera Parva Hybrid 2016
    Hoy Sa Calobra 002 2014 [off duty]
    Storck Absolutist 2011 [off duty]
    http://www.slidingseat.net/cycling/cycling.html
  • Chat noir
    Chat noir Posts: 8
    Nice looking bike.

    I have a number of Peugeots including a 653 Athena from 1990 but changed the down tube shifters for early Athena brifters. I had problems with slipping, G spring, and not being able to release the bolt. I did eventually solve this using a star key that I inserted 'firmly', getting better grip than Allen key, after which it was not too difficult, especially following the excellent exploded diagrams available on the net. The right hand is also reverse thread, common cause of them appearing to be stuck - when I did manage to turn it was very satisfying! Mercian, amongst others, can still supply Campag spares (at least, that's where I got my replacement from). However, Chain Reaction sold me a new 8 spd 2 or 3 years ago, so the spare is sitting in a box somewhere.

    Peugeot frequently changed their spec in the late 1980s and early 1990s and used Columbus as well as Reynolds. They made good bikes, testified by the number still being ridden.
  • Pigosoratus
    Pigosoratus Posts: 17
    Thanks for the G-spring tip .. I was planning to try http://www.campagservice.co.uk/ergo.htm ? .. but I'll follow your advice first.
    I think Peugeot sold their bike business to Cycleurope in the early 1990's, which maybe explains the slightly non-standard Peugeot Columbus SLX - Athena - Shimano spec. of this mid 1990's "Professionnel" .. I managed to mask the Cycleurope sticker prior to re-spray.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,347
    Pigosoratus wrote:
    .. but wasn't marketed with down-tube shifters ? .. according to the 1995 Peugeot catalogue. see: http://cyclespeugeot.com/files/1995French.pdf .. I tried to keep it as close to spec as I could. I think it was only sold in France.

    Okay, i'll forgive you. :oops:
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Pigosoratus
    Pigosoratus Posts: 17
    Thanks to Chat Noir for advice re. Athena right brifter (I'd not realised the retaining bolt was reverse threaded !). Now disassemled OK and removed G-springs (1 broken). I note that http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/ are selling EC-RE209 for a reasonable £2.50 .. but is this OK for my older 8-speed Athenas ? .. I have asked them but no reply as yet. Thanks again for advice. Must admit I find the Mirage shifters almost identical and very smooth, they're also in much better condition than the Athena's so I might retain them and sell Athena when repaired.
  • Chat noir
    Chat noir Posts: 8
    Glad it worked.

    I contacted Mercian who know what they're doing with Campag. Important to get right details to them, age of the levers, and they'll supply correct item, but give them a call. In fact they first of all sent me the wrong one, assume an easy mistake, easily corrected but puzzling when trying to reassemble at first. Cheap bit, interesting challenge to get back together and not have anything left out, and makes for good spare. I tried to access the Campag tech documents but the link I have no longer takes me there, so can't assist further.

    One of my sons has Mirage on his bike and no issue with this, and he uses this as a runaround. The 653 is still doing turbo service but will soon get outside again. All my other bikes are Shimano, which is great, but there is something about the smooth 'snick' of Campag gear changes that is just a pleasure to use.

    Enjoy the bike.

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