Mystery Peugeot

[CH27]

Hi everyone,
I'm about to start work on the frame of a bike I bought a few years ago and I'd like to know exactly what it is before knowing how much to commit. I have searched all over the web and can't find a bike quite like this one. I believe it is a Peugeot but beyond that......
I cannot find a frame number anywhere, all of the paint isn't off yet so it may still be hidden. The frame is stamped BUTTED, the dropouts are, I think, Simplex. The rear brake cable is routed inside the crossbar. The brakes are Mafac cantilevers, Criterium I think. The frame weighs bang on 2kg.
The forks are stamped VITUS and weigh 800g.
There is no evidence of chrome on the frame or forks.
Stronglight head bearings and crank set.
Simplex front and rear mechs.
I know things get changed of the years so it's hard to be sure of anything but cantilever brakes and the rear brake cable inside the cross bar must point to something?
If anyone has a question please get in touch.
Thanks in advance,
Chris.

 

[CH27]

Hi again, I did ask about this bike on the forum about a year ago and did get replies, one suggestion being it may be a cyclocross bike but nothing definitive. Maybe now with a different audience someone will recognise it? Things being as they are I didn't get to start the restoration of the frame and forks, everything else though has been cleaned and polished within an inch of its life!

 

[rikster]

Closest I can see to yours is maybe this from 1978, although could be a year or two earlier. As you say, maybe one or two things may have been changed or replaced over the years such as the rear brake cable route or the forks.

Peugeot 1978 France Brochure

 

[CH27]

Thank you rikster. Interesting brochure, I looked through it carefully but all of the brakes seem to be 'tirage central', which google translates to 'central draw'. I assume this means conventional centre pull rather than cantilever. It's the cantilever bit that's throwing me, I can't find any reference to cantilever brakes anywhere?

 

[non-fixie]

Nice find! I like it.

But a Peugeot? Not like one I have ever seen. Metric or imperial tubing? French threading?

 

[Jonny69]

Could it be a rebranded Vitus? Vitus did steel bikes before the bonded alloy frames, I just can’t think of any of the model names to give you an example.

 

[CH27]

As far as the tubing goes is the measurement OD or ID (seat post tube)? Is there a way to determine if it's French threading? Sorry......

 

[non-fixie]

As far as the tubing goes is the measurement OD or ID (seat post tube)? Is there a way to determine if it's French threading? Sorry......

OD. French bikes used 28.0mm (metric) for the seat tube. Imperial size is 1 1/8 in, or 28.6mm.

French bottom bracket cups use a different threading: 35 x 1 mm, as opposed to 1.37" x 24tpi. Most cups are marked in some way.

Another difference is that a French fixed cup screws in clockwise, whereas a British-threaded fixed cup goes in counter-clockwise.

 

[non-fixie]

The Vitus mark on the forks, BTW, would refer to the tubing brand. Made by Ateliers de la Rive in St Etienne, it competed with Reynolds and Columbus. Nice stuff!

If the frame is also constructed with Vitus tubing, the seat tube OD and the seat post OD will give you and indication of what version was used.

 

[marshalllucky]

This is a Peugeot, a PY model and probably a Custom order from Peugeots equivalent of Raleigh SBDU ( Atelier Prestige ) I've had 70's Peugeots with such features. Peugeot made lots of VITUS steel most latterly 980 tubing ( for example the Mont Cenis model in the mid 80's ). I have a later Pro 10 on ebay at the moment with the same top tube internal brake cable routing.