Peugeot Lightweight Tourer

[Woz]

Have you been like kids in a sweet shop then?

The Randonneur / Randonneuse touring bikes were popular. Plenty about.

Less popular are the Porteur style bikes - at least marketed like that, some didn't even have the front rack, and many owners did the silly thing of taking the front rack off and trashing them I'm not actively looking for one, but if opportunity come's across and I see a genuine high end vintage Porteur bike it'll be bagged up. Some were really racey and custom built. There were regular famous newspaper paper delivery races in Paris for both genders, and reportedly they could earn more money than pro racing cyclist. Here's the only known video.

A far cry when I was a newspaper lad earning £3.80 eventually going up to £4.10 a week.

 

[Mickeyspinn]

Have you been like kids in a sweet shop then?

The Randonneur / Randonneuse touring bikes were popular. Plenty about.

Less popular are the Porteur style bikes - at least marketed like that, some didn't even have the front rack, and many owners did the silly thing of taking the front rack off and trashing them I'm not actively looking for one, but if opportunity come's across and I see a genuine high end vintage Porteur bike it'll be bagged up. Some were really racey and custom built. There were regular famous newspaper paper delivery races in Paris for both genders, and reportedly they could earn more money than pro racing cyclist. Here's the only known video.

A far cry when I was a newspaper lad earning £3.80 eventually going up to £4.10 a week.

View attachment 638488

I've been a pillar of self restraint woz ...I've only looked at what has been posted here ! I've a feeling ill succumb to complete immersion tomorrow
Brilliant little clip that pushing weight not pulling.....applied science in cycling!
You see the guy at the start?...he leapt forward!

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

I love porteurs.

 

[Synthiaks]

Have you been like kids in a sweet shop then?

The Randonneur / Randonneuse touring bikes were popular. Plenty about.

Less popular are the Porteur style bikes - at least marketed like that, some didn't even have the front rack, and many owners did the silly thing of taking the front rack off and trashing them I'm not actively looking for one, but if opportunity come's across and I see a genuine high end vintage Porteur bike it'll be bagged up. Some were really racey and custom built. There were regular famous newspaper paper delivery races in Paris for both genders, and reportedly they could earn more money than pro racing cyclist. Here's the only known video.

A far cry when I was a newspaper lad earning £3.80 eventually going up to £4.10 a week.

View attachment 638488

that film is fantastic.....like an Isle of Man TT for bicyles but with the added fun of no traffic calming or safety considerations.....hospitals must have busy afterwards.

 

[Woz]

The film is an absolute gem, shows much more than static photographs. Glad you picked up on the chaos, it's like a semi-organised official mass start event essentially blocking a major boulevard with a handful of gendarmes and marshals and then just get's loose and wild on open road and open pedestrian pavements. A minor detail, other cyclists have tagged along with the racers too, just to add another layer of chaos - it's only those with newspapers you see getting a ticket at the checkpoint.

The crowds are loving it. The porteurs would deliver the newspapers to the small kiosks dotted around Paris, so the kiosk owner and kiosk customers would be out supporting there regular riders. The event was heavily advertised at every newspaper kiosk.

 

[Synthiaks]

Yes....saw these two paperless bikes and wonderedif they were cheating somehow!




Also this poor chap holding back the 'keener' riders....who basically gets run over once they go......health and safety clearly not a top priority....looks like a lot of dangerous fun.

 

[Synthiaks]

The film is an absolute gem, shows much more than static photographs. Glad you picked up on the chaos, it's like a semi-organised official mass start event essentially blocking a major boulevard with a handful of gendarmes and marshals and then just get's loose and wild on open road and open pedestrian pavements. A minor detail, other cyclists have tagged along with the racers too, just to add another layer of chaos - it's only those with newspapers you see getting a ticket at the checkpoint.

The crowds are loving it. The porteurs would deliver the newspapers to the small kiosks dotted around Paris, so the kiosk owner and kiosk customers would be out supporting there regular riders. The event was heavily advertised at every newspaper kiosk.

View attachment 639950

When did this race stop happening as this image looks post war judging by bikes....and that jeep...

 

[Woz]

There's guy who has / is researching this here:
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/journaux.html (in English)

EDIT (If you click right on the dates, there is usually some other write up and possibly photographs)

From what I gather, it's morphed overtime. First in 1895, and the last was in 1965. I get the impression it was quite an event.

 

[Synthiaks]

i bet.....1895 era must have been serious craziness.

 

[Mickeyspinn]

Hmm I'll be looking at this a bit more tonight with a birra ...a great concept of racing and with the decline of newspapers nowadays what a great idea to revisit!?