# Peugeot Orient Express



## jh_on_the_cape (Jan 12, 2004)

Well, the other day I was going through some stuff and found my original receipt and owner's manual for my first mountain bike: an early 80's Peugeot Orient Express. I still remember it: bullmoose bars, shiny black frame with orange and yellow stripes. It was the most expensive bike and my dad treated me. What made it special? THe only bike in the shop with a triple ring up front: yup 15 speeds! It was totally revolutionary at the time. My buddy got a blue cyclepro and we made some trails in the woods behind the house. It was awesome. I remember cleaning the dirt from the rims between the spokes sometimes.

I want to somehow make this visible in my basement work area. Any ideas? I dont want to drop $$ on custom framing. I just feel like a jerk staple gunning it up like my race numbers.

What has become of the bike? Well, while in college I brought it to Europe, rode it for a year, and gave it away. That was in 1994.

Ahh.. it just made me so nostalgic I thought I would share. I doubt it's 'vintage', but would definitely be 'retro' with its thumbshifters, huge brake levers, canti brakes, those chromed bullmoose bars. I cannot seem to find any pics on the web of this bike.


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

jh_on_the_cape said:


> Ahh.. it just made me so nostalgic I thought I would share. I doubt it's 'vintage', but would definitely be 'retro' with its thumbshifters, huge brake levers, canti brakes, those chromed bullmoose bars. I cannot seem to find any pics on the web of this bike.


You might try e-mailing the guy that runs this site: https://home.wanadoo.nl/peugeotshow/

He's scanned most of the Peugeot catalogs for road bikes. He may have the MTB catalogs too. The "components" might be tough to read, put the pictures work.

And Peugeot's rule!! (this is my commuter)

<img src ="https://www.eandsweb.com/me/pics/bikes/104_0456.JPG">


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## AKamp (Jan 26, 2004)

My very first mountain bike was a Peugeot Orient Express with Suntour xc-sport. It was a sweet riding bike for a 13 year old kid in 1986. I quickly upgraded to "click shifting" when the XC-6000 stuff came out. This bike lasted for about 2 years or so until I bought a Montare SC in bright yellow. I still love the looks of that bike, the Fisher not the peugeot.


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## baratta930 (Jan 16, 2004)

*Need advice ...*



laffeaux said:


> And Peugeot's rule!! (this is my commuter)
> 
> <img src ="https://www.eandsweb.com/me/pics/bikes/104_0456.JPG">


Guys I need some advice. I have a Peugeot Course that I got new in 1983 and am recently reviving. I've gotten back into riding after a while (ride a specialized FSR now), but have alot of great memories on this Peugeot (riden it thousands of miles over the years).

I rebuilt alot of it already, but am thinking of changing out the handlebars into a straight bar, to give it a hybrid feel. Would that look dumb? Would put on some thicker tires (maybe 28?, has 20 or 22 now) but still slicks. Probably stick with the 12speed drivetrain for now although going single speed may be interesting ... (Laffeaux did you keep the original hubs when you converted yours? Looks like you kept the original cranks for the front)

The bike would be for lazy rides with the kids, that's why I was thinking of straight bar for a more upright riding position ...

What do y'all think? I'll post some pictures this weekend if I can figure out how to upload but it looks alot like Laffeaux's.

Thanks,

Berardino

P.S. If I can get it in good shape, I may ride it in a 70mi road ride this spring to celebrate it's 21st birthday. It's the Shiner run for those in Austin, so the bike's legal drinking age now


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

baratta930 said:


> I rebuilt alot of it already, but am thinking of changing out the handlebars into a straight bar, to give it a hybrid feel. Would that look dumb? Would put on some thicker tires (maybe 28?, has 20 or 22 now) but still slicks. Probably stick with the 12speed drivetrain for now although going single speed may be interesting ... (Laffeaux did you keep the original hubs when you converted yours? Looks like you kept the original cranks for the front)


If a flat bar works for you, it does not matter how it looks. The only issue might be reach. I ride on the hoods which puts my hands well forward of the 130mm stem on my bike. If you ride with your hands on the flats, then there's no real concern.

An issue with Peugeots is there odd steerer tube sizing. The steerer tube inner-diameter on French bikes is 0.2mm smaller than standard bikes, and you can't force a stem into the bike. However, with a standard 1" stem, sand paper, and a little elbow grease you can make it fit. It does limit you from trying different stem lengths though.

The original 24 year-old hubs still work fine, but the spokes kept breaking, so I bought new wheels. The rear wheel is nice, but the front one is pretty cheap Ritchey Comp (their lowest level wheel) - perfect for a beater/commuter.

I love the look of the drilled Stronglight chain rings - very retro - I wish you could still buy rings that looked like that. The bike also has the original French headset - once it's set it stays put better than conventional headsets.

Maybe French bikes only mean something more to other who have French bikes, because they are a bit of a struggle to deal with due to their idiosyncrasies. However, sometime in the 80s production of Peugeots moved to Canada and the later bikes might be more standard.


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## baratta930 (Jan 16, 2004)

laffeaux said:


> If a flat bar works for you, it does not matter how it looks. The only issue might be reach. I ride on the hoods which puts my hands well forward of the 130mm stem on my bike. If you ride with your hands on the flats, then there's no real concern.
> 
> An issue with Peugeots is there odd steerer tube sizing. The steerer tube inner-diameter on French bikes is 0.2mm smaller than standard bikes, and you can't force a stem into the bike. However, with a standard 1" stem, sand paper, and a little elbow grease you can make it fit. It does limit you from trying different stem lengths though.
> 
> ...


Didn't think about the stem length, I need a longer stem right now (grew a bit in 20+ years), but calculated length based on riding on the hoods. 130mm may just be long enough.

I think my bike was built in France, but I'm not 100% sure. It should be marked on the frame somewhere so I'll take a look.

Your comment on French bikes applies to French women as well  Definitely the struggle part (my wife is French  )

Thanks,

Berardino


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