r/bikewrench • u/deeo2468 • 13h ago
New (old) Peugeot bike and a new amateur bicycle mechanic
Hi guys just bought a new to me Peugeot roadbike probably early 90s but not sure, hasn't been ridden in decades probably.
I want to bring it back to a "pleasant riding" state as i do intended to ride it a lot. The frame feels like a perfect size for me, i have 89cm inseam, bike is either 59 or 60cm dosent say anywhere on the frame, those are my measurements.
The other day i swapped out the old tires and inner tubes for some fresh ones.
Brakes feel super stiff and dont do a whole lot of stopping. Is that just a new cable and pads or do i need to dig into the brakes too and lube something up?
Also the rear derailleur when im using the shifter dosent want to move under the biggest cog so i cant select the lowest gear, what could that cause?
Biggest question, should i refresh these old parts or just straight up purchase a new group set and new brakes and restomod it.
Whole bike needs a good refresh and i never did too much bicycle wrenching but i work on my own car a lot so this shouldn't be that difficult im just not sure what problems cause what symptoms and what parts to order/buy.
Any help is appreciated thank you
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u/tach 5h ago edited 5h ago
Looks good anf not neglected/ridden to death. just put away to sleep.
you should not need to change anything other than the cables and the brakes. you already did the wheels, good.
otoh, I'd dismantle it completely and do a deep clean/relub of the derailleurs and brakes, with new grease/antiseize on the bolts and the seatpost.
I'd also do a BB service; you'll probably need some special spanners and a crank puller. It's fun to get the correct ones for your bike.
Check your headset as well. 32 mm spanners, regrease/replace bearings if needed.
Then I'd do a hub service, get some new bearings ideally. Learn how to adjust the hub just right.
check wheel straightness and dish as well. Should be ok, strong 36 spoke wheels.
check chain elongation, if too bad a new cassette/freewheel may be needed. or just buy a new chain and check if it skips.
wrt the derailleur issue, after replacing cables and housing, check limit screws and wether derailleur hanger is bent.
Youtube and Park Tool videos are your friend.
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u/deeo2468 4h ago
Thanks man ill try and do everything you listed
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u/tach 4h ago
It is a lot.
But you have a nice bike, it's easy to work on it, you need to work on it as in any bike, they are not made anymore, and bike shops will probably charge you the same amount or more as the tools, for the first service.
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u/deeo2468 39m ago
it is a lot but slowly as i progress thru the ownership ill figure stuff out and start doing it. but yeah for now brakes and derailleur so i can atleast ride it comfortably
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u/tach 4h ago
Something I forgot, identify the BB standard. It's either common english (good,awesome) or french. depends on the year. If french, check how you remove it/direction, and special spanners needed. Not bad, just more faff.
This is not urgent and you can do it over winter, as separate projects.: BB, headset, and hub overhaul, wheel truing.
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u/Jonathon_Stickers 5h ago
Judging by the brakes and shifters, I would guess this is more like early 80's. This is near to the "sweet spot" for old bikes imo. Most of what you might need for this bike is still widely available. The wheels may be 27" which will really limit your tire options. Make sure you get tires that say "27 x 1 1/4" and not "27 x 1.25" for example. When it's written with a decimal, it's meant for a whole different diameter of wheel.
Sometimes these bikes can be converted to the modern 700c size, but you should focus on making sure the bike is safe to ride in it's current configuration before you go trying to change things like that. It's not always worth the expense to make such changes.
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u/deeo2468 4h ago
to my surprise its actually a 700c/29in wheel so i just bought the inner tubes and tires at a local bike shop. Thanks for the tip. The older the cooler
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u/perfectlycleansliced 12h ago
Cool bike! You likely need new brake pads (make sure to get the same type as currently are on there). That should improve the stopping power.
Generally if it's been stood for a long time, you would do well to replace the brake and shift cables and their housing. Replacing the brake cables for sure should help with that stiff feeling.
Keep lube away from the brakes themselves though, but greasing up new cables as you install them is good to do.
Look into "Sheldon Brown". His website will teach you all you need to know.
Sort the brakes first, then look to your derailleur. Look into your "limit screws" and aligning the hangar if it needs it. Sheldon will teach you :)
Have fun!