Cool Shop Bike: late 1950's Peugeot PX-10

     This is another one that has never been properly profiled. It is a late 1950's Peugeot PX-10 that was purchased many years ago from a bike shop in the immediate suburbs of Philadelphia. It has a lot of components and features that I find pretty interesting. I hope you do too.
     The frame and fork are constructed of Reynolds 531 tubing and the seat tube bears the French Reynolds decal, something I always liked. It utilizes early Nervex lugs which have been somewhat filed and thinned. The original older style decals are all intact and are quite ornate and have great vibrant colors. Especially the seat tube decal. The paint is a nice blue that has aged well and flattened out some over the years. The yellow accents on the head lugs really make it "pop".
     The rear derailleur is a simplex JUY 543 model, which is extremely rare and quite beautiful. It was produced in the early to mid 50's and required a special cable stop on the chain stay because it was a twin cable type. Jaques Anquetil famously  used it in the Tour De France. It can be set for use with either 3, 4, or 5 speed freewheels, hence the name 543. Stylistically, it is one of the most elegant rear derailleurs ever produced in my opinion. There is a Simplex competition rod type front derailleur with upgraded wing nuts to handle the front chain rings. It has a Stronglight 5 pin steel cottered crank set that I have not been able to find much info about. The chain rings are Stronglight model 49 type I think, but they also look the model 57 cut outs which used a more traditional BCD and spider combo as opposed to the 5 pin 49 model alloy cranks. If anyone can enlighten me, please do. The bike has a Stronglight bottom bracket installed. The hubs are low flange Prior laced to unknown steel 700C rims. It has very cool Beborex brakes and levers. The brake calipers have a unique QR system and the vertical mounting style on the rear brake, which was a relatively common French thing. there are early Simplex QR wheel skewers with the "dog bone" skewer nuts, quite rare! Really cool Ideale Type 59 Record alloy railed saddle which is in pretty good shape for its age. The sides of it are drilled for lightness? Aesthetic? Either way, it is super rare and elegant looking. There are nice unknown alloy fenders which have been painted to match the bike, a cool Ventolux frame pump, and an early T.A. handlebar bag (not original to the bike). There are also a pair of Lyotard  no. 460 Duralumin pedals that I forgot to photograph. This bike is a nice example of what was available in the mid 50's if you wanted a top of the line lightweight machine.

    

Cool shop bike: Early 1960's Helyett Speciale

       Sorry to have been slacking a bit on this series, but my other shop internet duties take precedence over the blog posts. So I am coming back to the topic with a good one! This bike is an early 1960's Helyett Speciale in fantastic original finish with period correct componentry. It  is a prime example of a bike that would have been ridden in the Tour De France in the 60's.
     It is built with Reynolds 531 tubing with the French decal, which I always liked. Jaques Anquetil's face graces the elaborate seat tube decal. He was one of the classic champions of the era and is regarded as one of the best ever. The typography of the down tube and top tube decals is amazing in my opinion, they remind me of Daniel Rebour's style of illustration. Nice head lugs with a lot of shore line and window cut outs, gold lug lining throughout. Original paint which at this point has aged to a nice warm cream color. One of my favorite head badges is affixed to the head tube. The serial number of 61270 is stamped on the rear non drive side of the Simplex drop out. a neat little detail is the rear pump peg, pretty unique.
     The componentry is also top French quality of the period. Rear derailleur is a Simplex JUY export 61. See the photo for the unique mechanism for adjustment in the parallelogram. Front derailleur is a Simplex LJ 23 (second version). The first version had a riveted badge where as this one has a decal.  Simplex Shifters with nice wingnuts, braze on style. Early Stronglight 49D cranks with T.A. adapter and professional criterium T.A. chain rings in half step gearing. Cool acorn nuts for attachment. The hubs are Exceltoo Super Competition model, which were a little known French company that made nice hubs.Simplex skewers with intact wingnuts and the very rare white boots in great shape. Early Mafac Duralforge brakes and Mafac levers with pristine half hoods. Pivo bar and stem combo with the T.A. cable guide, always a nice touch. Stronglight P3 headset and Ideale no.88 saddle round out the build. Also of note is the Ideale seat clamp which has the tabs for the toe strap to go through and attach a tubular tire under the seat. I have never seen this version before, any info?
     This bike is in the permanent collection and we are proud to be its care taker, enjoy!