1985 Peugeot PX

serial no. 85471

"What makes a perfect bicycle? Quality, road feel, precision and value. Take the Peugeot PX, for example. Italy's finest tubing-- Columbus SLX-- hand-brazed, and outfitted with a complete Mavic ensemble to achieve a quick, responsive bicycle ready to tackle any challenge, from a grueling training run to an all-out sprint"
Peugeot 1986 catalogue

This was the last of the PX series Peugeots for the U.S. market, in production for only about two years and purchased on eBay in March 2006 for $480.

This is an absolutely brilliant racing bike: superb workmanship, stiff criterium like ride and responsive with that light feeling only a French machine seems to have. Why this wasn't more popular is a headscratcher. It was lighter than the Campagnolo-equipped PZ and cheaper, too, and today the Mavic SSC group is certainly more desirable and rare.

Frame
Material: Columbus SLX helically butted tubing and forks
Colour: original Blue Italia
Size: seat tube 62 cm (c to t), 60.5 c to c) top tube 58 cm (c to c)
Angles: 73 (head) 73 (seat)
Wheelbase: 39 cm
Chainstays: 40.5 cm
Bottom bracket height: 27 cm
Braze-ons: double waterbottle bosses, chain rest, pump peg and cable guides.
Rear spacing: 127 mm
Lugs: BCM
Weight: 21 lbs.

Components (“Tout Mavic”)
(all original except brakes and levers which are NOS replacements as per the originals and wheelset upgraded from 36-hole Mavic GP4s to 32-hole Mavic GEL 280s)
Rear derailleur: Mavic SSC 801
Front deralleur: Mavic SSC 810
Gear levers: Mavic-Simplex open teardrop pattern 820 retrofriction levers
Chainset: Mavic 630 42t x 53t, 172.5 mm cranks
Bottom bracket: Mavic sealed bearings, French thread
Headset: Mavic SSC 310
Stem: Mavic 360 120 cm
Handlebars: Mavic 350 Criterium 40 mm
Brakes: Mavic SSC (Modolo) model 410 side-pull
Brake levers:Mavic SSC (Modolo) drilled with Modolo hoods
Seatpost: Italmanubri 27.2 mm
Saddle: Italmanubri 635-S white leather
Pedals: Mavic 640 SSC
Toeclips and straps: Christophe Competition alloy clips and straps
Rims: Mavic GEL-280 700x20mm 32-hole sew-ups
Hubs: Mavic low-flange SSC 506RD sealed bearings with Mavic skewers
Freewheel: Maillard Course zycral 6-speed 13-19 t
Chain: Sedisport Sedicolor 4DC silver
Accessories: T/A alloy bottle cage and T/A Peugeot bottle