French Racing Bicycles
- Thread starter Canuk
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Canuk
Old School Grand Master
Peugeot would go on to become the most successful factory team of all time in the Tour de France, winning the race a record ten times. Like some other large European bicycle manufacturers, Peugeot was not above purchasing handcrafted team racing bicycles, fabricated by small independent craftsmen such as Masi, which were then painted and outfitted to resemble standard Peugeot factory production models.
Eddy Merckx has written quite publicly that he rode a stock Peugeot PX-10 throughout 1966 and the early months of 1967, but after having become disenchanted with the performance of that model, he elected to have Faliero Masi build a “Peugeot type” bicycle using Nervex Dubois lugs which was subsequently painted and decaled in Peugeot-BP-Michelin team livery for use throughout the latter half of 1967.
Peugeot and rival marque Mercier were among the last bicycle factories to continue team sponsorship. Rising costs had forced other brands to surrender control of their teams to backers from outside the bicycle industry. Even as most other teams were using Italian Campagnolo components, Peugeot continued to use French ones. Stronglight cranksets, Simplex derailleurs, and Mafac brakes were standard. The last yellow jersey worn by a Peugeot factory rider was in 1983, when Pascal Simon took the lead in the Tour de France until he was forced to drop out due to injury.
Eddy Merckx has written quite publicly that he rode a stock Peugeot PX-10 throughout 1966 and the early months of 1967, but after having become disenchanted with the performance of that model, he elected to have Faliero Masi build a “Peugeot type” bicycle using Nervex Dubois lugs which was subsequently painted and decaled in Peugeot-BP-Michelin team livery for use throughout the latter half of 1967.
Peugeot and rival marque Mercier were among the last bicycle factories to continue team sponsorship. Rising costs had forced other brands to surrender control of their teams to backers from outside the bicycle industry. Even as most other teams were using Italian Campagnolo components, Peugeot continued to use French ones. Stronglight cranksets, Simplex derailleurs, and Mafac brakes were standard. The last yellow jersey worn by a Peugeot factory rider was in 1983, when Pascal Simon took the lead in the Tour de France until he was forced to drop out due to injury.
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Canuk
Old School Grand Master
Based upon the particulars in evidence in the above photo (the lack of chrome on the rear stays and front fork, no contrasting Black paint on the lugs, horizontal slots in the bottom bracket shell, and a Masi decal located underneath the lower Peugeot chequerboard seat tube band), the bicycle shown to the right of this photograph would be a Merckx’s pseudo Peugeot built by Masi and not an actual PX-10.
Of course, beyond the frameset itself, there are at least a few other differences between the two team bikes including Merckx’s choice of Universal brake levers paired with MAFAC Racer calipers as opposed to an all MAFAC combination, and fitment of a Campagnolo Record model 1039 headset rather than the typical Stronglight P3 component seen on Bracke’s bike.
When you're No.1 you can choose the equipment yourself!
Of course, beyond the frameset itself, there are at least a few other differences between the two team bikes including Merckx’s choice of Universal brake levers paired with MAFAC Racer calipers as opposed to an all MAFAC combination, and fitment of a Campagnolo Record model 1039 headset rather than the typical Stronglight P3 component seen on Bracke’s bike.
When you're No.1 you can choose the equipment yourself!
Canuk
Old School Grand Master
By the time of the 1986 racing season, costs in a period of inflation triggered by an oil crisis meant Peugeot's entire racing budget of 1.06 million francs ran out before the season had ended.
William Desazar de Montgaillard, director-general of Peugeot, announced that due to lack of financial support, there would no longer be a fully sponsored Peugeot team for the Grand Tours.
William Desazar de Montgaillard, director-general of Peugeot, announced that due to lack of financial support, there would no longer be a fully sponsored Peugeot team for the Grand Tours.
Canuk
Old School Grand Master
With an amateur career comprised of an even number of 80 wins outright, a twelfth place finish in the Road Race Championship at the 1964 Summer Olympics, and the Amateur Road World Championship title from Sallanches, France that very same year, an up an coming Eddy Merckx joined the ranks of professional cycling in April of 1965 just a month and a half shy of his reaching the age of twenty.
After riding for the Solo-Superia team that year where he notched his first nine wins as a professional, Merckx moved over to Peugeot-BP-Michelin for the 1966 season where he joined the likes of Tom Simpson (winner of the 1966 World Road Race Championship), Roger Pingeon (winner to be of the 1967 Tour de France and the 1969 Vuelta a España).
He would have been happy to see a fellow Belgian Ferdinand "Ferdi" Bracke (with whom Merckx would pair to win the 2-up team time trial Trofeo Angelo Baracchi in both 1966 and 1967) under the guidance of directeur sportif Gaston Plaud. While Merckx’s most notable wins that year include the GP Cerami and Milan - San Remo, he is seen here riding in the 1966 UCI World Road Race Championships held at the Nürburgring in West Germany on a PX10.
After riding for the Solo-Superia team that year where he notched his first nine wins as a professional, Merckx moved over to Peugeot-BP-Michelin for the 1966 season where he joined the likes of Tom Simpson (winner of the 1966 World Road Race Championship), Roger Pingeon (winner to be of the 1967 Tour de France and the 1969 Vuelta a España).
He would have been happy to see a fellow Belgian Ferdinand "Ferdi" Bracke (with whom Merckx would pair to win the 2-up team time trial Trofeo Angelo Baracchi in both 1966 and 1967) under the guidance of directeur sportif Gaston Plaud. While Merckx’s most notable wins that year include the GP Cerami and Milan - San Remo, he is seen here riding in the 1966 UCI World Road Race Championships held at the Nürburgring in West Germany on a PX10.
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