Picked up this beautiful Peugeot 753 Pro yesterday 52cm

I totally concur with Bikeworkshop, the threat from the far East killed the quality after the 80's although I cant speak of or have any interest in the modern stuff. The likes of Peugeot and Raleigh couldn't compete with the cheap labour costs and so the cost cutting, downgrading and sponsorship of their own pro teams died. As for rusty wrecks I've owned and restored dozens of Pugs ( a few occasionally documented on RB ) and like any bike totally depends how the bike has been stored and cared for , I never respray , two below in recent months ( the FDC is now sold and moved back to France ) whilst the honestly original PY10 is still very nicely presented with its 43 year old paint and chrome and currently for sale .
Very nice 👍
 
Those PY10FCs are up there with my all time vintage carbon favourites. They can be had for no money in France. Outside of a few dedicated Peugeot collectors there's very little interest in them. I've seen them go (in reasonable condition, all original spec) for as low as 300-400 euro (£250-350).
 
Very few Peugeot PY10-FC Fibre de Carbon were actually sold in the UK. They were around £1200 in the early 80's at a time when a special order ( but not SBDU ) Raleigh team replica was retailing at £400. I have somewhere a Peugeot special pull out supplement from 'Cycling' with an interview with the UK Cheif Executive who stated less than 50 were sold in the UK in.one year ( possinly 1984? ) and only around 250 imported by the US . Well cared for frames DO have a following for those in the know as you need to know what to look for, the Pro team riders would get through a couple of frames a Season and then they would be additionally pinned at the bottom bracket for extra strength , Robert Millar used 531pro , 753 and Fibre de carbon depending on the stage / stage as the 531 gave a more comfortable ride on the continental classics . The vintage Market in France seems to have a much smaller following although I doubt you could actually buy a decent PY10-FC for such a low price there's no doubt there are bargains for those of us who are prepared to look further afield for a bargain project.
 
Very few Peugeot PY10-FC Fibre de Carbon were actually sold in the UK. They were around £1200 in the early 80's at a time when a special order ( but not SBDU ) Raleigh team replica was retailing at £400. I have somewhere a Peugeot special pull out supplement from 'Cycling' with an interview with the UK Cheif Executive who stated less than 50 were sold in the UK in.one year ( possinly 1984? ) and only around 250 imported by the US . Well cared for frames DO have a following for those in the know as you need to know what to look for, the Pro team riders would get through a couple of frames a Season and then they would be additionally pinned at the bottom bracket for extra strength , Robert Millar used 531pro , 753 and Fibre de carbon depending on the stage / stage as the 531 gave a more comfortable ride on the continental classics . The vintage Market in France seems to have a much smaller following although I doubt you could actually buy a decent PY10-FC for such a low price there's no doubt there are bargains for those of us who are prepared to look further afield for a bargain project.
I can tell you that Carbon PY10-FCs and TVT 92s go for crazy cheap here in France. The arse has completely fallen out of the vintage market, probably even moreso than the UK. Mountain bikes have seen a similar, imo more pronounced fall off as gravel and off road e bikes have taken over. I've seen two Peugeots in the last 3 months under 400 euro, full original spec.

The only market that's holding its own are the super collectible Randonneurs, Alex Singer, Herse, Barra, Sabliere, Goeland etc. Outside of that prices are about 50-60% down on two years ago. If I had a bigger house, I'd go bonkers with buying 🤐😎😎
 
Very few Peugeot PY10-FC Fibre de Carbon were actually sold in the UK. They were around £1200 in the early 80's at a time when a special order ( but not SBDU ) Raleigh team replica was retailing at £400. I have somewhere a Peugeot special pull out supplement from 'Cycling' with an interview with the UK Cheif Executive who stated less than 50 were sold in the UK in.one year ( possinly 1984? ) and only around 250 imported by the US . Well cared for frames DO have a following for those in the know as you need to know what to look for, the Pro team riders would get through a couple of frames a Season and then they would be additionally pinned at the bottom bracket for extra strength , Robert Millar used 531pro , 753 and Fibre de carbon depending on the stage / stage as the 531 gave a more comfortable ride on the continental classics . The vintage Market in France seems to have a much smaller following although I doubt you could actually buy a decent PY10-FC for such a low price there's no doubt there are bargains for those of us who are prepared to look further afield for a bargain project.

Fantasy price. Not shifted in over two years: https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/velos/2212250797

Cheapest: https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/velos/2758925529

Better value, clean looking, been on a little over month: https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/velos/2878914079

Can't actually say if any are a bargain to be honest, but you get an idea of the asking price.
 
I've yet to find much collectable carbon.

We used to sell those early looks for peanuts (picking up now), and I had a mint carbon /polished alloy lugs Allez w/ tricolor 600 recently, much more beautiful than the peugeot, sold for 450.
The polished lug/ anodised alloy Alans et al are easier to sell.

There's a lot of hostility to carbon from old bike enthusiasts - some if it justified, some of it luddism.
It's certainly at the bottom of the collectable tree, even below cast magnesium🤣
 
Fantasy price. Not shifted in over two years: https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/velos/2212250797

Cheapest: https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/velos/2758925529

Better value, clean looking, been on a little over month: https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/velos/2878914079

Can't actually say if any are a bargain to be honest, but you get an idea of the asking price.
Here's a quite tidy frame for £100. I can show you where to find half a dozen complete bikes for just about peanuts.

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/16707187220...0z6rsqwr_s&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Leboncoin is kinda fantasy prices....
 
I think these are very tired and well used examples, all I can say is the gent who bought my PY10-FC was delighted with the bike and to pay asking price, the bike was basically brand new condition and he also later contacted me to say it won an award at the recent Tom Simpson memorial, so I would argue if uou have a nice example you just need to wait for the right buyer . I'm not greedy but my OCD in detail and effort restoring bikes means I have always got my price with the high end Pugs.
 
I think these are very tired and well used examples, all I can say is the gent who bought my PY10-FC was delighted with the bike and to pay asking price, the bike was basically brand new condition and he also later contacted me to say it won an award at the recent Tom Simpson memorial, so I would argue if uou have a nice example you just need to wait for the right buyer . I'm not greedy but my OCD in detail and effort restoring bikes means I have always got my price with the high end Pugs.
I nearly bought that frame, all it needed was a bit of sandpaper and a decent recoat of lacquer. All Ican say, having lived half the year in France since 2020 is that the arse has completely fallen out of the vintage market. Hard times all round.

Good for you if you managed a turn with a Frenchie, but those days are over. Even a good condition Peugeot carbon will struggle at 500 euro. I'm trying to sell a Rene Herse right now, that pre COVID would have done 5k all day long. Same bike now is not shifting a gear at 2k... The Japanese market (which was previously THE market for French bicycles and parts is finished, their economy and and the tanking of the Yen has put paid to that. There are other factors at play, but I digress.

The math is pretty obvious, the high days for top dollar French bicycles are over, what is left is a complete buyers market. Conversely if you have the spare cash, now it's a great time to buy things on the cheap. Market has collapsed all over, but especially in France, where the trade was small to begin with. There are Colnago C40s going for crazy cheap, I recently bought a complete Nuovo Record group for equivalent £130. And there doesn't seem any end to that, on either side of the channel.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top