First, I must admit that I'm jaded, in that my exposure to bikes has always been limited to the higher range fancier lightweights. So, I was quite surprised when I opened up the bottom bracket of the new (c.1975) Peugeot PX50 bike.
The crankset is plain, heavy, cottered steel (36 x 48t), still with perfect chrome on the arms and rings. And the BB assembly is also common looking with 1/4 inch balls (7+7) in plastic retainers, also lacking any manufacturers stampings.
The bike's tubing and even the BB shell are all welded - from inside I can both see and feel the seam lines. This was truly an "affordable" Randonneur or Touring style bike, priced within the means of the average working Jacques. It tilts the scales at around 33+ pounds.
There was an aged brown patina above and below the BB shell. I assumed this was from 30 years of built up grime. However, when I decided to check the BB bearings, which had a slightly gritty feel, I was truly amazed to find that both cups and also much of the shell was filled with thick brown grease. As with everything on this bike, I would assume this was likely original to the bike.
If both lubricating the bearings and protecting the inside of the BB and lower tubing from rust and water intrusion was the intention, it certainly worked. There is no rust. And visible after removing much of the excess grease, the inside of the tubing still has a very clean satin silver finish which I imagine may be the "inoxydable" coating on the steel.
I am very curious if anyone else anyone ever seen this type of a "grease-seal" applied to perhaps a UO-8 or any other lower range bikes before?
Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA