Re: [CR]Enough grease, Pierre?

(Example: Racing:Jacques Boyer)

Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2006 11:33:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Enough grease, Pierre?
To: Bob Hanson <theonetrueBob@webtv.net>, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
In-Reply-To: <29990-44F9C2C9-288@storefull-3272.bay.webtv.net>


Don't know about the coating, but the eBay auction photos led me to believe that bike had a frame similar or maybe even identical to a UO-8. I wonder if the PX50 model number is really correct, since that would seem to suggest a variation of PX-10. Not that the UO-8 was a bad bike. In fact a UO-8 was my first lightweight and I loved it. Seemed very cool and exotically European at the time, and compared to the Schwinn Varsity that passed for a lightweight in the US at the time, it was both light and sophisticated. Fitted out with all the touring bits, 33 lbs isn't all that bad, especially for the price. I would think this would be a quite capable touring bike. One could probably go cross-continental on this.

Regards,

Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX

Bob Hanson <theonetrueBob@webtv.net> wrote: 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