I have a Peogeot that is older than this one and has full Peugeot decals, but a Helium sticker that I have always taken to be a tubing decal. It has the same exact "manhole cover" that conceals the cylinder for a fork lock. It's an 8 speed full tourer with aluminum fenders, lights, Mafac cantilevers, pull-chain style rear deraileur and lever operated front.
Steve Barner, Bolton, Vermont
----- Original Message ----- > From: Mark Bulgier
<mark@bulgier.net>
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: RE: [CR]French bikes not commonly found...
> Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2002 14:01:38 -0700
>
> How about "Helium"? I've only seen one, a cheap but nice utilitarian =
> mixte
> with generator lighting wired through the aluminum fenders, =
> half-chainguard
> and a matching rear rack. Pictures of it at
> http://bulgier.net/
>
> I'm sure it's made by Peugeot, but the big downtube decal says Helium.
> Probably early- to mid-60s based on the Simplex rear derailleur - it =
> has a
> white outer parallelogram arm with a blue logo. When did Simplex =
> Prestige
> get the red logo?
>
> It's got a pretty nice leather saddle, similar to an Id=E9ale #6, looks =
> French
> (says "Croupon"), but the brand name is "VeryBest" - wacky!
>
> And speaking of wacky, what's up with that big ol' manhole cover in the =
> top
> of the downtube lug? I suppose it is for lubing the lower headset =
> race, but
> why's it so big? The little grease fitting on the back of the headtube =
> on
> so many Italian and English bikes does the job with so much less metal =
> and
> extra fabrication complexity.
>
> Mark Bulgier
> Seattle, Wa
> USA