[CR]PEUGEOT "trophy" wheels (??)

(Example: Bike Shops)

From: "David Bilenkey" <dbilenkey@sympatico.ca>
To: "Classicrendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 22:22:23 -0500
Subject: [CR]PEUGEOT "trophy" wheels (??)

Happy New Year everyone, I hope the holidays have been good to all.

I picked up two pairs of rather neat tubular wheels today and I'm wondering if anyone has come across them before and can shed any light on the matter. Both sets are identical although one set has skewers and the other doesn't, otherwise no differences:

Hubs: Large flange 36 hole with a decal on the middle of the hub much like a Maillard 700 decal, black in the centre with a gold border. In the black centre it reads; PEUGEOT "trophy" (two lines, white text) and then on the gold surround it reads; professional team (on top) by Maillard (on bottom) MADE IN (on left) FRANCE (on right). Curved handle Maillard skewers with a funky soft black four pointed star shape on the adjusting nut side. 121.5mm OLD on both rears with 5 spd FWs, an Atom on one and a Regina Extra on the other. Although I've only had a while with them they seem to polish up to a mirror finish with no trouble and the bearings feel awfully smooth. I'll take them apart later.

Rims: Super Champion in gold on a red oval decal. Made in France along the bottom edge of the decal.

Spokes: Look to be double butted and not chrome or stainless (galvanized? or something else dull anyway). What appears to be a crescent shape on the heads. Tied with copper wire, but not soldered.

Tires: The driest tubulars I have ever seen, with everything cracking to pieces, but one has a clear label and these too are branded; PEUGEOT TROPHY fab HUTCHINSON. Looks like only one coating of glue ever made it onto these rims.

Anyway, looks like these will polish up to pretty sharp wheels (one set perhaps slightly better than the other), but I was wondering if any dates can be ascribed to them. Anyone care to venture an opinion or offer up clues to look for? I'm guessing they must be post 1978 by the curved skewer handle, but other than that... ?? Pics will be available sometime soon if anyone would like to see them.

Sorry that was so long, many thanks in advance for any insights, and again, Happy New Year.

David Bilenkey
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada