Re: [CR] Peugeot Mixte?

(Example: Framebuilders:Dario Pegoretti)

From: "ternst" <ternst1@cox.net>
To: <Stronglight49@aol.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <cf5.f67fe4b.33bf207b@aol.com>
Subject: Re: [CR] Peugeot Mixte?
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 21:23:26 -0700
reply-type=original

I'll add a little to the mix(te). TE being my initials. The mixte frame meant exactly what it says, half men's-half ladies for convenience more originally I think for ladies sport riding. Many ladies didn't want a diamond frame, and the regular ladies frame design was too flexy for advanced touring. No lady that was really strong or raced rode a flex frame, they all rode the diamond frame for rigidity. The old standard ladies frame was flexy because of it's construction but was meant for gentle riding and intown, commuter farm to market type stuff. Anybody could ride anything anywhere but would walk up hills. The head set were usually a 19" ladies had a 21" head tube and so on up. The reason was obvious and simple, even I got it. Ladies that toured, or pleasure, transportation, rode were wanting an upright position for comfort and easy visibility. No one rode a ladies or mixte type frame so their foot would be flat on the ground. Any decent shop told the rider if the seat was that low their power and leg strength would be handicapped as well as over stressing knee if riding was more intense. On the flat at 8 MPH no problemo. If they wanted best exercise and balance then they rode seat higher and came off saddle at a stop and stood over bike. The new cruiser type bikes with layback seat post and forward pedaling allows for good leg reach and ground reach. The American importers thought that the drop bar was sporty and wanted to make the ladies feel "racy" HMMM. Some companys offered drop and standard touring barson the same model bikes to try and grow the sport and make it nice for advanced cycling/touring/sport riding. A lot of builders made the frames out of light tubing to match the men's. Theoretically this would draw the upper class and "sportier" ladies who wanted to retain their femininity an equal quality bike. It was a nice attempt to get the ladies a tennis racquet holder on their Mixte and toodle on over to the courts for their sets, and then fashionably cycle on home after their lunch, tea, or? Many ladies took up touring and longer distance riding but wanted a step through frame but a drop bar for the benefit on the longer rides. It gave them their cake and they could eat it, too. Those high head tubes got them out of the super racing mode they didn't want, and the drop bars gave them the advantage for wind, balance, etc. Those nice mixtes could handle 30-50+ pounds of pannier weight and brought many ladies into cycling that would have not used a diamond frame.
Ted Ernst
Palos Verdes Estates
CA USA


----- Original Message -----
From: Stronglight49@aol.com
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 9:35 PM
Subject: [CR] Peugeot Mixte?



>I have never owned this style of bike, but have often been tempted.
>Stepping
> over the low cross bar with heavy winter boots would have been great
> during
> an uncommonly snowy winter, like the one I just experienced. So, call me
> stupid, but I just bid on and won this eBay auction (Item number:
> 200125525803)
> for what appears to be an early to mid 80s bike in very nice condition.
>
> With its basic Peugeot tubing, I suspect the bike weighs around 27-30
> pounds. I especially like the rear center-pull brake treatment. For the
> low price I
> paid, even Honjo mudguards would be within a modest budget.
>
> I think this bike would build up as a nice city/shopper with Moustache
> bars,
> French Touring bars or even left with the original drop bars. In any
> case,
> it may give me a good excuse to buy the Amish-made basket panniers and
> front
> basket seen on the Velo-Orange web site:
> _http://veloorange.com/bapaandba.html_
> (http://veloorange.com/bapaandba.html) . Gee, if only I had a small dog
> to
> carry around in that front basket...
>
> Does anyone have a catalogue which might show this model to help me
> estimate
> the true age of the bike?
> And, any comments are welcome, of course.
>
> Thanks!
> Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, NM, USA
>
>
>
>
> ************************************** See what's free at
> http://www.aol.com.