Written by Summer Hanson on January 30th, 2025
The functional, tactile art of customizing a storied bicycle
Experience has taught me to level with a customer every time they come by with a vintage bicycle that needs extensive work or that has quirks making certain parts hard to come by. Revamping an old bike into modern commuter is my favorite type of project as a bike mechanic, artist and sustainability advocate, but I have to explain that, especially with a bike from before the late 80's, it's more of a personally commissioned piece of functional art than a quick investment with optimal resale value in today's bike market.
Committing to a vintage bike is like adopting an adult cat; it takes time to learn the quirks and let the relationship build gradually as you get to know each other. But as you loosen decades of grime, warm up the bearings and get the feel for friction shifting, the relationship with a pre-owned bicycle brought back to life is as rewarding as when an ornery cat decides you're worthy of a long snuggle.
The truth is, for most riders, who are primarily keen on fair weather, laid back excursions to visit friends, run errands, get some fresh air, and go on the occasional long ride or commute, modern bike advances such as hydraulic disc brakes, full suspension, and carbon fiber frames are overkill. A bike that feels fun and comfortable, speaks to their aesthetic preferences and lifestyle, and isn't a target for theft, is more likely to be ridden regularly for years to come than one that feels like a precious, high tech speed machine - at least for those of us who aren't high-performance, competitive cyclists.
Annie's Peugeot
When Annie came by with a mostly stripped Peugeot Sport, what appeared to be an early 80's French bike frame, my coworker Chris, familiar with the outdated mechanics of reverse threaded bottom brackets and cotter cranks, tried to talk her out of it, the way a Rabbi tries to convince a goy not to convert to Judaism. But Annie, a vintage-aesthetic inclined artist with a sentimental attachment to this defunct bike her dad gifted her, and inspired by my previous blog posts (I'm blushing!), wanted to revive it as a fun, personalized bike for casual rides, and finally ditch the Trek mountain bike that clashed with her laid back personality.
When a customer insists on moving forward with a vintage bike project, with an understanding of the time and budget required, I feel like I have permission to be my obsessively meticulous self. I relish restoring these stunning pieces of history, doing justice to the original craftsmanship that went into the frames and components, before cheap plastic components and profit-maximization schemes like 1x drivetrains became standard in the bike industry. To know I'm also diverting waste, getting a car off the road, and adding a bit of fresh air and joy to someone's life gives me extra warm and fuzzies.
The Build
Before bringing it in, Annie had stripped her bike of all the old, rusted parts, leaving just the frame, seat, fork, headset, bottom bracket, and crankset. Sized for once-common 27 inch wheels and a peculiarly small Peugeot stem, I felt lucky to find exactly what I needed in our treasure trove of a warehouse.
Cotter cranks are notoriously difficult to work on in modern shops like ours which don't have the proper tools and replacement pins to service them, but in finding that the crank spun smoothly, I decided to let it be, and focused instead on a deep clean to make it shine like new.
Annie voted in favor of using as many vintage parts as possible, and agreed to a pop of orange in the cable housing to complement the frame's paint job. She wanted upright handlebars, a front basket, and decided to try stem shifters, a more ergonomic alternative to downtube shifters, but similarly accessible and affordable. She was so patient while I gathered all the right components and did some troubleshooting, and when I found a set of used fenders that fit just right, she couldn't resist the addition. I finished it off with a silver wald drop-top basket is a functional favorite of mine, with a classic, elegant design, easily installed without a rack, and comfortably fits a backpack for transporting belongings on and off the bike.
When Annie test rode it, she said she's never felt more comfortable on a bike. It turned out to be a sweet little cruiser! Thank you Annie, for trusting me, for your enthusiasm all throughout the process, and for the sweet bird print you gifted me when your bike was finished!
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