Hi guys!
Thanks beforehand, I’m going to see two bikes for sale from the same seller tomorrow and I’m unsure which would be the best option, I’d use it to commute to work everyday and the ocasional weekend ride through mountain roads.
They are both in good condition and the seller has good reputation and offers one month warranty. I think the main difference is weight but wanted to check with you
First bike is a Peugeot premiere hle and second bike is a motobecane vitus 172
Can you point out main differences, advantages/dissadvantages??
Thanks a lot
by ComprehensiveChef101
4 Comments
Neither bike have suitable gearing for climbing mountain roads. Both have pretty hard gearing.
A more modern bike would typically have smaller chainrings and bigger cassettes, which gives you easier gearing for climbing mountain roads.
Mind says: if you’re gonna use it mainly to commute and short rides get the one that fits you best.
Hearth says: I love that peugeot paintjob and I would choose it only for the looks.
Just out of curiosity how much are you paying thenm
The motobecane looks to have a better frame (judging by the frame lugs and forged dropouts on the rear with derailleur hanger, as opposed to the stamped steel dropouts on the Peugeot). The Peugeot does have rack mount braze-ons, but you can easily add a rack to the Motobecane with clamps.
The Motobecane seems to also have slightly better components, judging by quill pedals that will accept toe clips and can be adjusted and regreassed.
Both are fairly low end bikes, a step above department store, and either should be fine for commuting and light riding if everything is in good working condition, and the price is right.
When in doubt, always buy the one with the better frame. In this case that would be the Motobecane. That Vitus 172 tubeset was very good. That bike is a “keeper” which means it’s worthy of upgrades and something that, if it fits you, you’d probably keep forever. The Peugeot is a respectable bike but not in the same league, both frame and the components. The stamped dropouts are almost always a deal-breaker and a good indication that it’s a low-end frame.
Be aware that with both of them, you’re dealing with non-BSA threaded bottom brackets, so when you go to replace it, you’ll need to be careful. It’s fair to assume the Peugeot is French-threaded, but Motobecane could be Swiss. You could also be dealing with hard-to-find seatpost diameters or something. Vintage European bikes can be a challenge finding parts sometimes. Not difficult, you just have to be aware.
Both are vintage bikes which means there are limitations on the number of speeds and other things like tire size. You could upgrade the rear cluster for wider gears (for the mountains) but probably not the number of gears. What are these, 6 speed?
The Motobecane looks pretty sweet, actually. I’d buy that bike at the right price. What are they asking for it?