Think electronic shifting and aero frames are a modern invention? This 33-year-old Peugeot ZX-1, featuring a Vitus carbon monocoque frame and Mavic’s revolutionary Zap electronic group set, was pushing boundaries long before they became the industry standard. In this video, we take this incredible piece of cycling history for a spin and put its “futuristic” aerodynamics to the test against a modern superbike.
Chapters: ⏱️
00:00 – Introduction to the Peugeot ZX1
01:04 – France: The 90s Tech Epicenter
02:50 – The Futuristic Carbon Frame
05:19 – Pioneering Wind Tunnel Testing
07:11 – Mavic ZAP: The First Electronic Shifting
11:13 – Why Did This Tech Fail?
13:42 – How Mountain Biking Changed Everything
14:56 – The Return of French Innovation
18:29 – Interview with the Owner
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This Peugeot ZX-1 looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie from 1993! 🚀 Would you trust 30-year-old electronic shifting on your Sunday ride, or do you prefer the reliability of modern tech? Let’s hear your thoughts on this French masterpiece in the comments!
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29 Comments
This Peugeot ZX-1 looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie from 1993! 🚀 Would you trust 30-year-old electronic shifting on your Sunday ride, or do you prefer the reliability of modern tech? Let’s hear your thoughts on this French masterpiece in the comments!
I still can't wrap my head around the pronunciation of "van rysel", if they wanted it to be pronounced in a french accent they should have called it "De Lille" and not have written it in the dutch spelling.
So IMHO it should be pronounced "van rijsel" in the dutch tongue xD
I used to race with the mechanical version of that Mavic group set and a Vitus Carbon kevlar 9. The brakes were actually rebranded DiaCompe (A Taiwanese brand) and for their time, were really good!
Does the group set work?
Anyone who's seen a few Jacques Tati films will know that France have been at the vanguard of technological achievement for many decades…
Great video! Super nice!
Hate to say it Si, but that bike is rocking a Super Italia Pro handlebar and stem by the decidedly Italian brand ITM, also Continental Tubs von Deutschland.
So I'm only giving you 9/10.
Imho the main reason these kind of bikes weren't popular in the pro-peloton at the time is not weight. After all they weren't heavier, just not significantly lighter than their steel counterpart. However most pro-riders were using custom sized bikes at the time and it was more valued than any aero gain. Most top riders even had the luxury to stick to their preferred frame builders and the bikes were simply painted with the branding of the bike sponsor brands. One famous recognisable example were the Pegoretti build "Pinarello branded" frames of Miguel Indurain but it was the case for many team leaders. It couldn't be done with carbon monocoque frame and the Vitus/Peugeot/Villiger ZX-1 was not offered in many sizes either.
It only really started to change when aluminium and scandium bikes came by storm in the late 90's early 00's with a significant weight advantage.
You forgot to mention Corima in the list of french brands that were leading the way at the time. They were also famous for their 4 spokes carbon wheels and their Corima Puma frames which also won medals on the track and I believe was used on the road for a short time by Team KELME.
The giro tubulars are very slow. But its a cool bike. Can you still get french tubulars?
Thanks Si and crew….nice , clean , shoes ! The washed ones ? Thanks Steve !! Be well , safe travels
Great video. I appreciate these deep dives into cycling history.
Great video, Si. I love these kinds of videos. Seriously, bro, you gotta fix the hair. I couldn’t stop staring at it, like a car accident.
A very cool looking bike 😎😎
What have Peak Torque and Si got against sideburns!?
did simon have a supporting role in the peaky blinders films??
As always, stellar job, Si.
What might have been more appropriate for the speed test was to have compared the Peugeot with a contemporary "traditional" bike?
If the UCI wanted racing bicycles to be about the athlete, they would make everyone ride the same bike, the same tire, rim drivetrain. Just let riders pick their own seat and ride the bike in the size that fits them.
Lenticular. I do not think it means what you think it means.
ohh-ohh!!! I know!!! I hell went wrong the minute disc brakes were the new "trend" and because it was MAVIC who started it too early and it FAILED, "electronic" shifting (and still makes no sense when I'm still on mechanical shifting and an extra $1,100 in my pocket, well! I bought a pair of carbon wheels, NOW! there's an improvement.) and it doesn't stop there. Now CYCLOCROSS bikes are called "gravel" bikes and…….and……..and!!! You need liquid sour cream inside your tires, because TUBES are not messy nor require maintenance every 6 months.
Time is basically slovakian nowadays …
It's a cool bike! But it's quite obvious that it can't be very aero, if you look at it as you would look a modern bike: the aerodynamics of that steel fork must be abysmal. And while the frame is carbon monocoque, the down tube isn't particularly thick and actually tries to stay as far away from the front wheel as possible, whereas modern designs make it hug the wheel as closely as possible. The rear end may be reasonably aero, but it's the front end that first meets the airflow and needs to disturb it as little as possible. I wouldn't be too surprised if Canyon Endurace had lower drag coefficient than this bike.
You failed! lol
We want that bike compared on same max speed test with an actual 93’ regular steel race bike
I had a Royal blue Peugeot back in the 1990's, I put some miles into that thing!
the pinnacle… of road racing cycling… not of cycling 😛
Simonm, not to get off topic but what are those statues behind you all about. Oh and by the way great video.
look did not invent the clipless pedals…. clipless pedals were invented by a guy from my former group ride in Romans-sur-Isère, France. He was riding every day 100 km, even to an old age and died while riding his bike (accident…). I understood he sold the idea to look. I never got to meet him, I was told. Props to him.
I'm mostly impressed that you found such a long stretch of nice road in the UK.
'Super skinny tyres' 22mm? as I sit here next to three of my bikes with 23mm tyres on them…………….