Peugeot P8

Frame check

Tubing, threads, wheels and paint

Tubing

Every US catalog we found lists Peugeot's own 103 Carbolite tubing for the P8, not Reynolds 531. Peugeot called Carbolite a strong, lightweight steel made in-house. Look for the Carbolite 103 decal, and be wary of a listing that says 531.

The frame

The frame has no lugs. Peugeot brazed the joints from the inside, so the joints look smooth. Ask for close photos of each joint and the dropouts, and look for cracked paint or rust at the welds.

Sizing

The catalogs listed 19 1/2 in (50 cm), 21 in (54 cm), 23 in (57 cm) and 24 in (60 cm) frames. Get the seat tube measured rather than trusting the size in the title.

Threads and standards

The catalogs don't say which bottom bracket thread the P8 used. By 1984 Peugeot's PX10L catalog listed BSA (English) threads, so it varies. Ask the seller or a shop to identify it before you buy bottom bracket parts.

Wheels

It came with 27 x 1 1/4 in alloy rims and Michelin gum-wall clinchers, with a 6-speed freewheel. The 1984 P8 lists a Maillard Helicomatic freewheel, so check which hub is fitted before you need spares.

Parts it came with

The 1982 P8 had SunTour Seven derailleurs and stem shifters, and the 1983 and 1984 bikes had Huret Eco and Club. All had a Solida crank with a chainguard and Weinmann 610 centerpulls with extension levers. Extension levers eat into the main levers' travel, so check the brakes still bite well before the lever reaches the bar.

Dating it

The P8 was new in the 1982 US catalog. In 1985 Peugeot said it had improved the P8 enough to rename it the P8/P18T. The derailleur brand helps, since SunTour points to 1982 and Huret to 1983 or 1984.

Safety jobs

Fit new brake pads, and set the brakes up for the main levers rather than relying on the extension levers. Replace old 27 in tires. If it has a Helicomatic hub, check for broken spokes.