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France is a nation defined by culture and its people are renowned for their appreciation of the finer things: incredible food, sophisticated music and high art. In a nation where romance is de rigueur, it is far from surprising the bicycle emerges as a symbol of the good life.

Among French bicycle manufacturers Peugeot has become a classic both because of its products and the fanciful art that promoted them. Justin Blazer developed the first Peugeot logo in 1858, a lion representing the “durability, suppleness and quickness of steel”. Since the days of Blazer the Art Nouveau posters designed to promote Peugeot bicycles have become even more desirable than the machines they originally featured. This remains true despite the company’s history being every bit as colorful as its marketing materials ever were.

In 1882, after returning from the British industrial capital of Leeds, a 33 year old engineer named Armand Peugeot began scheming about methods of transport that might replace the horse. In the mountainous region of Le Doubs, France, the young man’s ingenuity resulted in the production of “Le Grand Bi”, a penny farthing-bicycle that would prove to be the precursor to one of France’s most popular brands.

Although Peugeot – a family business – had its fingers in a variety of products ranging from corset bones to saw blades, the wheeled items it produced are the ones that put it on the global map.

Four years after Peugeot introduced “Le Grand Bi”, the company was steadily producing a series of bicycles equipped with chain-controlled gearing systems. By the turn of the century, however, Peugeot was deeply entrenched in advancing another form of wheeled vehicle – the automobile. Eventually coming to recognize bicycles and automobiles represented distinct markets, Cycles Peugeot was formed in 1927 as a standalone company separate from its motor-centric parent.

Even prior to forming Cycles Peugeot the company had a formidable presence at bicycle races and well regarded image as a competition capable marque. Early as 1903 Peugeot bicycles were winning major cycling events. In 1904 Peugeot rider Hippolyte Aucouturier fell victim to one of the first Tour de France scandals while racing in the event’s second running. Suffering frequent crashes and punctures as a result of vandalism and nail-strewn roads, Aucouturier managed to pull off a fourth place finish when the six stage race was unexpectedly declared fini. Unfortunately for Aucouturier and the three riders placing ahead of him, the scandalous conduct that occurred during the Tour resulted in a ruling by the Union Vélocipédique Française that stripped all four of their placings. The final standings resulted in the original fifth place finisher – 20 year old Henri Cornet – moving into first place despite allegations a not insignificant portion of his Tour was completed aboard a train.

The early years of Peugeot’s racing team continued to be riddled with tragedy. In 1906 René Pottier, one of the team’s star riders, pulled off an incredible feat winning four of the Tour’s six stages, including an unbelievable solo ride through the most mountainous stage of the race which saw him finish 47 minutes ahead of the next fastest rider. A short year later though the sweetness of victory turned bitter. Pottier discovered that while pouring his heart and soul into a Tour de France victory his wife was sleeping with another man. Distraught beyond comprehension, Pottier ended his life by emblematically hanging himself in the Team Peugeot clubhouse.

Peugeot’s racing team continued to make news in 1907 with more controversy at that year’s Tour de France. While Alcyon rider Louis Trousselier pulled off a first stage win it was Peugeot’s Émile Georget who dominated the competition. A crash on the ninth stage of the race should have ended Georget’s reign were it not for an illegal bicycle exchange with a teammate that allowed him to ride on to what could have been victory. Tour organizers caught on and stripped Georget of his first place win but were unwilling to give up the publicity surrounding the rider and thusly relegated him to a third place finish. Team Alcyon perceived Georget’s punishment as lacking in substance and protested the decision by pulling their team from the race.

Throughout these earlier years Peugeot was a resilient company rarely discouraged by the hardships it uniquely faced. Yet again in 1908 the company put together a team to rival all others. The group of Henri Cornet, Petit-Breton, Hippolyte Aucouturier, François Faber and Émile Georget established new limits for the Tour de France peloton that year and several to come.

Demands of the Tour de France, one of Europe’s most popular sporting events then and now, rapidly influenced the evolution of the bicycle. Those originally raced in the Tour were heavy fixed gear models incapable of freewheeling or gear changes while mounted. The wheels consisted of wooden rims with tubular tires and braking was limited to pressure applied by a pad to the top of tires. Today it is near impossible to imagine riding around the French Alps on such a machine, let alone racing through them at 60mph abandon.

By the late 20′s racing bikes appearing in Peugeot’s catalogs bore much closer resemblance to those used today. In 1927 Peugeot released the P-10, a major advancement over existing top shelf race bikes. The drop-bar model featured vast improvements over its predecessors: rustproof spokes, oil bath hubs, cable brakes on both wheels, two gearing sprockets on the rear hub, one capable of freewheeling, threaded braised lugs, and a longer-raked fork to accommodate the harshness of the Tour’s “pavé” roads. The bike also came equipped with a tool kit, since early Tour rules required riders perform their own repairs.

During the War years Peugeot surrendered their factories to the war effort, but by the 50’s Peugeot was rolling again, making bicycles which began to reflect a trend towards lighter materials and high tech construction. The 1951 PH-10 Professional Racing Bike exemplified the importance of racing in the company’s history. A mixture of aluminum and Stronglight components on a lightweight frame of Vitus tubing benefited from the addition of 8 derailleur-assisted gears and the luxury of toe clips.

In the 60’s Peugeot’s team became another force to reckon with on the world road-racing stage. Among the Peugeot riders taking many wins in the world’s most prestigious races was one Eddie Merckx, who rode a team bike to victory in the 1967 World Road Championships. The Belgian Merckx later went on to become one of the most victorious racers in the history of the Tour de France.

Photo credit: riccorman

In the 70′s Peugeot bicycles became something of a cult classic. During this decade the company saw a rise in sales, partially caused by the OPEC oil embargo. Along with its best selling racing bikes, Peugeot was finding an eager market for touring bikes and it complied with a popular offering named the UO-8.

In 1978 Peugeot granted exclusive rights to Canada’s ProCycle Group Inc. to manufacture and distribute Peugeot bicycles in Canada. Ten years later Peugeot and ProCycle agreed to transfer name rights for North America and certain technology assets to the Canadian manufacturer. Peugeot then stopped distributing its bicycles in the USA.

With a history that included 10 Tour de France wins, several notable top-honor finishes and a roster of the world’s best racers, the ProCycle acquisition became the last stop for the Peugeot cycling legend.

The ProCycle conglomerate, owner of mass marketed CCM and sizable British Columbia manufacturer Rocky Mountain, had a busy year in 2001. The company released bikes under the Miele name and acquired Balfa, a boutique-brand mountain bike company. That same year ProCycle failed to renew its contract with Peugeot Cycles when it expired, leaving the once venerable brand out in the cold.

Photo credit: E Dyson

Although Peugeot’s glory days appear over the company’s bicycles continue finding their way to welcoming hands among enthusiasts and collectors. Many Peugeots have been altered to form commuting and touring bikes that only vaguely resemble the originals yet remain daily riders.

Peugeots have become cherished collectibles for a reason – contenders from the very first days of the Tour de France, the bicycles have held their own in reputation and innovation long after falling out of favor with fickle North American consumers. Peugeot maintains the artistry, quality and conviction of French culture. In the simple words of the company itself, “Touring or competing, a Peugeot rider is a proud cyclist.”

Photos » Peugeot

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Sources

• Yellow Jersey
• This site
• This page
• Old catalog
• Tortelli.com
• Peugeot
• ProCycle