Marlboro bike ???

[Peugeotrider]

Just browsing through marketplace I saw this bike offered locally for free.
Never heard of them before and doubt it's any kind of collectable machine but it got me thinking about a project bike so contacted the owner to say IL have it.
Anybody know any info about marlboro bikes?

 

[classic33]

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/132771/

 

[FrankCrank]

 

[Cycleops]

These came from the mid seventies when there was a bit of a resurgence of interest in bikes. A low end brand which would have been sold through mail order catalogs and other outlets who didn’t necessarily deal just in bikes. Rare to see these days as most would just have gone to the tip. A good solid bike nevertheless and would make a nice ‘beater’.

 

[Chris S]

They were sold by Halfords. They not worth much but that one looks like it would make a nice single-speed.

 

[Drago]

Not seen once since my childhood. Unremarkable plain gauge steel, low spec finishing kit. But if its complete and free, then why not?

 

[Peugeotrider]

These came from the mid seventies when there was a bit of a resurgence of interest in bikes. A low end brand which would have been sold through mail order catalogs and other outlets who didn’t necessarily deal just in bikes. Rare to see these days as most would just have gone to the tip. A good solid bike nevertheless and would make a nice ‘beater’.

I was thinking a set of straight bars,leave the frame as it is,a brooks saddle and the usual grease all bearings,full new cables and probably tyres will need replacing and good to go.
Messaged the owner..no response yet

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

It's far too easy to get snobby about bikes and turn your nose up at the low end stuff, but a working bike is a working bike.
I do far more miles on my cheap beaters than I do on my nice ones, because the near-worthless nature of the hacks mean they are far more appealing for those casual trips to the shops or pub where you don't want to worry about theft.
If all you own are bikes that you are precious about you will do less cycling, than if you have knockabout machinery on standby, always just ready for that casual jaunt. I like to see the older low budget stuff still being used, as it reflects the reality that most people never have and still don't, buy silly expensive machines.
For every example of vintage italian steel exotica, there will have been a hundred very ordinary bikes bought by ordinary people back in the day, but what you see preserved 40 or 50 years on tends to disproportionally be the more expensive bikes.