Carbolite 103 Derailleur

[dimifarkus]

Hi all,

I have an old Peugot Carbolite 103 and the derailleur is shot. ONe shop tells me they can fix it, another says absolutely no way and to junk the bike, and the forums are mixed.

What are my options here? Only finding a part from an old bike or buying a new one? Or just making it a fixie?

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Fab Foodie]

It should be fixable and relatively inexpensive too. You should be able to scab a workable derailieur from somewhere. What type is on it already?
Carbolites worth keeping running IMO, especially if it fits you well and you like riding it.
Fixie is a great option.
Just done a google search for Peugeot Carbolite and there's some nice images. A world of possibilities, but certainly not dead!

 

[palinurus]

What's the issue with it? if you need a rear mech you should be able to turn up something that'll work on eBay quickly enough (I once bought an ageing 105 rear mech on eBay for a penny, admittedly that didn't include postage).

I had a Peugeot with Carbolite 103 tubes once, it did me fine for a few years of commuting and general leisure riding. If I had it now I'd probably convert it to fixed.

What I actually did with it was trade it in at Bob Addy's shop in 1988, he laughed at it.

 

[dimifarkus]

Thanks for the replies.

It's worn down so the chain won't stay on. Hopefully you can see it in the photo. I'm worried though that 3 guys at one shop were insistent that there was no fix, yet the two at the other shop said it was no probs, they have a new Shimano part to go on there.

I really don't know, hence why I'm turning here for answers!

 

[monnet]

I can't see how it can be dead. If all else fails make it a fixie.

If one shop say they can sort it (and you don't feel confident enough to try it yourself) why not ask how much they'll charge and get them to have a go? I'd guess on the going rate round here it'd be £15 labour for a job like that and then however much the part is. I think you'd be within your rights if they didn't sort it satisfactorily to get your money back/ get them to convert it to fixed (if that's what you want)

 

[Browser]

When you say 'it's worn down so the chain won't stay on' d'you mean won't stay on the take-up pulley (lower one on the derallieur) or somethign different? If it's the take-up pulley that's the problem, Id've thought that one from another manufacturer would be able to be fitted.
If it's not this, please elaborate further, details please
This page may possibly be of some help.

 

[Grasen]

If my eyes aren't wrong its a SIMPLEX gear. Probably find one on ebay. But it is for friction shifters. That means you can put whatever gear you like on the bike and it will work. Campagnolo, Simplex, Ofmega, Huret and so on - just play with ebay for a while.

 

[hubgearfreak]

another says absolutely no way and to junk the bike

avoid that shop like the plague, either
1. they give duff advice in hopes of selling new stuff or
2. they're really (and i mean really) really incompetant mechanics

another cheapish option is to fit an AW hub.

 

[palinurus]

another cheapish option is to fit an AW hub.

I've completely run out of space in the flat for bikes but for some time I've wanted to put together a hack roadbike with a hub gear.

 

[hubgearfreak]

for some time I've wanted to put together a hack roadbike with a hub gear.

don't make a hack one, make a nice one.
steel frame, such as carbolite, 18.23, 531 any of those things.
alloy rims and 36 spokes.
cogs of 2:1 or slightly less. 46/22, for example.
don't make the mistake that raleigh made, and use 48/18 with steel rims. any bike like this would be an ordeal really, and a waste of a good hub.
don't waste money on exotic hubs, until you've tried a clean, serviced and well adjusted AW

 

[TheDoctor]

Looking at that, absolutely any rear mech would go on there and work. I reckon that'd be something like 14-28 6 speed, double chainset (42/52 or so), and any mech will cope with that. Any mech at all - road, MTB, Tourney or Super Record, doesn't matter.

 

[Fiona N]

It looks like the derailleur just needs some new jockey wheels. Why not try replacing them (ca. £2.99 a pair for bottom of the range Shimano ones ) before going for full replacement?

 

[RedBike]

The Peugeot carbolite was a low end frame when it was released years ago. Simply put the bike is not worth spending a lot of money on. I'm sure that the rear mech can be repaired or replace. However, if you're not carefull it wont work out cost effective to do so (what the second shop meant).

If you search around second-hand and fit the bits yourself then you should be able to find any old rear mech for a couple of pounds. Cross your fingers and hope your new rear mech fits and you could have the job done for £2/£3.

However....
If you have it done by the book by a shop you're looking at £15 for the rear mech. You should really have a new chain longer chain £15 and a new freehub £20 as well. Then you'll need to pay to have this lot fitted £20/30, So you're looking at the best part of £70 here. The bike isn't really worth spending that much on.

A fixie isn't as straight forward as you might think. You would need to re-dish the wheel for a start (or buy an expensive new rear wheel).

I would buy an old rear mech and hope it fits. If it does'nt put the bike on ebay as a steel frame ideal for fixie conversion. Some plonker down in London will no doubt snap your hand off for it.

 

[Smokin Joe]

For the record, Peugeot fitted Huret machs to these bikes. Carbolite 103 = gaspipe, and the sort of gaspipe no self respecting plumber would touch with a bargepole.

 

[hubgearfreak]

and the sort of gaspipe no self respecting plumber would touch with a bargepole.

and yet a billion cyclists happily get around on this sort of gaspipe every day, to their chinese factories, indian tea plantations, african schools, english allotments and pubs

more likely, no self respecting gullible fool to marketing would to mount it on the back of their car to attend a race on it