The Peugeot St. Laurent is Commute-Ready

I spent several hours transferring items from the Ross Mt. St. Helens to the Peugeot St. Laurent. My goal was get the bike commute-ready over the weekend, in time for Monday's ride to the office. What I didn't anticipate was accomplishing everything in one day! A rainy Saturday helped, along with a few breaks, one of which was riding the bike with my son, and by the end of the afternoon I had finished.

I started the work outside on our deck, then moved indoors once the rain started, using a tarp to protect the wood floor. I wouldn't recommend either method, risking loosing tools through the gaps in the deck (I lost an Allen wrench and two star tools over the porch rail, but miraculously found them beneath day lilies), and indoors because I was uncomfortably stooped. Without a work stand to elevate the bicycle, my back ended up pretty sore for a couple days, however it's my own fault for neglecting to retrieve the stand from our house. Once we're settled at camp, it's often difficult to leave, even though it's only a 20 minute drive home.

Both the Peugeot and Ross are topless (without handle bars)  - I was in the process of transferring the Ross's handle bars to the Peugeot. I slowly dismantled the Ross (on the right) and while I will keep the wheels, I replaced the original  green, straight handlebar so it will travel to it's eventual new owner. 

The Transformation Process & What I learned

• Starting with a front tire change, I decided instead to switch front wheels, which necessitated adjusting front brakes because the rim was slightly wider. At the outset, it reminded me that there's often more to bike maintenance than meets the eye - very much like home ownership! And I also noticed that the Peugeot's front wheel needed bearings regreased, so I'll store that wheel for a back up and properly overhaul it when necessary.
• I tossed the gross, shredded seat and put on a new Nashbar Women's FC1 saddle. The Ross's current seat was, quite literally, a PIA.
• With impending rain in the forecast, I took a break and rode with my son for a few miles to get some exercise. Little did I know we'd end up riding hills and trails! At that point the bike was bare-bones, sans fenders and racks, and I zipped along - definitely a foreign concept to a bike commuter!
• I swapped handle bars because the stamped, labeled Italmanubri bar, gleaned from my son's Peugeot has always felt right. It was a slow process, loosening brakes and thumb shifters was a little difficult (more so on the Ross because the screws were nearly stripped), but with patience I'm glad to have familiar, comfortable handle bars. 
• Transferring fenders was relatively easy. There is more clearance on the rear wheel than when the fender was previously connected to the Ross, but I will keep it as is.
• I am keeping the included 1.5" rear tire because I see value in retaining puncture proof rubber, for the time being, even though I prefer 1.75" Paselas.
• I had trouble installing the rear rack. I couldn't free all of the bolts on the slider bracket (I stripped a couple Allen heads), ideally to level the platform, so I attached the rack as is. For now the large Blackburn office pannier works okay and I have heal clearance, but I wonder if shortening the bracket would adversely alter the space. I'm not happy with the rack angle so I'll deal with the rack in the future.
• The front rack went on smoothly, though because the fender also shared the same frame bolt, I attacked both transfers together. Of special note, the lower rack holes are mounted to the cantilever bolt attachments. The Peugeot lacked Allen bolts, but fortunately I was able to swap the bolts from the Ross. 

Above, the Italian stamped bar; below, original unmarked bar. Visually there appears to be little difference,
but in reality they are not the same.

Unexpected but delightful surprises

• With more space between the sloping tubes, my water bottle is more accessible.
• I sit more upright - an unanticipated but welcome advantage as this position allows a natural transition to the Clementine (and vice versa).
• The frame (and it could also be due to tires) absorbs bumps more so than the Ross. My 15 year old son insists the wheelbase is longer; he noticed the increased fork curve. Everyone knows that teenagers are never wrong! I suspect the comfort is due to a larger frame size. Handle bar position seems to sit further back and not above the center of the front wheel. I could be wrong in this assessment, but the frame geometry feels quite different. Whatever the reason, the bike fits and I'm happy!
• I'm pleased with the new saddle choice, a comfortable seat the first time around!
• I sprang for a new set of ergonomic grips, Ergon's cork style.

These items: a lock, tool bag, and pump were hidden in the green bag on the Ross. It's a work in progress, storing the accessories in a basket, because I like to leave them on my bike at my workplace rack. I need to find a long term solution.

Other thoughts

• The Peugeot was the perfect opportunity to use a front basket. In this instance, I used one of two white baskets that I'd grabbed, years ago, from a neighbor's free pile. New bicycle, "new" accessories!
• I will eventually add anniebikes' style - possibly coordinate with the orange/red color scheme, and/or decorate with leopard print duct tape? I missed pe-ordering an orange Clementine so you can bet I'll play up the orange on the Peugeot!
• I cannot locate a Shimano cap locally to cover the lost cap on the right-hand thumb shifter. A mechanic found two extra left-hand shifters, but the cap, unfortunately, is proprietary (go figure). In fact, I found the original shifters  hardware on my son's Peugeot in our parts stash - both are missing caps! For now, I'll keep the exposed parts oiled (my bike stays outdoors at work) and continue looking for a replacement online.
• I've been riding the Peugeot for two weeks. What strikes me the most is how well the bicycle fits, something I've longed for for quite some time. Go Peugeot!