PEUGEOT
'Robert Millar Autograph' Road Bike
£ SOLD
This was one of the hardest restorations we have undertaken, with a significant amount of blood, sweat and tears being shed!
Sold by a local chap in January 2020, it was in need of a LOT of restoration to get it back to its former glory...the Covid lockdown in March brought with it a lot of spare time to get the work done, so work started a lot earlier than we thought...
Our first job was to research the bike model and establish exactly what it was, in order to determine which parts were missing or rogue to the original specification. We managed to find a copy of the 1985 brochure containing an image and full spec list of the bike, so from that point we knew what was needed.
After our 'Eureka' moment, we were delighted to see that the bike was created as a tribute to Robert Millar's successes in the previous year's Tour de France (among other races). Mass-produced and not especially expensive, it was still quite an iconic model at the time and we have since met a number of people who actually owned one! What made this model particularly special was that it had Robert's autograph on the top tube of the bike. Unfortunately for us this was long gone, erased by frame damage and rust.
Research complete, we tested each part thoroughly to establish which were beyond the point of salvage. We were delighted to discover that the majority of the bike had stood the test of time, but the rear freewheel and derailleur were both unfortunately seized. A couple of week's haggling and bidding online ensued, but eventually the parts were located.
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We hit a further snag in the form of galvanic corrosion! This is where aluminium and steel parts are in contact for long periods and result in them essentially welding to each other. Sometimes the seals can be broken with a lot of persuasion, but in our case the steerer was firmly welded to the forks. A drastic measure was called for, in the shape of caustic soda - horrible stuff that melts aluminium...and ignores steel! 24 hours later, the steerer was gone, the forks were clean as a whistle...and we were back online finding a 1985 Peugeot steerer. it took a couple more weeks, but we got there. The restoration could begin...
All parts were thoroughly cleaned in our own degreasing formula, rust was removed in a special bath system that we use and then polished and regreased. The wheels were covered in surface rust, but these also cleaned and polished up well with minimal damage to the chrome underneath.
The final job was to tackle the paintwork. Traditionally, purists would argue that the paint finish should be protected but otherwise unharmed in order to show the patina and 'life' of the bike. In this case, it was in such poor shape that we felt she deserved a full repaint. Primer and base coat were applied over the course of a fortnight, with decals being designed, ordered and applied before a final clearcoat finish. Down to the colour of the bar tape, the bike was exactly as it appeared in the catalogue...minus the autograph.
Paintwork complete, we set about reassembling the bike - incredibly therapeutic, stress-free and enjoyable. To see her take shape over the space of a few hours was really satisfying, and we couldn't wait to take her on the open road.
After treating us to a problem-free 50-mile trip, we stood back and admired the results...but felt there was still something missing.
Robert Millar disappeared from the public eye in the late 90s seemingly without a trace, until it was discovered that Robert had undergone a sex change and become Philippa (Pippa) Yorke. Largely reclusive until around 2017, Pippa began to get stuck into cycle racing journalism and we managed to track her down. After hearing some astonishing stories of the past 30 years, an envelope appeared in the post to us a few weeks later...autographs for both Robert AND Pippa!
We made contact with a decal printing company who were able to transfer the autographs onto transparent stickers, which we then applied to the bike frame. Talk about one-of-a-kind...
And that was it! At that moment, as the transfers were applied to the frame, we knew she was finished. A real treat to do, despite the headaches and significant cost, ready for someone to love and cherish for years to come who would appreciate the history of the bike and what this particular model stands for.
RESTORATION PROJECT:
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