Peugeot PX10 E

Imported from France to England in 2015, this example sports decals linking it to a shop in Reims called 'Deubelbeis' (at least, I think that's what it says - being written in script!) of 133 Avenue Jean Jaurés. The seat tube measures 54.5cm CTC and it's very nicely preserved with good original paint and undamaged chrome under the original lacquer. The frame’s lugs are of the 'fancy' Nervex type, which are picked out in black at the headtube, but left white elsewhere. There are only two small braze-ons - the first a tiny shifter stop under the downtube and the other a single cable stop atop the chainstay. The serial number seems to disprove the theory that '60s PX10s had six figure serial numbers and ‘70s examples 7 figure ones; As this one has a 5 figure number starting '73... So combining this (possibly incidental number) with the components used, I've narrowed the bike down to between 1970 & '73 on the following evidence: The rear Simplex Criterium AR637 derailleur is stamped 1 (January) '70, which fits with reports of this version only being made between '69 & '71 (this example lacks the red pivot tops and silver face of the post ’71 version, but equally might have sat on a shelf for a year or two…) Likewise the original Simplex Super Competition front derailleur would broadly fit into this timespan (although pre-1972 PX 10s usually seem to have a pushrod Simplex front derailleur?) Note, I'm currently running an early Simplex Super LJ in it's place, as the original has a cracked Delrin derailleur band. Anyway, other dating evidence includes the 531 decal being positioned towards the top of the seat tube (rather than the downtube) which (according to the Cycles Peugeot website) indicates manufacture in or before 1973 and an overall decal set that (judging by other examples online) seems to stretch from around 1971 to 74 - by which time the fancy black lugs appear to change to plain white ones. However it's also worth noting that any removable component ‘could’ easily have been swapped out before I got the bike, so I’m reluctant to set a date based on any one individual item. Thus the date is a best guess - so 1973. Oh, and as for the E designation, the consensus online is that this refers to the more upright/fast handling variant of the PX family. Well it's certainly both of those, so with that in mind and having studied a lot of pictures, I'm as convinced as I can be that it’s an E.