Recent Acquisition Old Beach Cruisers, Diamond Back and Peugeot

[Loki182]

I recently picked up these two beach cruisers that someone was pitching. One is a Diamond Back "Sand Streak" and the other one is a Peugeot "Pipeline" I honestly dont need both of them so I was thinking about fixing one of them up to keep for myself and letting the other go as-is... or just pitching it back in the trash if it isn't worth anything. So I am just trying to get a feel which one would be worth hanging onto.

I already got the Diamond back in functional shape because it really only needed a chain and tires. But my gut tells me that the Peugeot is probably the one worth keeping. Honestly I have been searching and I have not been able to find anything at all about either of these bikes so far other than that they were probably made in the 80's. So any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

I will try to get a better picture of them later.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Pics aren’t showing up.. but, both are sweet Bikes. I look forward to pics.

 

[Loki182]

Not sure why I couldn't get these to post before. But as you can see they are both a bit rough. I would love to clean one of them up and make it into a cool cruiser but I really don't know anything about either of them.

Also the Diamond Back came with that rack so I just left it on for now.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Rad! I love that they are both pink!!

 

[Duchess]

They look at least 20 years apart, but are set up so similarly! I guess the owner had a very specific type.

 

[bikedudeomaha]

both bikes are very nice. straight forks are desirable for the klunking crowd

 

[Dizzle Problems]

If you drop the fork on the diamondback, they're usually stamped with the date.

It looks like the peugeot may have araya 7x's on it. As well as possibly the front wheel on the DB. Looks like the rear wheel has been changed. If they are araya 7x's, they're worth more then both the bikes.

Also, you said you swapped tires on the DB, depending on what you took off, they may hold value if ridable, believe it or not.

If it were me, I'd keep both and BMX em out.

 

[Loki182]

Thanks for the replies! You guys are so knowledgeable, this is exactly why I come here for answers.

I honestly didn't realize certain wheels could be that desirable. I'll have to take a closer look at them again when I get home. Is there any easy way to determine what kind of wheels they might be, or to positively identify a set of rims as Araya's 7x's?

Also the tires that I took off of the Diamond Back were basically the exact same style of generic cruiser tires that I put back on, just in way worse condition. I still have then in the garage though so i'll take a closer look at them. The tires on the Peugeot are pretty crispy and I doubt they have much life left in them, if any.

I think my main concern is I just wanted to make sure there wasn't any intrinsic value to these bikes being "all original" or at least as original as I found them. I would hate to start mixing and matching parts, painting and welding on them to build something fun, only to find out later that one of these is extremely rare or something. I honestly doubt it's going be the case with these, but I often tend to be overly cautious about these sorts of things. I would hate to be "that guy" who took the valuable bike and did a bunch of weird stuff to it... because honestly I have done stuff like that before.

Like the time I used an old fire extinguisher as an air tank for a set of Air horns. I then later discovered that this specific fire extinguisher is highly desirable for people who rebuild period correct WWII era military vehicles. Especially since, when I got this one it in was in fairly good shape with all of the original labels and such and was still actually holding the original charge. Whoops!

I think what's really throwing me off is the fact that I just haven't been able to find any information about either of them. Usually my Google-fu is pretty strong, but all of my searches for both of these bikes come back with lots of pictures and information about the older straight framed versions with the same model names, but next to nothing about these beach cruiser styled ones. But I guess that could also just as easily be due to the fact that these could just be cheap re-branded department store quality bikes that aren't worth getting excited about.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

You’re right that both models primarily came with a diamond frame. I know I’ve seen a canti frame sand streak somewhere. But can’t find a pic this morning. I did find this pic from the ‘82 Peugeot catalog -
http://www.bikeboompeugeot.com/Broc...SA_Brochure_Pipeline_5_Cruiser_Pipeline_1.jpg

No mention of pink as a color tho. I would guess it a lil later then ‘82 just on the color and stem. If the stems original.

I wouldn’t worry about them being anything too special. Just enjoy them!

 

[Loki182]

Thanks again! That definitely helps takes a load off my mind. Like I said before I have a bad habit of overthinking things sometimes.

I think I'll probably keep messing around with the Diamond Back but I'll probably go ahead and leave the Peugeot alone for now and not do anything more exciting than getting another chain and tubes for it. Just do the bare minimum required to get it back up and functional.

Still, I'm not going to lie when I found these my first instinct was to cut one of them up and combine it with the old ladies cruiser frame that I've had laying around to build a Tandem. But once I got them home I realized they were just too cool to cut up like that.

Maybe that plan will still happen someday, but I'd rather sacrifice a cheap Walmart frame for that kind of project.

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

Odd they look like the same bike with different names ...

 

[RustyGold]

Odd they look like the same bike with different names ...

I think the DB has a larger diameter downtube...but, aside from that...almost twins. The stem throws me off on the DB...it made me want to think it was old, but the headtube sticker and the (apparently) large diameter downtube has me leaning towards 90s.

Cool pair, though
Jason

 

[Dizzle Problems]

I agree with Jason. The DB has larger tubing.
My 83/84 sand streak (diamond frame) has larger then ‘normal’ tubing for the era.

 

[RustyGold]

This '82 cantilever DB has the same oversized tubes...
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/1982-diamond-back-california-klunker.64099/

So it could be pretty early. If they came from the same person...maybe they are the same years. I assume they are probably both taiwan-made. If you can, post the serial numbers off both (should be on rear dropouts)...maybe that will lead somewhere.

If the same vintage...I would assume the DB is the more valuable,
Jason

 

[Loki182]

Yeah the Diamond Back definitely has larger tubing that the Peugeot, but both are remarkably similar. I originally figured the Peugeot might be the more valuable bike because it has an alloy stem and seat post clamp. But I personally liked the fatter frame on the Diamond Back, which is why I got that one up and running first. Plus it's more of an Orangish-pink color that I think will be a little easier for me to pull off. Pictures honestly don't do it any justice though, its a crazy bright color in person.

I took a closer look at the wheels and I doubt they are anything valuable. They are definitely chromed steel and all of them are fairly rusty. The only marking I could find was a CMC stamp on the front wheel of the Diamond Back.

But I did actually find the serial numbers on both bikes too. I'm guessing the Peugeot is probably an 88 based on this number?

I have no idea what this could mean on the Diamond Back though.

But thanks again for all your help with this. I was looking at my pile of old busted mountain bikes last night which got me thinking. Now I'm honestly thinking about building one of these into a Klunker and keeping the other as a fairly original cruiser. I mean I do live like 30 minutes from the Oceanfront, I'll have to double check the city ordinances but I think it might actually be a crime around here to not own a Beach Cruiser. But I also only live about a mile out from some awesome MTB trails and I think it would be fun to blast around them on an old Klunker.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

That Camarillo sticker on the DB is awesome!! To me at least!
back in the 80s, the Diamond back HQ was in Camarillo Ca. And I just happened to grow up there!

 

[Loki182]

Oh wow, that's awesome. I've only been to CA a few times but I can definitely understand why people love it so much. My folks are originally from Illinois, but my dad was in the military and I was mostly raised on the east coast so this area will always be home for me.

 

[RustySprockets]

Throw some aqua accents on those and they become very Floridian.

 

[RustyGold]

I can't find any specific info relating to the Pipeline serial number...but, I did see a reference to them possibly being made by Mien Tien Hang. They also produced bikes under the MT Racing brand, and the SNs look to use the same format (but, different lead letters). The 1st two numbers indicate year on MT Racing bikes...so, '88 sounds about right. Especially given this pic from an '89 brochure...

Jason

 

[RustySprockets]

Good find! Available colors are described as black or "watermelon." I'm going to say Peugeot didn't mean the rind.