Background
In addition to its own marque, Peugeot absorbed, acquired, bought, and/or merged with (choose your verb) other companies, notably Aiglon, Griffon, and Terrot; and eventually produced bicycle models under these marques that were very similar to its own. Peugeot also produced bicycles under the Helium marque.
Below is an ad published in a special May 1957 issue of Officiel du Cycle et Motocycle linking Aiglon, Griffon, and Peugeot; and posted on the Tontonvelo website by KRISSTOFF (2023).
Histories of the Aiglon, Griffon, and Terrot companies, mostly but not exclusively from the motorcycle perspective, can be found on Sheldon's EMU website, and the Terrot Club de France website. A history of Terrot more specific to bicycles can be found on the Ebykr website.
According to Long and Claverol (2022),* Peugeot began producing cheaper bicycles under the tradename Helium beginning in 1959 and continued through the 1970's to protect the reputation of its namesake brand. This timeline is supported by the absence of Helium models (designated by the letter H) in the French 1958 Peugeot and Terrot brochures, their appearance in the French 1959 Peugeot and Terrot brochures, and their continued presence in all of the Peugeot export/master catalogues and French Peugeot brochures through the 1960's and 1970's. A brochure dedicated to Helium bicycles was published in 1981, which may be the last literature-based record of the marque.
*Long, B. & P. Claverol (2022) Peugeot classic bicycles, 1945 to 1985. Veloce Publishing Limited, Dochester, England. 176 pp.
Aiglon
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1928 |
1934 |
1956 |
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Griffon
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1935 |
1950 |
1951 |
1953 |
1954 |
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1955 |
1956 |
1957 |
1958 |
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Helium
Terrot
There are many Terrot bicycle brochures from 1900 to 1960 posted on the Terrot Club de France website. The BikeBoomPeugeot website will complement and supplement the club's brochure collection.
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1932 |
1951 |
1952 |
1953 |
1954 |
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1957 |
1959 |
1961 or 1962 |
1963 |
1964 |
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1966 |
1967 |
1968 |
1969 |
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Gitane
(In the queue)
Gitane was not affiliated with Peugeot. However, when available for a reasonable cost BikeBoomPeugeot will acquire and post brochures to complement and supplement those available on the GitaneUSA.com website.
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1970 USA |
1970- France |
1970- France |
1970- France |
1974 France |
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1974 Italy |
1978 France |
1979 |
1980 France |
1982 France |
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1982 UK |
1983 USA |
1985 France |
1985 France |
1985 France |
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1985 France |
1986 USA |
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