 Cycles Peugeot was the largest and most prestigious manufacturer in the French bicycle industry, whose product was built to a more robust standard than their French competition, and sold for a premium price. The first Peugeot bicycles were built in 1882 at Beaulieu; the company continued to export bicycles under the Peugeot name until the late 1980s, when shipments to North America ceased and the rights to the name in North America were sold to ProCycle of Canada. In Europe, the bicycles continued to be produced by Cycleurope Group, based in Neuilly sur Seine, although the Peugeot name has been phased out.
In addition to the standard diamond frame bicycles, Peugeot also produced popular mixte frame versions of their bicycles, with twin lateral stays in place of a top tube, extending from the head tube past the seat tube to the rear dropouts, as well as tandem bicycles.
See also: French Bicycle Industry
 1882 Construction of the first big Peugeot "Grand Bi" bicycle - a penny-farthing. Penny-farthing is a direct-drive bicycle, meaning that the cranks and pedals are affixed directly to the hub. Instead of using a relatively complex and heavy gear system to multiply the revolutions of the pedals, the driven wheel was enlarged to its maximum radius -- up to a length close to the rider's inseam -- to increase the maximum speed. This shifted the position of the rider upward, placing him nearly on top of the wheel. This meant that the rider's feet could not reach the ground while riding, making it effectively little more than a unicycle with an extra wheel for stability.
See also: Penny-farthing
1886 Standardized production of the Peugeot series of bicycles featuring chain-controlled gear system starts in Beaulieu at the instigation of Armand Peugeot.  1888 Armand Peugeot (1849 - 1915) is fascinated by the first motor cars. He meets Gottlieb Daimler with Émile Levassor. It is Armand Peugeot who pushes Peugeot in the direction of the motor car. He anticipates the tremendous potential of this brand-new invention and attempts to develop links with like-minded individuals who have appreciated the significance of this invention.
 | The Serpollet-Peugeot |
1889 A historical year with the introduction of the first car to bear the Peugeot name. The car, a three-wheeler, is made by Armand Peugeot in collaboration with the famous steam specialist, Léon Serpollet. The car, called the Serpollet-Peugeot, was shown at the World Fair held in Paris in 1889 to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution. By this time, the Peugeot factories employed a total of 1100 people. | 