Ladies Bike- restoration

[david1701]

Times have fallen a little hard on me so I can't go with my 350quid previously planned present for my sister so I'm thinking of a vintage racer.

I like the look of this bike, its 3 speed with what looks like an unindexed shifter on the stem, so I should be able to fit a normal cassette and get her some wider gears/ a mega, then should I leave the chainring as is or fit a smaller one? My area is pretty mountainous tbf.

Then I'm thinking a dam good clean and I've been googling chrome restoration techniques fitting a new saddle (charge ladle is out of stock in white but that could be good if I can source) and bar tape (maybe white) with maybe white rimmed tyres to make it kind of girly and look really good.

Thoughts on gearing, aesthetic and other options are all appreciated, looking for a cheap, pretty, fast ladies bike

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Sounds like a good plan! Nice bike too.

I am kind of surprised it is a 3 speed currently. I don't think I have ever seen a 3 speed freewheel or cassette. You might want to check to see whether it is a freewheel or cassette. For cassette you need to check whether it is 7 speed or not.

I agree the chainset looks fairly large, probably 50T. Stronglight ST55 from spa are available down to 40T and might be worth a look.

Freewheels have at least 13T, while cassettes are available from 11T. So they will influence your chainset selection - with a single chainset, you will probably want close to the maximum available range at the back.

You might need a new chain.

There is something funny about the run of that rear brake cable.

Instead of buying a new saddle (she might find the old one more comfortable, if it is in good condition), I would buy new bar tape and brake levers - existing levers don't have hoods. Perhaps something like these?

I think the seatpost looks like one of those separate pipe and clamp thing. New alloy seatposts are only about a tenner each and look much nicer.

 

[david1701]

Cheers Record Ace, I realised afterwards that that one is collection only (ARGH) as are many of them and I can't get up to wales to pick it up :s misread it as 20 quid to ship

now looking at mens bikes to give me more options. Need to surreptitiously size her on my tricross

 

[tyred]

3 and 4 speed freewheels exist all right. I have a few in my bits box. But you won't or at least shouldn't find them on Peugeot Carbolite. They would be found on a high end lightweight from maybe the 1930s through to the 1950s when the more common 5 speed freewheel became normal. I think 4 speed blocks survived into the 1960s.