My first vintage bicycle

[Keri Spring]

So I've finally bought myself a vintage bicycle. Cheap and cheerful and in need of lots of doing up. In fact when I went to see it it was even more rusty than I thought, so instead of making a start on it I thought I'd come and say hello on here where the rust can't scare me!

Its a single speed Triumph. No date that I can find on the rear hub sadly, but have found a small raleigh stamp under the seat, so I guess I know I can at least date it somewhere between '54 and '72 (when the bike was brought second hand by its previous owner)

And tips on the most basic of places to start taking this old girl apart and starting the clean-up would be gladly appreciated. It doesn't look like it was well loved so I'm not sure I'll be as strict on keeping as original as I first thought, but we'll see. My husband is my helper and quite mechanically minded, but only with car and motorbikes, he's a bit anti-bicycles but I'm going to fix that when my girl is gleaming :-)

So anyway... hello! :-)

 

[biggs682]

wicked have you finished it yet !!!!!!!!!!11

 

[tony111]

Have you given it a name yet ? Glad you've brought it inside and given it a spot in front of the bay window.......I think the bike will like that. Good luck doing it up.

 

[Keri Spring]

hahaha no not even started let alone finished, though I've dug out the oil to loosen things up, and got a plastic sheet for underneath (the conservatory is going to be its winter home)

I hadn't thought of giving it a name yet. It'll definitely have one, and definitely a girl. hmmmm something classic like Audrey?

I might wait til I've started cleaning her up and see what she suits

 

[tony111]

It does look like an Audrey, good choice. Be sure to post photos of Audrey when she's been given her makeover.

 

[sidevalve]

A nice old machine but I suspect the rust on the chrome wiil be the most difficult to rectify as it will need rechroming / replacing. However everything else will have been designed to be user fixable and simply a strip clean regrease adjust job. I would put the penetrating oil on now though, just to give it time to do it's job.
The rest is just a matter of patience and care [definatelly so the painting].
Good luck.

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

As a working bike that doesn't look too bad at all especially if kept away from salted roads. Under used rather than abused.

If it were my resto job then I would try to keep the paintwork as original as I could and try to keep the name badges etc. Shabby chic is quite fashionable n'est pas? As sidevalve says, the chrome could be problematic as rust can creep under it doing its dastardly work unseen.

To neutralise rust I would use naval jelly available from car accessory places like the dreaded Half Rods.

 

[tyred]

Definitely try to keep the original paintwork if you can. Give it a good clean, and possibly try one of those colour restorer kits you can buy in car accessory shops.

Mechanically, I would be surprised if it needs anything very much at all. These bikes were built to last and built to rebuilt. Time consuming compared to a modern bike, but a dollop of grease, a handful of ball bearings and a bit of time should leave it riding like new for minimal expediture. You will need 50 x 3/32" balls for the headset, 22 x 1/4" for the bottom bracket, 18 x 1/4" for the back hub, 20 or possibly 22 x 3/16" for the front hub. The pedals and freewheel will take 1/8" balls but not sure how many. Sheldon Brown's website has good advice on overhauling cup and cone bearings.

Don't be too quick to bin the original chain, unless it's very worn as these chains were higher quality than anything you will buy today. Squeeze it with one hand between the chainwheel and freewheel so it is tight top and bottom and with the other hand, try and pull it away from the chainwheel. Slight movement is acceptable, if you can pull it away by more than perhaps 1/4", it's worn. If you are re-using it, soak in diesel, clean in diesel with an old toothbrush, allow to dry and then oil it, the time honoured method of putting it in a saucepan of SAE 30 oil and heating is best if you can be bothered. Wipe off the excess.

46/18 or 46/20 is the best gear ratio to use on a bike of this type (IMO).

Chrome can be cleaned with fine wire wool or a brillo pad, dab Jenoilite into any rusy spots and then polish with Brasso.

Michelin World Tour or Schwalbe Delta Cruisers would be my preferred tyre choice in this size and Fibrax still manufacture leather "Raincheater" brake pads which work better with chrome plated wheels.

I would replace the original brake cables as modern ones have less internal friction (although be careful as Raleigh pattern calipers if fitted need unique cables).

 

[Hilldodger]

Just give it what's called an oily rag restoration. Gently clean it with some fine wire wool and a little 3 in 1 oil.

 

[porteous]

Welcome! As others have said a symapthetic restoration rather than a complete rebuild. Wire wool, de-greasing agent and washing up liquid will reveal the rather nice old bike lurking under the crud. Do one bit at a time and pace yourself. Take piccys as you strip down a componant so you know how it goes back together. Good luck and beware, old bikes can be addictive.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I've been cleaning down the Claude Butler Saphire I got from biggs with some Muck Off and..... erm.... the very untechnical method of knocking the caked on grott and oil off with a small chisel* (I was VERY careful not to scratch the paint work etc, although the paint needs to be seen too anyway). All that cleaning has worked wonders on several parts such as the chainring which is actually silver once more!!



* - Where I was working was right next to where the tools are kept in the garage, and I seem to be quite bad at just using the first useful thing which comes to hand, often using it for something it was never ever intended for.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Can I ask, you are talking about moving rust/corrosion, but how can you do it without actually scratching the surface in the process??

Thanks.


P.S. I'm starting to take notes here as I still have my ancient Humber to restore, and the 1967 Claude seems like the ideal project to start off with to learn.

P.P.S. Sorry for hijacking the thread.

 

[e-rider]

I suspect many parts have rusted firmly in place never to be moved again (e.g. handlebar stem, seatpost and bottom bracket) - good luck!

 

[tyred]

I find roadsters come apart easier than you'd imagine. Steel stem and seatpost won't have the issues caused by putting alloy into a steel frame and even if it is rusty, diesel will seep through it given time. If the bike was well maintained, it would have been assembled with grease on all threads anyway.

The biggest issue is likely to be removing the fixed cup on the BB but this isn't really necessary unless you need to replace it.

My Rudge looked like it had been dredged from a river bed yet everything unscrewed with issues, even the tiny bolts to hold on the mudguards and rod brake linkages whereas I was expecting them to snap.

 

[Cycleops]

Hello Keri and welcome. Like the bike! I go along with everyone else and think a good clean up rather than a total restoation is the way to go. If you do go for the total refurb then it may be rather expensive. Good luck and let us see some pics of the ongoing work.