Raleigh Zenith how to clean it up

[psychology]

Hi everyone

I've recently got hold of a Raleigh zenith which is rideable but needs cleaning up. I would like to keep the original paint but there is some slight corrosion mainly near the butted joints. Does anyone have any tips on how to go about this?

The bike has a Reynolds 501 frame and suntor 10 speed gears, the brakes work well, and the gears just need a slight adjustment. Unfortunately the rear mudguard is cracked so will need to be removed.

Thanks for your help.

 

[biggs682]

@psychology will it t cut off ?

we need pics please .

enjoy the ride

 

[Cycleops]

I guess you mean around the lugs. If you are going to get to grips with this you really need to remove all the components to access them especially around the BB. May be possible to remove the corrosion with a small wire bush and then treat with red oxide and some matching paint, Like Biggs 682 says we need some pics.

 

[psychology]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I will get some proper pictures up this weekend. Having never restored a bike before is it worth repacking/replacing all of the bearings whilst it is dismantled?

Bab phone picture.

 

[Alan Frame]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I will get some proper pictures up this weekend. Having never restored a bike before is it worth repacking/replacing all of the bearings whilst it is dismantled?

Bab phone picture.

Definitely worth repacking the grease in the bearings as you have no idea when it was last done and the existing grease will likely have hardened and lost it's effectiveness.
If you ride the bike any significant distance without doing so it is likely you'll knacker the headset, hubs, bottom bracket and pedals.

I'd just give everything a general clean, re-grease, re-oil and than go for a ride. Bikes are pretty tough things.

Have fun !

 

[psychology]

Went for a quick ride on it last night, suprised how quick it was compared to my giant mtb. Soon got used to the friction gears again. Reliving my youth!

Have ordered new ball bearings and grease for the hubs, bottom bracket and headset.

 

[Ed no-more-lemons]

Fan-blooody-tastic, hope to see some more pics, partly as is a great bike and also as I had one of these as my first 'proper' bike.
Polish those bearing and cups good and should be good to go, It maybe wothwhile looking at the spoke tensions.
Kurust(turns the metal dark blue) works pretty well on any bare steel and can be painted or varnished over. Sooner or later I will get hold of some nail varnish for this same purpose.
Enjoy

NB I may be wrong, but polished old bearings of the same set, have done me well over the past year.

 

[psychology]

I will get some pics up soon but had a mad busy weekend so not able to do anything to the bike and have to go out tonight as well, so will take some tomorrow.

 

[psychology]

Got this weekend free so should be able to do some work on the bike, meanwhile some before pictures.

 

[Tony Smith]

Whilst you could get the four pretty girls, in the last pic, to get to work with some soapy brillopads, a little rubbing compound and re-do the luglining the bike would look 100% better, I think the better way to go is to get the frame bead blasted and repainted. Line the lugs, affix new decals, clean/polish/replace the parts and it'll look like a new bike. You will also have the satisfaction of giving it a new lease of life for a good few years yet. Carefully lining the lugs is one of the most therapeutic things known to man......

 

[Ed no-more-lemons]

Have not seen one of these close up in twenty years, same colour and all.
Got mine in 1988 or so, secondhand so I'm uncertain of the age or production run.
Proper bit of nostalgia, although I don't remember the steel rims or componentry except Weinmann brakes (did not care just enjoyed).
Same bike different size.

 

[biggs682]

i would suggest also replacing brake pads with soom "kool stop" salmons seeing as you have good old chromed steel rims .

looks nice and enjoy it

 

[psychology]

Decided I probably wont respray or powder coat it as I want it to look like a vintage bike. I'm going to clean it up and kurust the lugs and paint them, not sure but was thinking gold!

 

[Tony Raynor]

I've had some good results with Viakal and a green washing scourer. It won't remove deep pitted areas but good for small areas and great for nuts, bolts and fixings. It basically a household cleaner for stainless steel sinks and has some surfactant in so is good or removing grease at the same time. Get it at the supermarket.

 

[psychology]

Hi

Quick update, front hub redone and wheel trued up (not as bad as I'd feared).

Bottom bracket rebuilt, wasn't too bad but had trouble getting the dust covers off the cranks so had to break them out in the end and fortunantely the thread was okay to pull cranks off. Going to see if i can get the rear hub done this afternoon (though grass looks like it will need cutting, might be the last decent chance) then hopefully pedals and headset tomorrow. Then touch up the paintwork and line the lugs and should be good to go.

How do you people mount a water bottle if there are no fixing points?