Restoring 1980's bike

[007fair]

How easy is it to get parts and decals to restore an 80's bike back to what it would have looked like originally ?

Mine is an Elswick Puma I think they became Falcon.

 

[smokeysmoo]

How easy is it to get parts and decals to restore an 80's bike back to what it would have looked like originally ?

Mine is an Elswick Puma I think they became Falcon.

Hello James, (007 pun!). I've just built this Peugeot into a winter bike for myself.

Parts are no problem, although I did build this with modern components including Campagnolo Veloce groupset and a modern bar/stem combo. Even so, original parts should be easy enough to source as well.

I got the decals for this build from HERE, but I have also bought decals from HERE for an earlier build I did. Quality and customer service from both were spot on.

Good luck with it, have fun and watch thos purse strings, mine aren't very good

 

[Hilldodger]

Decals you'll have to make. All other bits are available from specialists like...err...Cyclemagic.

We can make decals for you if you can provide images of them.........but it will cost you quite a bit.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

May be worth contacting these folks.

 

[smokeysmoo]

May be worth contacting these folks.

FYI, H.Lloyd is the same business as my second link to Decals2000 on Ebay.

Might be worth contacting CC'er gb155 as he's had decals made for a couple of his ccf builds.

 

[007fair]

Hello James, (007 pun!). I've just built this Peugeot into a winter bike for myself.

Parts are no problem, although I did build this with modern components including Campagnolo Veloce groupset and a modern bar/stem combo. Even so, original parts should be easy enough to source as well.

I got the decals for this build from HERE, but I have also bought decals from HERE for an earlier build I did. Quality and customer service from both were spot on.

Good luck with it, have fun and watch thos purse strings, mine aren't very good

Wow that looks gorgeous HOW much did that cost you ?


Thanks for the links!

 

[smokeysmoo]

Wow that looks gorgeous HOW much did that cost you ?
Thanks for the links!

Thanks buddy I was initially scared to add this up tbh, but curiosity got the better of me the other day, and it's cost just shy of £600

That said, I did buy a brand new groupset, new tyres, re-spray, new brooks saddle, new rack, new bartape, new longer seatpost (24mm very rare and had to pay through the nose!), decals set, mudguards, new back light and rack bracket, computer etc, etc. I already had the wheels, pedals, bars, stem and lights!

Oh yes, I had to buy a new chain as well because I made a pigs ear of shortening the Campag one that came with the groupset , I'd avoid Campag chains in the future, (over complicated) and stick to the KMC one I replaced it with.

So all in all I'm happy with the cost. Especially considering the fact that I now have the groupset to use on future builds, (Dawes steel frame due later this week - this building lark does get addicitve!!!).

 

[Herzog]

Thanks buddy I was initially scared to add this up tbh, but curiosity got the better of me the other day, and it's cost just shy of £600

That said, I did buy a brand new groupset, new tyres, re-spray, new brooks saddle, new rack, new bartape, new longer seatpost (24mm very rare and had to pay through the nose!), decals set, mudguards, new back light and rack bracket, computer etc, etc. I already had the wheels, pedals, bars, stem and lights!

Oh yes, I had to buy a new chain as well because I made a pigs ear of shortening the Campag one that came with the groupset , I'd avoid Campag chains in the future, (over complicated) and stick to the KMC one I replaced it with.

So all in all I'm happy with the cost. Especially considering the fact that I now have the groupset to use on future builds, (Dawes steel frame due later this week - this building lark does get addicitve!!!).

Are they new wheels on the winter bike? If so, was the OLD 126mm or 130mm on the back wheel?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Hi Herz. I already had the wheels and they have seen service on a couple of previous bikes, but they're pretty bombproof so they were a no brainer for this build, not to mention they fitted the colour scheme as well

I had to re-space the rear triangle to get a modern 10 speed wheel in there, IIRC it was 120mm and needed to be 130mm but AASHTA

It's not actually recommended to re-space an alu frame, only steel, but as that's all I had available at the time I thought I'd give it a whirl I clamped the frame at the brake bridge, and also at the lower mudguard bridge, (not sure what it's actually called?), but basically clamped it wherever there was a join on the rear triangle, and just took my time with a threaded bar, a couple of nuts and a tape measure, seemed to work out as bike rides great

 

[Herzog]

Hi Herz. I already had the wheels and they have seen service on a couple of previous bikes, but they're pretty bombproof so they were a no brainer for this build, not to mention they fitted the colour scheme as well

I had to re-space the rear triangle to get a modern 10 speed wheel in there, IIRC it was 120mm and needed to be 130mm but AASHTA

It's not actually recommended to re-space an alu frame, only steel, but as that's all I had available at the time I thought I'd give it a whirl I clamped the frame at the brake bridge, and also at the lower mudguard bridge, (not sure what it's actually called?), but basically clamped it wherever there was a join on the rear triangle, and just took my time with a threaded bar, a couple of nuts and a tape measure, seemed to work out as bike rides great

Thanks for the info. I was going to do that with an old aluminium frame of mine (126mm) to accommodate a 9 speed 130mm wheel I had. In the end, I bottled it and ended up building a new rear wheel with 126mm OLD. The drive side spokes were vertical, but the wheel's been good for over 2500km now, touch wood and all that. You know what will happen tomorrow...

 

[alecstilleyedye]

is the bike some sort of old classic? if not, consider just renovating using current components. modern shimano/campag/sram integrated brake/gear levers are a far better experience than an old bike with suicide brake levers and down tube shifters.

i have a 1951 claud butler bike that i would not dream of putting anything modern on (it's a fixie anyway), and an 80s raleigh frame that has been done up with modern components, as it's no classic. the bike will be much nicer to live with done up modern, but it will cost you more than it's worth.

if you're wanting a real project, pick a classic old 531 racer that was made by a classic frame builder.

edit: elswick was a good name back in the day, but the names of all but a few of the classic builders became little more than brands to be sold on. for example, pre '57 all claud butler bikes were made by the man himself at his own premises. he went bankrupt and the name has been on bikes of varying quality ever since, with the 80s probably one of the worst (they seem ok entry level bikes these days).

 

[smokeysmoo]

is the bike some sort of old classic? if not, consider just renovating using current components. modern shimano/campag/sram integrated brake/gear levers are a far better experience than an old bike with suicide brake levers and down tube shifters.

the bike will be much nicer to live with done up modern, but it will cost you more than it's worth.

ain't that the truth That's why I've gone modern with the Peugeot. I know it's cost far more than it's worth, but I'll never sell it as a bike so from my position it's a moot point. I may well sell the frame at some point in the future, and with the current trend for old Peugeot's showing no signs of slowing I'm confident I'll get reasonable money back if I do sell it

 

[PatrickPending]

What are suicide brake levers?

My bike is a 1991 Giant (could be approaching the 30,000 mile mark) it has down the tube shifters which I think are fine. My brakes are crap and wonder if they are the suicide ones you speak of.

<snip>

nope - suicide levers are kind of extensions which turn round towards the stem allowing you to brake whilst holding the straight bit of the bars ...



see 3rd pic down here

http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8975

 

[smokeysmoo]

^ what he said , you don't have them, or want them imho, first thing I used to remove after all the reflectors back in the day

 

[smokeysmoo]

What are suicide brake levers?

My bike is a 1991 Giant (could be approaching the 30,000 mile mark) it has down the tube shifters which I think are fine. My brakes are crap and wonder if they are the suicide ones you speak of.

latest picture (unusual situation)

another view of the brake levers

Call me Mr Critical, but I think you might need some new hoods and a bit of bar tape, just saying