Before and After Pics by all restorers

User avatar
ldrcycles
Posts: 9593
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
Location: Kin Kin, Queensland

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby ldrcycles » Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:53 pm

Just got another one finished, a 1986 Repco Traveller, for a bloke at work (his wife won't let him buy a new bike :) ).

Ye Olde 105 cranks and 6 speed indexed shifters, 400EX front derailleur, Exage Sport rear derailleur. The wheels are basic 700C items off a hybrid, fitted with the 35c tyres that my Repco Preset came with.

Spinning round the carpark at work it feels great, very smooth (though FAR too small for me). VERY happy with the result, the paintjob came together nicely. Just out of interest too, i had some glue residue left from the masking tape, had no luck with a bunch of different methods til i tried PEANUT BUTTER. Yep just smeared a tiny bit of peanut butter on it and polished like it was autosol, took the glue off and made the paint a bit shinier too!


Before

Image



After


Image
"I must be rather keen on cycling"- Sir Hubert Opperman.

Road Record Association of Australia

Joe H
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:58 pm

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby Joe H » Sun Mar 03, 2013 12:45 pm

I promise this will be my last attempt to clog up this thread with non-working image links (I hope)

My beater/rain bike before:

Image

and after:

Image

My daily ride for the last 19 years, looking a bit tired:

Image

After new wheels and a bunch of TLC:

Image

My sunny-day ride in parts (no real "before" picture as it's the first time this frame was ever built up).

Image

After about two years of scrounging odd parts from here and there:

Image

Thanks for your patience!

User avatar
singlespeedscott
Posts: 5510
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:35 pm
Location: Elimbah, Queensland

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby singlespeedscott » Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:18 pm

Joe H wrote:
Image
Love the Merckx.
Image

feelthewheel
Posts: 519
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:20 am
Location: Anakie, Victoria

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby feelthewheel » Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:55 pm

Is Merckx. Is good.

User avatar
Elsmworth
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2013 2:51 pm

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby Elsmworth » Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:57 pm

Every one a beauty, and a nice selection overall. Love the two-tone bar tape.

User avatar
Ferrovelo
Posts: 543
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:07 am

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby Ferrovelo » Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:11 pm

singlespeedscott wrote:
Joe H wrote:
Image
Love the Merckx.
That is just stunning!

Joe H
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:58 pm

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby Joe H » Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:33 pm

Thanks for all the kind comments. I'll do a post for each as I get a chance. The Malvern Star is currently occupying the position of beater/rain bike but I go through those pretty quickly. In Germany we called them "fest bikes" and they were used pretty much as you'd guess. All were franken-bikes from hard rubbish days. Some got stolen, some crashed, some lost due to too much drinking. Most were given away. The Malvern will go to my neighbor when I leave as he said it looked just like his first proper bike and it looks to fit him.

Just in case the details aren't apparent on the Merckx, it's got a modern(ish) 10 speed Campy Record cassette with indexing down-tube shifting (also Campy Record converted over from bar-end shifters). It weighs just under 8.5 kilos and is just a joy to ride. Springy and comfortable over rough stuff and fast to accelerate, and it climbs really well. But this is supposed to be mostly a picture thread so I'll save the details for later. Thanks again for the comments.

Joe

User avatar
munga
Posts: 7023
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:17 pm
Location: wowe
Contact:

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby munga » Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:43 pm

Joe H wrote: Image
looks about my size. sure it's not too small for you? 8)

User avatar
sunho
Posts: 433
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:22 am

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby sunho » Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:03 pm

Joe, How did you balance that bike on the cobblestones?


Do tell...

User avatar
munga
Posts: 7023
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:17 pm
Location: wowe
Contact:

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby munga » Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:28 pm

sunho, look at the shadow.

User avatar
jacob_T
Posts: 315
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 8:09 pm
Location: Sunshine Coast

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby jacob_T » Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:46 pm

I love this thread!

User avatar
sunho
Posts: 433
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:22 am

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby sunho » Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:22 am

haha, I see it munga!

Joe H
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:58 pm

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby Joe H » Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:32 pm

Exactly right, the shadow is a spoke stuck in the hex nut on the far side crank arm. It works well if it's not windy. The cobbles are only a block long but I try to hit them on every ride to remind me of the varied surfaces Open Corsa Evos and latex tubes can handle.

Sorry Munga, the Bianchi's pretty much perfect for me (54 cm). You no doubt noticed the laid back front fork angle. It is a great long distance bike with a fairly stretched-out riding position that's really comfortable to me anyway.

Take care.

User avatar
landscapecadmonkey
Posts: 372
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 2:46 am
Location: Brisbane

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby landscapecadmonkey » Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:56 pm

ldrcycles wrote:Just got another one finished, a 1986 Repco Traveller, for a bloke at work (his wife won't let him buy a new bike :) ).

Ye Olde 105 cranks and 6 speed indexed shifters, 400EX front derailleur, Exage Sport rear derailleur. The wheels are basic 700C items off a hybrid, fitted with the 35c tyres that my Repco Preset came with.

Spinning round the carpark at work it feels great, very smooth (though FAR too small for me). VERY happy with the result, the paintjob came together nicely. Just out of interest too, i had some glue residue left from the masking tape, had no luck with a bunch of different methods til i tried PEANUT BUTTER. Yep just smeared a tiny bit of peanut butter on it and polished like it was autosol, took the glue off and made the paint a bit shinier too!


Before

Image



After


Image
Super nice outcome idr.... i have a soft spot for low spec bikes (all the bikes i have), but there is nothing low spec about the final result you have achieved.
New owner should be rapted with the outcome, despite his spousal constraints.
chop wood

User avatar
frailer5
Posts: 978
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2011 9:25 am
Location: Sydney

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby frailer5 » Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:03 pm

ldrcycles wrote:Just got another one finished, a 1986 Repco Traveller, for a bloke at work (his wife won't let him buy a new bike :) ).

Ye Olde 105 cranks and 6 speed indexed shifters, 400EX front derailleur, Exage Sport rear derailleur. The wheels are basic 700C items off a hybrid, fitted with the 35c tyres that my Repco Preset came with.

Spinning round the carpark at work it feels great, very smooth (though FAR too small for me). VERY happy with the result, the paintjob came together nicely. Just out of interest too, i had some glue residue left from the masking tape, had no luck with a bunch of different methods til i tried PEANUT BUTTER. Yep just smeared a tiny bit of peanut butter on it and polished like it was autosol, took the glue off and made the paint a bit shinier too!


Before

Image



After


Image

That is a Cinderella-style transformation. I bet he still had some explaining to do with SWMBO. :twisted:
Well, no, it's not a pushbike, otherwise I'd be pushing it...
Ricardo Elite, '87 Keith Davis/Pegasus, '92 Team Miyata Ti.

rollin
Posts: 424
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:01 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby rollin » Fri Mar 08, 2013 7:00 am

Check out march issue of treadlie as this bike is the centerfold....

Image



Image

User avatar
Dan
Posts: 3289
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:32 pm
Location: Vegas, baby

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby Dan » Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:52 am

A few.

Europa before
Image

After
Image


Viner before
Image

After
Image

Joe H
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:58 pm

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby Joe H » Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:54 pm

Dan, Rollin and Idrcycles,

Those are all amazing transformations. My humble addition is just a no-name road find with a bunch of cleaning. I'm always amazed at the rebuilds on this thread!

My wife saw this on the road in the Blue Mountains last weekend and tossed it on the car rack. The owner's Dad helped her put it on the car. He didn't remember the make and said his son hasn't used it in decades. It was non-rideable as found but had some good old parts for a rebuild of any low-end bike from the 70s.

Image

I just spent a couple of hours removing unnecessary and heavy bits, adjusting, scrubbing with steel wool and WD-40, and doing some fairly crude touch up with Kermit the frog paint. The result is not bad.

Image

I've got tires, tubes, a seat and tape ordered so it will be ready for another 40 years of riding. The red and white Malvern Star will go to my neighbor and this will be the next stationary trainer/rain bike. Until my wife finds another…

User avatar
Dan
Posts: 3289
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:32 pm
Location: Vegas, baby

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby Dan » Sun Mar 17, 2013 8:26 am

Thanks Joe, however I'd trade every resto for your Merckx ;)

Joe H
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:58 pm

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby Joe H » Thu Apr 25, 2013 12:43 am

So my "atomic green" bar tape finally arrived ($5.95 USD) and now my latest beater is completed. I found green pin-stripe 27x1.5 inch rubber at Amazon for $13 each. With the seat and paint it's a pretty cheap bike that's not likely to be stolen (except maybe on St. Patrick's Day). It rides surprisingly well but chrome steel is not a great braking surface! Luckily there is a bit of rust on the rims to help. It was once crashed so the forks are set back a bit. I considered bending them back out but like the handling as is. No wobbles at speed but at well over 30 pounds speed isn't a big problem!

Joe

Image

User avatar
ldrcycles
Posts: 9593
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
Location: Kin Kin, Queensland

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby ldrcycles » Thu Apr 25, 2013 7:06 am

Joe H wrote:So my "atomic green" bar tape finally arrived ($5.95 USD) and now my latest beater is completed. I found green pin-stripe 27x1.5 inch rubber at Amazon for $13 each. With the seat and paint it's a pretty cheap bike that's not likely to be stolen (except maybe on St. Patrick's Day). It rides surprisingly well but chrome steel is not a great braking surface! Luckily there is a bit of rust on the rims to help. It was once crashed so the forks are set back a bit. I considered bending them back out but like the handling as is. No wobbles at speed but at well over 30 pounds speed isn't a big problem!

Joe

Image

That is VERY green! I like how you used a slightly different shade for the lugs, it's very subtle.

rollin wrote:
[img]<a title="Link added by VigLink" class="vglnk" href="http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp12 ... db5c20.jpg[/img" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span>http</span><span>://</span><span>i404</span><span>.</span><span>photobucket</span><span>.</span><span>com</span><span>/</span><span>albums</span><span>/</span><span>pp124</span><span>/</span><span>2073</span><span>/</span><span>8aa1cc82</span><span>-</span><span>3b51</span><span>-</span><span>4e6a</span><span>-</span><span>82a1</span><span>-</span><span>bca5c330f42b</span><span>_</span><span>zps29db5c20</span><span>.</span><span>jpg</span><span>[/</span><span>img</span></a>]

And that is just incredible.
"I must be rather keen on cycling"- Sir Hubert Opperman.

Road Record Association of Australia

gabrielle260
Posts: 1150
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2011 3:47 pm

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby gabrielle260 » Fri Apr 26, 2013 9:25 pm

Some strange definition of the word "subtle" that I have never heard before!
*grin*

Joe H
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:58 pm

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby Joe H » Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:01 pm

Certainly "subtle" is in the eye of the beholder! I did a pizza run tonight and think I noticed some glances that just might be considered green with envy. The original color was close to the current lug color so I used that as a tip-of-the -hat to the first version. Since the owner sprayed it neon green at some point, it was easiest to keep that as the main color (shake and spray paint from a toy store). All pretty shoddy up close but OK from a few feet. I did all of the paint work without stripping any parts to save time and effort. Some of the cables are tinted green but you'd have to get close to notice. She's up and running and has logged a good few hours on the trainer in the garage so she's a keeper until the next one gets delivered or found. Take care.

Joe

User avatar
hiflange
Posts: 1938
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 9:27 pm
Location: Perth
Contact:

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby hiflange » Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:51 pm

rollin wrote:Check out march issue of treadlie as this bike is the centerfold....

Image

Image
Loved this in Treadlie. Looks better in Treadlie's iPad version; it drops a bit far into the gutter of the print version :D Veerry pretty little bike, I'm curious to know who, if anyone, rides it.
Great "after" photography too. Good location choice, nice autumn leaf placement.

User avatar
pentlandexile
Posts: 473
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 9:48 am
Location: Brisbane

Re: Before and After Pics by all restorers

Postby pentlandexile » Sun Apr 28, 2013 8:16 am

RobertFrith wrote:
rollin wrote:Check out march issue of treadlie as this bike is the centerfold....

Image

Image
Loved this in Treadlie. Looks better in Treadlie's iPad version; it drops a bit far into the gutter of the print version :D Veerry pretty little bike, I'm curious to know who, if anyone, rides it.
Great "after" photography too. Good location choice, nice autumn leaf placement.

I'm curious about the original saddle, never seen one like that before.
Long day's journey into alt-bars

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: oldschoolfool