Before and After Pics by all restorers

[WestcoastPete]

Righto.

This was/is my first resto after collecting a few too-good-to-scrap bikes from the tip shop. I had designs on a Malvern Star Triathlete to start with, but was/am really struggling to free the stem from the forks (I'll get back to it one day...) - and then while taking yet another load of palm fronds to the tip (F*kn palm fronds!!) I found this Nishiki Olympic 12.

(I vaguely remember taking a proper before picture of this bike, but can't find it anywhere. These are the pictures I took to send to the decal maker)









It's nothing too flash really, coming with Suntour ARx gear and Weinmann brakes rubbing on 27" rims.

After a bit of research, I dropped it into the one powder coater who would talk to me, and for $100 they stripped it and returned it in "Opaline" (a discontinued colour that they still had some of). I got some decals made up by Velocals ($US35! Bargain) and then had it clear coated in a 2-pac - this was possibly a mistake. I thought that by doing it I'd be protecting the frame and decals more, but the panel beater charged me $200 for it and, although he did an excellent job, I don't think I'll do it again. (I'm having colour dilemmas with my next project, but that's another story).

I fitted it with some Tektro R559s with the idea that, if I liked the bike a lot, I'd build up some 700c wheels for it. I had/have a great Suntour Cyclone RD, but I wanted a long cage for this bike, so sourced a Suntour V-GT, which is awesome. It has the clamp on Suntour Symmetric downtube shifters (which trim the FD when you change through the RD) - I haven't yet fitted a FD; the Cyclone one that I had was hugely worn and wouldn't shift. I have a Suntour 7 FD for it which will be fitted soon. I also fitted:

Nitto Technomic stem - Long
Nitto Noodle bars
Velo Orange leather bar tape
Brooks B17 Imperial (my new favourite)
Cane Creek Aero levers
SKS Chromoplastic Fenders

And here it is once it was built but lacking fenders:



I've ridden it around for a while now and I love it to bits, so I'm building up some 700c wheels for it (my first wheel build!) with a dynohub and 9sp rear. I toyed with the idea of VO or Honjo fenders (I put Honjos on my wife's VO Mixte and they're beautiful) but this is to be my everyday bike, so it's getting SKS Longboards. The size is just right without the Carradice saddle bag quick release clamped to the back of the saddle rail, so I'm getting the one that Rivendell sells which mounts on the rails behind where the seatpost clamps to the saddle rails. I also recently got hold of a Suntour Superbe crankset, but I'm not sure if I'll fit it to this bike. If anything, I'd like this bike to have a more randonneur type crankset. One day...

[grantw]

Gorgeous. Well done.

[munga]

looks a treat. steel pie plate adds to the vintage feel.
nice work.

[amrjon]

Love it, nice job.
Please post pics after you add the fenders too. I think they will look great on this bike.

[brasstinman]

Love it, nice job.
Pleas post pics after you add the fenders too. I think they will look great on this bike.

+1 to the fender pics, I'm waiting on a set myself.

[Stuey]

Nice, Pete. That's a really high stem!

How did the decals come out? I can't really see in the photo.

[cycles gitane]

Hillman 531 frame

Before:




After:














I estimate a late 70's frame. A frame with eyelets, so the aim was for a fast day rider/trainer.
A mixture of late 70's early 80's components, the better parts from the shed. Painted with a spray gun by my father, line work by Ken Dickie.

cycles gitane

[munga]

pretty snazzy bike, mate!

[WestcoastPete]

Great work CG! I like the line work...

Here are fender and decal pictures as requested. These are some SKS Chromoplastics that I had lying around; they'll be replaced with SKS Longboards soon. The decals were great, but my application of them was poor. I managed to leave an extra layer of plastic over a couple, and a nice dirty finger print under the head tube one. I'll be more careful next time...

[Stuey]

Yeah, those decals are good!

[rkelsen]

After:

I estimate a late 70's frame. A frame with eyelets, so the aim was for a fast day rider/trainer.
A mixture of late 70's early 80's components, the better parts from the shed. Painted with a spray gun by my father, line work by Ken Dickie.

cycles gitane

That came up a treat! Well done.

[elStado]

Hillman 531 frame

great job!

[WyvernRH]

Finished my Hartley;
Before:


And After:

[Johnj]

Looks very you've found a good home for the Osgear. GB stem TA? chainring and a pile of other goodies I can't recognise.

More pics and a full write-up would be good. Be nice to organise a ride for Osgear-equipped bikes.

[WyvernRH]

Looks very you've found a good home for the Osgear. GB stem TA? chainring and a pile of other goodies I can't recognise.

More pics and a full write-up would be good. Be nice to organise a ride for Osgear-equipped bikes.

Yes, turned into quite a saga this one, I'll be putting up a thread describing the build and spec ASAP.

An 'Osgear' ride sounds great idea - let's do it! A photo of massed Osgear equipped bikes probably hasn't been done since the 50's.
We might have to let the poor souls who only have simple gears like Simplex and Cyclo tag along tho'

Cheers
Richard

[maccayak]

OLD CENTURION 12 Speed Racer.
Found this old bike on a job I was working at. Frame took my eye as it looked my size. It was in the usual very poor condition.


Plan was just to clean up and return to working 12 speed. Found a better frame but I had already had frame blasted and powdercoated.


Re did steering cups and BB with sealed bearing, heaps easier. I decided to change plan and turn into a single speed, don't worry, can go back to geared bike easy. I have lots of flat land where I live so it has worked out really good. Bought new cheapie wheels & tyres. Fitted new Dia Compe rear brake and Gold Finger lever. Old cranks and pedal used for now. I will sneak new ones on shortly. It has turned out surprisingly light and it is fun to ride. Old handlebars and SR quill stem used with new Fizik tape. I was never a single speed fan but it is fun and you get a few second looks. Bike is not finished but I have clocked up 100k's and it has been fine.


I would like to put a better seat on it, cranks, chain, pedals and it will be all done. It scares me to think what some of you guys pay on some resto's. I used fairly cheap parts on this as it was a learning exercise, but it still cost a few hundred $$$. But its mine.

Geoff

[elStado]

Any specific reason why you chose to only have a rear brake? If I were to only have one brake I would much prefer for it to be up on the front.

[maccayak]

No real reason. I always like rear brakes better. Drop was closer on rear, frame cable guides were there, but it was planned to be a racer with front and rear brakes. The rear brakes were cheaper with the drop I required. The riding I do, the brakes dont get used much anyway as its all flat.

But it's a work in progress so things might change.

As a kid I went over the handlebars from locking up front wheels a few times so thats always a lasting memory.

Geoff

[maccayak]

Was I better off doing my bike up (see blue one in post above) or buying one of these?

http://www.reidcycles.com.au/bicycles/f ... bikes.html

Geoff

[ldrcycles]

MUCH better off doing your own. All else aside, when you buy one you will never have the same connection with it as you do with one that you have 'given birth to'.

[rkelsen]

Was I better off doing my bike up (see blue one in post above) or buying one of these?

http://www.reidcycles.com.au/bicycles/f ... bikes.html

No contest. The Centurion wins hands down.

One thing I'd do is put a 700c fork on it. A nice chrome one.

[spirito]

We might have to let the poor souls who only have simple gears like Simplex and Cyclo tag along tho'

Nah, they're an uppity bunch.

My Osgear equipped bike is a long way off (have to build it). Maybe I'll fashion my Osgear parts into something of a necklace and ride alongside on a skateboard.

[maccayak]

Was I better off doing my bike up (see blue one in post above) or buying one of these?

http://www.reidcycles.com.au/bicycles/f ... bikes.html

No contest. The Centurion wins hands down.

One thing I'd do is put a 700c fork on it. A nice chrome one.

I agree with the forks statement, the bike was planned to run 27 inch wheels hence the chrome forks on it. I have had a bit of a look for chromed forks to suit the frame style and 700 wheels, best I have found are un painted. If anyone knows a supplier of them I be glad to find out.

Geoff

[cycles gitane]

Was I better off doing my bike up (see blue one in post above) or buying one of these?

http://www.reidcycles.com.au/bicycles/f ... bikes.html

No contest. The Centurion wins hands down.

One thing I'd do is put a 700c fork on it. A nice chrome one.

I agree with the forks statement, the bike was planned to run 27 inch wheels hence the chrome forks on it. I have had a bit of a look for chromed forks to suit the frame style and 700 wheels, best I have found are un painted. If anyone knows a supplier of them I be glad to find out.

Geoff

Try Abbotsford Cycles in Melbourne. see link for forks..........

http://abbotsfordcycles.com.au/public/content/view/22/38/

cycles gitane

[dillonp]

repco clunker I did a couple years ago, happy to leave it at the shops etc ...
cost $0 + maybe $150, some hand me downs, some freebies, some bought.