Taiwanese ChroMoly gem.....

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kukamunga
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Taiwanese ChroMoly gem.....

Postby kukamunga » Sun Mar 23, 2008 1:56 pm

Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image

This 1.9kg Wheeler 'Chiostra 7200 Raceline' frame was found with a few very, very, low-end components (Dotek steel crankset, plastic derailleur). The lovely Shimano 600 headset, Sachs Huret shift levers, and forks (obviously) being the only things worth keeping. Not sure if the covered-in lower steerer-tube is original, or done later (for aerodynamics, maybe?). Drilling it out may shave a few more grams off its' 560g fork weight! :wink:
Last edited by kukamunga on Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:17 pm, edited 6 times in total.
feelthewheel
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Postby feelthewheel » Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:09 pm

Another nice find Kukamunga (hard rubbish again?) - I especially like the "W" cutouts on the headstem lugs and BB ...
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Postby cludence » Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:26 pm

I love the bike stand the best!

Karen.
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Postby 531db » Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:01 pm

Pity about the chrome on the forks, it looks pretty ordinary. The frame looks as if it might be savable though.
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Postby cludence » Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:03 pm

Wood bleech will work wonders on the forks.

Karen.
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Postby feelthewheel » Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:58 am

Hello Karen
I'm interested to hear about using wood bleach to remove rust stains on chrome - how does that work? I am guessing the rust remains but is no longer visible?

My current technique is the old gentle steel wool and some sort of lubricant (I use dirty kero but have seen other posters say water, etc). Look forward to learning something new!
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Andrew - feelthewheel
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GaryF
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Postby GaryF » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:31 am

I agree with feelthewheel, the "W" cast into the lugs and BB help to make it more desirable. It does look to be quite well built for a mass produced frame.

Shame about the front forks but I would have had a go at cleaning them up with steel wool and a thin lubricant - until Cludence's suggestion of wool bleach! Wool Bleach, I would like to see how that works too.

The frame is calling out for a Shimano Groupset - Dura Ace/Ultegra from the 90's would look nice.
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Postby stryker84 » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:40 am

Not wool bleach Gary, wood bleach! Otherwise known as oxalic acid, apparently it does wonders. I'm not sure how either, but others here and elsewhere have used it with great success. I'll let Karen or someone else handle the technical details.
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Postby GaryF » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:43 am

Thanks Stryker84, I was just thinking that I need to put my glasses on.
Last edited by GaryF on Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby cludence » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:06 am

Best place for info on wood bleech can be found on the following forun. There are also before and after pics as well.

http://www.vintagebmx.com/community/ind ... &hl=oxalic
kukamunga
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Postby kukamunga » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:04 pm

Sorted! Pic now up top with others.

So, no-one has recommended re-chroming the forks yet. Any rea$ons?
Last edited by kukamunga on Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:43 pm, edited 4 times in total.
feelthewheel
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Postby feelthewheel » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:43 am

Thanks muchly Cludence for the link regarding wood bleach. It's great to learn new techniques to sharpen the visual appeal of our (many) projects.

However, I'm sure wool bleach as a new technique may have had us all reaching for some "Martha Gardner's". May possibly not have worked but all of our bikes would have smelt much nicer for it ... baa baa baa! Lavender or Eucalyptus anyone? :)
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Postby cludence » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:35 pm

Would have been fun getting all the suds off the parts! You would only do it once. :lol:

Karen.
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Postby kukamunga » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:37 am

Chucked this together yesterday.....

Image

It's amazing what a bit of wood bleach and a few hard rubbish parts can do! :wink:
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Postby kukamunga » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:53 am

It's amazing what a bit of wood bleach and a few hard rubbish parts can do! :wink:
NOT! :shock: Actually found this here on German eBay. Something for me to 'work' towards, I guess..... :roll:

Re: rusty chrome forks. If the rust is just surface rust, I imagine wood bleach will work wonders. If rust is more 'deep-set' than that, won't the chrome be pitted and damaged, and the rust just keep re-appearing? Re-chroming the forks has not been mentioned by anyone yet. Why i$ that?
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vic
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Postby vic » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:51 pm

Has anyone else tried Citric Acid in the same capacity? Its pretty amazing stuff too!
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GaryF
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Postby GaryF » Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:46 pm

I tried the wool bleach - it does smell nice.

The Wheeler looks nice with the shamals kukamunga - a pretty fancy commuter.

I had some parts re-chromed a few years back and was REALLY disappointed with the results. The chrome platers ground the c--p out of the parts and the plating has already started to lift and the original surface has started to rust.

I think there were environmental restrictions enforced in the 70's that forced the chrome plating process to change resulting in a much inferior result.
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Postby stevendavid75 » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:49 pm

pHEW, you got me there big time, Im thinking who on this planet would chuck some shamals anyway I can settle down now...
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Postby kukamunga » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:02 pm

Image
I checked this website, but I didn't see any bike wheels there..... :roll:
awhipps
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Postby awhipps » Thu May 08, 2008 9:27 pm

Hi, I used to work in a bike shop in QLD in the early 90's, and I remember selling this model of Wheeler Road bike. In fact I still own one, I have some issues with the chrome, but I have been able to keep on top of it over the years.

The 7200 originally came with a complete Ultegra groupset, with Mavic Open 4cd rims, Vittoria tyres, good quality but Taiwanese bars, stem, seat and seatpost.

I think this bike was a 94 or 95 model, reasonably inexpensive for the time, this is probably why you found a frame, a lot of these Wheelers were purchased for their groupsets, and hence the frames were not uncommon to find.
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Postby AUbicycles » Thu May 08, 2008 9:43 pm

I got a BMX rechromed some years back, worked fantastically - first acid baths and then chrome baths. For the fork no problems ... I just don't know how you would go about the chroming the rear seat and chain stays, the paint job still looks ok, don't know if a complete respray is worth it.

I think I would see about getting another fork and seeing if the wood bleach does the trick on the rear.
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Postby kukamunga » Sat May 10, 2008 10:52 pm

The frame chrome is in much better nick than the forks. From what I can tell, the whole frame is chromed, and the the blue parts painted over the top. Thanks 'awhipps' for your info. Explains why I found this frame with a mismatch of cheaper components on it. I guess steel was just so passe by the mid 90's. I might try and sell this frame at the upcoming swap meet here in Melbourne
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cycles gitane
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Postby cycles gitane » Sun May 11, 2008 5:30 pm

kukamunga wrote: I might try and sell this frame at the upcoming swap meet here in Melbourne

This swap meet is getting a lot of mentions :D
If people are going along, what sort of "old bicycle junk" might you be looking for?
Perhaps: old frames for fixies? old wheels? 1980s components?
what would be your most wanted item or the piece to complete the retro restoration?
regards
Adrian
trying to clear out the garage!
kukamunga
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Postby kukamunga » Sun May 11, 2008 7:17 pm

Adrian C? Is that you??? :shock:

Tony
kukamunga
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Postby kukamunga » Sun May 11, 2008 7:58 pm

DOH! I should've guessed from this...
cycles gitane wrote:Being new to the forum I was not sure I had done the right thing in posting the details.
Anyway, you know the details kukamunga :wink:
Should be a good day to share the goodies around. :D
Welcome to the forum! :lol:
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