Bicycle Restorations, Builds and ...

Yeah, small frame, I'm 6', not sure what I will do besides clean it up and possibly try a longer seat tube? Not so much a mountain biker, I prefer roads. Once the weather clears up and I have a little time to play with it I'll see if it is a keeper. I wonder if the company is still around and what the history of the company is?
 


I picked this jewel up last week for $50. It's a "slightly" roached '57 Schwinn Panther. Since this initial picture I've disassembled and sandblasted the rims and fenders. I have primed, painted, and respoked the rims. I'll clean and re-pack the bearings this week. My intentions are to get it mechanically sound but retain as much patina as possible. It's possible the tank will turn up in the crap crammed into the garage in which it was found.
 
I just converted my '95 Sunn Vertik 2 to a single speed. It still needs a trip to the mechanic to get the setup just right, but overall I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

Before:



After:






After riding this Battaglin road bike for the last couple of seasons, returning to the Sunn is definitely going to take some getting used to ( the much stiffer frame, and longer wheelbase makes for a harder, less agile ride). I sold it last year because the 52cm. frame was too small for me in the long run, so I'm casually on the lookout for something similar in a 54 or 56.

 
I'm toying with the idea of adding electric assist to my Townie Euro 8i 700C comfort.commuter bike for the hills. I'd need a skinny front wheel pancake motor to start. Then there's the front brake to figure out. It has great Shimano roller brakes. I've heard some electrics have regen breaking, but I'm not sure if that would be enough stopping power to quickly haul down my 275 lb bulk. I might be able to use the headlight mounting hole in the fork for the original headlight for a side pull. Any input is appreciated.

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April 1st Vintage Bike Restoration

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I picked this jewel up last week for $50. It's a "slightly" roached '57 Schwinn Panther. Since this initial picture I've disassembled and sandblasted the rims and fenders. I have primed, painted, and respoked the rims. I'll clean and re-pack the bearings this week. My intentions are to get it mechanically sound but retain as much patina as possible. It's possible the tank will turn up in the crap crammed into the garage in which it was found.


I took my first ride today
 
I just started my first complete restoration/rebuild projekt.
The lucky recipient of my loving attention (or unfortunate victim, depending on the outcome) is my '96 Sunn BMX cruiser. I bought it some 10 years ago intending to get it up and running, but soon after moved out on my own, didn't have the room to work on it, kind of forgot I had it etc. So it has been sitting in my mum's basement until a few days ago when I finally got around to getting it out of there.

The starting point (apparently the previous got caught up in the early noughties freestyle-craze, and added the pegs and gyro headset, which imo don't belong on this type of bike)


All broken down


Gunky bearings all around


Initial clean-up started


The good news is that the breakdown went smoothly - no stripped threads, overly rusted or stuck parts, or any other nasty stuff. So except for the chain, brakes, tyres, grips, and freewheel, I think I'll be able to reuse everything.
The bad news is that the black chrome is pretty far gone. It's full of scratches, and worn down to the nickel in several places. So unless I get it painted or rechromed, i will never look pretty again
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To be continued...
 
The BMX frame cleaned and waxed. It's still not pretty, but at least it's shiny and protected from rust.





Various bit and pieces degreased, and laid out to dry:





The rest of the parts will be getting a citric acid bath, and then the real fun (ordeing new parts, and reassembling) can begin
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My 1972 Italvega Super Speciale road bike, owned since high school, restored and recently ridden in the Eroica California vintage event in Paso Robles, early April. Had a blast! Using 700C x 35 tires, a bit large but very comfortable, especially on the gravel roads and up to 10% hills that made up 1/4 of the 40 mile route that I rode. The event also had 57 mile, 87 mile, and the heroic 127 mile route through the Paso Robles hillsides, wineries, and out to the ocean coast near Cambria and Cayucos before turning back inland.
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Me on the left, my brother-in-law on the right, at the starting area, 8:30am, only 43 degrees! Couldn't feel my fingers for the first mile or two.

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^^^ That Italvega is sweet. I like the chrome, drillium Campy, and large tires. :thumbsup:

I recently picked up a new project. It's a 1975-76 Raleigh Super Course MKII. It was hiding out in a super vague CL ad for a bunch of Columbia 3 speeds. The price was rediculously low. It's missing the Brooks saddle and has a bit of patina, but is in great shape overall.
Currently it's torn down to the frame, it's been washed and polished and the bottom bracket and headset have been cleaned and relubed. I plan on keeping it pretty much stock, replacing the consumables. I have a nice ideale 90 leather saddle that should match the French components the bike came with.

Picture as found:
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Pictures of bike torn down and cleaned up.
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I'll post some pics when I'm finished in a week or two.
 
This is is very fresh interest after I bought a trek Elance for20$ and flipped for 380. Was way too small but very nice. Then it all started. Picked up 2 nishikis a last week at thrift spot they were locking them up as I was walking out. Perfect timing. Never even ridin. Still fresh nubbies on tires. And my latest 1980? Stingray? Any and all comments appreciated. Lastly my keeper a slick looking centurion
 

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At A/D/Slover: Nice clean Nishikis. Look to be a opening price point level, but still real nice. I say that as I repaired bikes in the '70s and it seemed the opening price points always had the dual brake levers. My roommate in college had a nice Centurion. A real under valued bike that has a great ride.
 
So anyone on this thread have spare parts? I'm looking for an Italian threaded Campagnolo triple bottom bracket. I recently picked up a Campy Nuovo Record triple crankset to adapt onto an Italvega Super Speciale or Superlight I'm building up for a 2017 Eroica ride in Paso Robles in April 2017. Also looking for some 70's era Campy parts to restore the bike as well, plus maybe a Silca Imperio pump, color to be determined.

Start a conversation, mech986. I have a friend in Oak Ridge, TN who has a bike shop, he has a big selection of vintage parts.
 
Citric acid is the shit!
Here are the BMX bars/fork/crank/seatpost after an overnight soak, and maybe 10 minutes worth of very casual effort with a soft brush and a scrubby sponge:



I've also got a bunch of new parts on order, so I should be able to put it back together whithin the next week
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