Old Bike Restoration

LightningBolt

Looking to fix up a High Nelly. Frame is in pretty good shape but there's heavy rust on the rims and a couple of parts (figure I can soak these in a rust remover and then lubricate if needed). Has anybody successfully tackled removing heavy rust from rims or am I best to fork out on a new set? Thanks.

funkyjebus

LightningBolt wrote: »

Looking to fix up a High Nelly. Frame is in pretty good shape but there's heavy rust on the rims and a couple of parts (figure I can soak these in a rust remover and then lubricate if needed). Has anybody successfully tackled removing heavy rust from rims or am I best to fork out on a new set? Thanks.

Do a search, there was a thread about a week ago where someone was talking about some pretty good looking rust remover.

Mycroft H

Oxalic Acid. Its meant to be a decent rust remover. I'm going to look in woodies tomorrow. Failing that, I'll ask in my local old man chemist.

PressTheButton

If restoring the frame - consider sand blasting, acid stripping, powder coating as per this post by Boardsie jelatron:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=77063829&postcount=6

Mycroft H

LightningBolt wrote: »

Looking to fix up a High Nelly. Frame is in pretty good shape but there's heavy rust on the rims and a couple of parts (figure I can soak these in a rust remover and then lubricate if needed). Has anybody successfully tackled removing heavy rust from rims or am I best to fork out on a new set? Thanks.

Depends on the structure of the rim. I've some of the old 28" westwood rims on a bike in the shed and there is heavy structural rust on the inside of the rim. Its fit for the bin at this stage. Fortunatly, there still made, so sourcing them isn't too hard. SJS Cycles still do them. Keep the old hubs if they work.

If its a raleigh, don't throw away parts. They used a lot of propitiatory parts including headsets, bottom brackets, seatposts, hubs and dropouts. The good news is that they were very well made. There is a good chance that much of the bearing surfaces are still intact and only need some bearings and some new grease and a polish.

piston

Only 36 hole westwood rims are freely available AFAIK. Older bikes had 32 spokes on the front and 40 on the back, these rims can be difficult to get hold off but are out there.

Mycroft H

piston wrote: »

Only 36 hole westwood rims are freely available AFAIK. Older bikes had 32 spokes on the front and 40 on the back, these rims can be difficult to get hold off but are out there.

Thats true, I noticed that yesterday. I'd say the 36h version would be good enough though.

EDIT; Wouldn't be able to use the original hubs then.

Further edit;

Found both of them from an Irish supplier.

40h

and the 32h

Harrybelafonte

BX 19 wrote: »

Oxalic Acid. Its meant to be a decent rust remover. I'm going to look in woodies tomorrow. Failing that, I'll ask in my local old man chemist.

Will you post if you find the stuff please. Spent a long time last year looking for it to no avail.

Mycroft H

Yep I will, going to have a look in town for it today.

Morgan

This lad (as seen on RTE TV!) seems to know a thing or two about doing up old bikes:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.370910569588357.93391.281715625174519&type=1

http://vintagebicycleworkshop.ie/

Mycroft H

Morgan wrote: »

This lad (as seen on RTE TV!) seems to know a thing or two about doing up old bikes:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.370910569588357.93391.281715625174519&type=1

http://vintagebicycleworkshop.ie/

Blimey, 15 quid to change a tube! :eek:

PressTheButton

Restored, these would go well with your high nelly project:

http://www.adverts.ie/bikes/vintage-front-and-rear-lights-tool-bag/1625114#comments

piston

I tried oxalic acid (bought from UK Ebay, it's cheap enough) and didn't seem to achieve the results others claim but perhaps I didn't mix it strong enough.

If sandblasting the frame, be careful who you get to do it. The equipment and grade of "sand" used to blast something like a Victorian wrought iron bridge is very different from what you need to blast a bicycle frame.

Doctor Bob

BX 19 wrote: »

Blimey, 15 quid to change a tube! :eek:

Might seem steep, but have you ever done it on a Dutch/high nelly bike? First (and only) time I did it, it took me over two hours, largely because I was being careful to note how the chaincase, hub gear, chain adjusters, etc. etc. were installed. It's fiddly!

(A standard tube replacement is never less than a tenner anyway.)

PS Thanks for the oldbikes.ie link- a new one to me. Bookmarked.