respray or leave an old frame as it is

TychoCaine

I'm back on the bike after a very long (multiple decades) layoff and while the new steed is a very pretty thing (Ridley Helium, 11s Ultegra), I still have the old bike at the back of the garage gathering dust. I'd love to restore and put back on the road. It's a late 80's/early 90's Raleigh Veloce 531 frame with an assortment of bits, including a very nice Campag Chorus chainset. The paint condition is OK, but the colour scheme of white, purple, green and luminous yellow is very "period". I think it's hideous, but before I get it sprayed/powder coated what do the boardsie's think?
It looks exactly like this one:

Phoebas

That's a theft resistant colour scheme.

Moflojo

If the paint is in good nick, which it appears to be, I wouldn't bother getting it resprayed. The colour scheme is a bit of an...acquired taste, but if you got the wheels & components cleaned up, along with new bar tape and brake hoods (if you can get them), you might be surprised by how good the bike would look.

Personally, I'd put some retro white bar tape on that bike (such as this, in white) and probably a new white saddle. It'd look great, and quite unique.

Buchaill_Mor

I am thinking of doing this ....

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=96509839&postcount=549

Aerosol is supposed to be quite soft, where has powder coat is very durable. Difficult to get powder coat in a nice metallic flake though if you are thinking along the lines of candy apple red or something.

But a traditional Blue or Red I think would look good on that.

Koobcam

With that colour scheme I'd definitely go for a respray. That can be expensive though, so if you are only going to use this for the odd spin, or maybe as a winter hacker, your best bet would be to just leave it as it is, maybe the mud will cover up the colour. By the way, what is it with frames from the 1990s, they all seem to have this tricolour paint job. My old 531 frame from back in the day was the same (yellow red and white).

eeeee

Oh I say no to respray, I love the colour scheme! It's bright, cool and colorful and original, and suits the frame. I wish I had a bike in those colours! I think it would be sad to cover it.

RobFowl

Respraying a period frame will adversely affect its resale value so bear that in account. If it's in good nick I'd leave it (but as an 80/90s aficionado I would!!). If respecting I'd go for team raleight red scheme or the raleight banana black/yellow combo

letape

I'd definitely leave it too. Very nice, period paint scheme!

My brother had an original raleigh banana team 531 with 105 in the early 90s.

arybvtcw0eolkf

I'd defo leave the frame, but I'd run amoke on the rest of the thing esp. if you and the bike have a bit of a past together.

magicbastarder

TychoCaine wrote: »

It looks exactly like this one

same saddle angle too?

Brendan Hennessy

Hi Tychocaine and all,

I'd say keep the colour and bring it down to the OLDVELOS Vintage International Classic in Killarney on the 13th of September..where it will be amongst friends! See www.oldvelos.com.

Best wishes,

Brendan

TychoCaine

magicbastarder wrote: »

same saddle angle too?

Most certainly not! Mine has a perfectly level San Marco Rolls. The best saddle I ever rode. There would be one on the Ridley if it wouldn't look out of place.

RobFowl

It's got Shimano biopace as well...

Brendan Hennessy

Rob,

I think that's just a sample picture! Biopace, much maligned until renamed whatever it is called now.

See you in Killarney?

Brendan

TychoCaine

RobFowl wrote: »

It's got Shimano biopace as well...

Biopace was horrible. Mine has a campag chorus crankset

8valve

Keep it original!

It show's it's heritage!

I'll stop using exclamation marks any time now!

Seriously, as a classic bike enthusiast, I'd say get her mechanically 100% and keep the original paint job.

It's lasted this long, so don't change it unless you really don't like the colour scheme...

Bjorn Turun

Frame looks nice, I would keep the colour scheme. The components do let the bike down, pedals, chainset etc.. The levers should 'scrub up' with a bit of soap and water. A small bit of work and you will have something you will really enjoy, leave the plastic bike in the shed!