Project bike

Blanchy90 · 20-06-2020 12:53am #1

Thought I'd put up a thread to track the progress of my project and hopefully get some suggestions for parts.

It's not much to look at now but I'm hoping to have it back on the road in a few weeks.

The frame is a Dawes, I believe it's from the 80s. I bought it from a charity shop around 10 years ago and used it through college.

The frame and wheels are about all I'll keep, everything else will be replaced.

I'm hoping to keep this cheap enough so most parts will be second hand or from Amazon.

tigerboon · 20-06-2020 2:35am

Blanchy90 wrote: »

Thought I'd put up a thread to track the progress of my project and hopefully get some suggestions for parts.

It's not much to look at now but I'm hoping to have it back on the road in a few weeks.

The frame is a Dawes, I believe it's from the 80s. I bought it from a charity shop around 10 years ago and used it through college.

The frame and wheels are about all I'll keep, everything else will be replaced.

I'm hoping to keep this cheap enough so most parts will be second hand or from Amazon.

Rose bikes are good value for wheels etc.

8valve · 20-06-2020 8:23pm

Love it. Another steel classic saved! Chapeau!

Boxes of spare parts here; let me know if you are stuck for anything.

Blanchy90 · 22-06-2020 10:51am

8valve wrote: »

Love it. Another steel classic saved! Chapeau!

Boxes of spare parts here; let me know if you are stuck for anything.

Thanks for that! I'm sure I'll be stuck for something haha

I need to figure out what parts I need to get, I want the bike to feel new (ish) I definitely need new handlebars and I'd like integrated brake and shift leavers

Macy0161 · 22-06-2020 11:45am

Hoping to make a start on my own soon - did you hand sand it down or what did you use?

Blanchy90 · 22-06-2020 11:54am

Macy0161 wrote: »

Hoping to make a start on my own soon - did you hand sand it down or what did you use?

I stripped most of it using a wire brush attachment for a drill and I hand sanded some other areas. One tip if your hand sanding put some duct tape on the back of the sand paper, it'll stop it tearing.

I had initially planned to clear coat over the bare steel frame but after another thread on here I discovered that wont keep the rust out... had I realised that I would have just scuffed the paint and put the new colour over it. I'm tempted not to bother going down to bare metal in the hard to reach places that are left.

magicbastarder · 22-06-2020 12:14pm

you can also get fabric backed sandpaper which is much more robust. i buy it in 3m rolls.

Blanchy90 · 22-06-2020 10:16pm

Any advice for getting this bottom bracket off?

Brute force and ignorance isn't working for me

07Lapierre · 22-06-2020 10:19pm

What tool are you using to remove it?

Blanchy90 · 22-06-2020 10:30pm

07Lapierre wrote: »

What tool are you using to remove it?

A bench vice :pac:

07Lapierre · 22-06-2020 10:36pm

You need this,( or something equivalent)

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/park-tool-crank-bottom-bracket-wrench-hcw-4/rp-prod17504

cletus · 22-06-2020 11:56pm

Blanchy90 wrote: »

Any advice for getting this bottom bracket off?

Brute force and ignorance isn't working for me

Will neither side move? Is the drive side left hand threaded?

If it won't move with the right tool (or a bench vice) you may need to apply heat

hesker · 23-06-2020 9:51am

You’ll need something like the CRC tool or a spanner that won’t slip.

Then get a long pipe or length of box iron and slip it over the end of the spanner. I have a 20 ft length. You’ll be surprised how easily it will move with a long enough lever.

If you can, soak it in penetrating oil (not WD40) overnight beforehand.

Blanchy90 · 23-06-2020 12:16pm

Thanks I'll look into getting the right tool.

I soaked it in wd40 last night, I'll try get some proper penetrating oil.

The bottom bracket is pretty stiff so I think it'll need to be replaced anyway. Are these a standard enough size or will I have difficulty replacing it?

07Lapierre · 23-06-2020 12:21pm

Blanchy90 wrote: »

Thanks I'll look into getting the right tool.

I soaked it in wd40 last night, I'll try get some proper penetrating oil.

The bottom bracket is pretty stiff so I think it'll need to be replaced anyway. Are these a standard enough size or will I have difficulty replacing it?

If your handy with a drill and a hacksaw, and have a bit of steel bar lying around, you could make/bodge something similar to the tool i linked to earlier. (save a few quid)

cletus · 23-06-2020 12:24pm

A good adjustable spanner should be able to grip too, but if you're clamping the flats in a bench vice, and you can't rotate the frame around the BB, then I think you need heat.

Blanchy90 · 23-06-2020 12:33pm

I've no steel bar, I'll see can I get one cheap on amazon or even borrow one.

There's a small crack under the bottom bracket so I don't really want to heat it. I'll probably use something like jb weld to "fix" it

cletus · 23-06-2020 12:41pm

How were you using the bench vice to loosen it?

Blanchy90 · 23-06-2020 1:02pm

cletus wrote: »

How were you using the bench vice to loosen it?

I held the frame on its side and tightened the flat spots into the vice

magicbastarder · 23-07-2020 12:23pm

any progress on this?

Blanchy90 · 27-07-2020 10:08am

magicbastarder wrote: »

any progress on this?

Nothing yet, I ended up ordering a bike on the cycle to work scheme so I'll continue this project but try to reuse as many of the original parts as possible rather than spend money upgrading.

I'm not sure what to do about the crack in the frame under the bottom bracket, I think its been there for years but I cant be sure

magicbastarder · 03-09-2020 7:59pm

just picked this up. paid 50 quid for it; a falcon, almost certainly a westminster. 531 frame; handlebars would have originally been drop bars, so a bit of a shame to not have the original brake levers and bars. drivetrain has been replaced too, but it'll keep me busy over the winter. frame needs to be stripped and repainted.

Eamonnator · 03-09-2020 8:57pm

^^^^^^^.

When I was going to school, There was a lad had a bike quite similar to that.
We used to call the bike Ardnacrusha, because there were so many wires and cables on it.

cletus · 03-09-2020 9:10pm

Blanchy90 wrote: »

Nothing yet, I ended up ordering a bike on the cycle to work scheme so I'll continue this project but try to reuse as many of the original parts as possible rather than spend money upgrading.

I'm not sure what to do about the crack in the frame under the bottom bracket, I think its been there for years but I cant be sure

Do you know anyone that's handy at Tig welding

hesker · 03-09-2020 9:24pm

Blanchy90 wrote: »

I'm not sure what to do about the crack in the frame under the bottom bracket, I think its been there for years but I cant be sure

Post a photo of it.

Many old steel frames had slots in them so the bb shell doesn’t need to be leak tight.

You can stop cracks from getting worse by drilling holes at each end.

magicbastarder · 03-09-2020 9:24pm

anyone who's stripped a bike - what sort of grit sandpaper did you start at, and what did you finish at? i need to order some anyway for other purposes so will buy extra for the bike.

cletus · 03-09-2020 9:35pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

anyone who's stripped a bike - what sort of grit sandpaper did you start at, and what did you finish at? i need to order some anyway for other purposes so will buy extra for the bike.

If you can't get it sandblasted (by far the easiest option), then start with 60/80 grit, up to 220 grit, and depending on the finish you want and the condition of the frame, you could go as far as 320

Paint stripper for the small detail areas

magicbastarder · 03-09-2020 9:41pm

yeah, there's a panelbeater i've thrown some business at before, who'd have the gear for both the sandblasting and spraying, so may see what he quotes.

[Deleted User] · 03-09-2020 10:11pm

Curious to know if the lights work on it still mb?

You could probable sell the rack on handy enough for a few quid if you had no use for it too.

magicbastarder · 03-09-2020 10:27pm

looks like there was a dynamo on the back wheel but the cables running back to it end at the seat tube. it's got a good chunky bell on it though.
the rack is a lidl or aldi job by the looks of it.
not pictured were the old pannier bags on it - made of leather, a satchel type design. my wife is going to try to restore the leather on them. they can be seen on the original ad:

https://www.adverts.ie/road-bikes/antique-mens-bike/21376370

Peter T · 04-09-2020 10:16am

Very nice. Picked up winter project myself. Raleigh, think its a superb from the 50's or 60's. Haven't dived into it fully yet. Tyres and tubes still hold air after 30 years of non use. Not sure how far I'll go with it, a good service anyway and enjoy it a bit as is. Maybe move it on for someone to do a full resto once I've had my fun.

Project bike

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