If you are trying to determine the genealogy of your bicycle by it's features, go to our Vintage Bicycle Price Guide
which details bicycle features, wheel sizes, brake types, etc., as well as showing a price estimate for your old bicycle.
If you are trying to determine the make and model of your bicycle, go to our Vintage Bicycle Picture Database
which details bicycle features, wheel sizes, etc., as well as showing a price estimate for your vintage bicycle.
| hi folks --- anyone out there that can tell me of a product that will remove paint, but not hurt the crome on my aerobee 5 sp avenger? does anyone know if the crome under the paint is the same quality as the exposed crome around the lettering (it is in the normal places on the bottom of the guard and left curved area)? if so, I know it can handle normal stripper --- just checking --- thanks! |
| Try standard paint thinners and aluminium foil, or a brass wire brush, just nothng steel. You don't want to scratch the chrome when it could be avoided. |
| Can anybody help me source NOS non pneumatic tyres for a 1940's Murray Tricycle. Google searches have led me nowhere. Thanks in advance. Jeremy Crowley. |
| I'm in the same situation. I'm trying to restore 2 1960s Murray tricycles for my girls and have almost resorted to buying brand new tricycles just for the wheels. If any one can offer some suggestions you'd be helping both of us. |
| You might check with pedal car part supliers like (blue diamond classics). Murry made many pedal cars & I know you can get them.To put them on you just heat them in hot water in the sink for serveral min. That will make them flexable & they go on very easy ,.also pedal car tires come in a lot of sizes. Ozzie |
| I'm fixing up an old Schwinn for my daughter. The head badge is chipped up and I'd like to fix it up rather than buy a new one for $20+. Any ideas how to leave the raised letters one color while painting the rest another? It is a SunRise. I can't find any info about these. How old?? Thanks. |
| Check the serial number chart on this site to determine age. As for the head badge I'd say either spray the whole thing then carefully brush paint the raised letters or break out the masking tape and paint one area then mask it off and paint the other |
| head badges are very difficult to restore and make look good however there are a few people who do specialize in this work post on middleweight section and maybe someone will have the info.although 20.00 is diddlysquat to spend on any restore project. good luck |
| Does anyone know of any sources on the internet who sell misc replacement parts for restoring old bicycle tire air pumps? Thanks in advance for any info. Ed |
| Anyone know how to repair a sturmey archer front drum hub? |
| Go to www.sheldonbrown.com and click on "old bikes". Scroll down to Dynohubs |
| Hi there. I just acquired a 1946 Hercules gents' bike, rod brakes, black frame, Sturmey Archer 3 speed (retrofitted?). It's in a bad way. The brake components have lost most of their chrome and are now rusty. The rims have 30% rust on the braking area where the chrome has gone. Some chrome still remains. The frame is restorable and I'm not too worried about that. The tyres and tubes are in a complete mess and need replacing. The mudguards are largely rusted and many of their mountings are broken. I have a friend with a welder so these can be repaired. The saddle is not in great condition: all the metal underneath is rusty , and one of the rivets holding the leather (or whatever it is) over the springs has torn through the leather. Only one pedal is present. The other pedal, including sprocket, chain and chainguard, is missing. It's possible that these parts may be located, and it's also possible that they're lost forever! However, as grim as this description sounds, the bike is restorable because virtually none of its moving parts have seized!! This is due to it having been ridden regularly up until a year or so ago, after which time it was left outside to rot. My main concern is the rims: how can I disguise the rust without compromising braking? The bike won't be used regularly. Please email me any advice! Thanks Anthony |
| OK, the SA is from 1962 IIRC, an AW. It was therefore certainly fitted a long while after the bike was bought! I have found the chain and bought a new sprocket and crank arm, with cotterpins. |
| I've put together a web page about the restoration on http://homepages.tesco.net/houseofsteel/hercules.htm . There are also a few pictures of other nice bicycles that I've seen around London and Canterbury. |
| Good luck with the restoration. Checking the site out, seems your approach is on the money. Also was looking at the other bikes. A lot of drooling material there... we don't tend to see anything rolling around like that here. As to the Pashley being in excellent condition, could be it's a relatively new machine as they are still being manufactured to this day. Regards! Larry "Boneman" Bone |
| Cheers, Boneman. You're probably right, if it is a new one it's nice to see rod brakes and everything. What is interesting is the rubber brake lever grips: it could do without those (and without all those plastic light-system parts and so on). I'm going home for the weekend so I'll be able to work on the bike a bit more. Then the following week I'm home for Easter, so it should be rolling within a month or so. |
| Does anyone know of a polish or wax for chrome rims that wouldn't compromise braking? |
| I have an old Bianchi bike and the front brake is broken. The breaks are of the rod type (probably not the right name). There seems to be some disconnect inside the handlebar. Any ideas on how these things work? Thanks! |
| I took apart a shamano 3 speed gear off an old cruiser and now I can't get it back together. A long pin sits inside the bolt that runs thru the rear hub. There is an attachment that screws to the boldt and the when the gear adjuster is moved from gear one to two then it pulls the cable that pushes the lever inside the adjuster which pushes the pin into the hub. But now it doesn't work. I would love some help. much thanks zack |
| You said the long pin sits in the axle. It should screw in. On Sturmy Archer hubs you screw it in until it bottoms (do this gently And DON'T tighten it)then back it off one half turn. Connect the cable and adjust it with the hub in second gear. The pin should just come to the end of the axle. See www.sheldonbrown.com for more info. |
| I have some rust on the back wheel of my aplle crate. It looks like surface rust but i can't seem to get it off. Any tips? Also on my back tire there is a strip of red that follows the outer edge. It is faded but the tire otherwise is in good shape. What do I do to restore that stripe? Thanks for any suggestions. |
| Get that cleaning kit they sell here. It'll clean up the rust and you can use the cleaning oil on the tire |
| Another thing you can try is the olde WD40 and aluminum foil trick. The aluminum foil will remove the rust but is too soft a material to damage the chrome. Good luck! Larry "Boneman" Bone |
| Pour some motor oil on a rag and rub it into the tires. This technique works very well. The original owner of my friend's stingray did that 20 years ago and it has no dryrotting after sitting in an attic for 20 years. |
| This technique can be used for pitted rust. soak a rag with coca cola and rub it on the rusted area then use aluminum foil and rub the rust until it dissapears. Works very well on chrome. |
| hi what are the right steps and procedures for painting a bicycle. from what i know these are the sets: 1) remove existing paint using paint remover and sand blasting it or use 120 grit sandpaper until all paint and rust are removed. 2)use primer 1-2 coats. 3) use filler if needed.then use 120 grit or less sandpaper and for final shaping use a fine (320 grit) sandpaper. 4) use primer 1-2 coats. and rub it down with a 400 grit sandpaper . 5) apply 2 coats of color paint 6) then apply graphics paint /design 7) use 1200 grit sandpaper 8) and apply clear coat im trying to paint my columbia bicycle and pls let me know if i have the right procedure.thanks by: 202.81.166.36 |
| I would not reccomend sandblasting this can warp sheetmetal and do more damage thn good.I take my bikes to a dip and strip place.cost is reasonable and frames come out nice and clean.after you must neutralize the frame as well because the stripper can sometimes hide in the little crevises and come back to ruin your new paint job.As far as painting a lot depends on the type of paint your using The newer paints almost take a chemistry degree to figure out.I usually stay with laquer just because its easy to work with. but just my 2 cents good luck. Also powder coating is a cool way to go. as well |
| Hi I am restoring a 1950/60-something Hercules mens bike. It is black but the paint job isn't in good condition. I dont know what the rules are... Does one re-paint vintage bicycles or is this heresy? |
| Even if the paint is just fair you will be better off cleaning up and leaving it alone if you want to preserve the value. Its only original once. A top restoration can still be worth more than a total wreck but not as valuable as an original. The question you must answer is,are you interested in monetary value or do you want it perfect. Cycle on! |
| Hello I was windering if anyone has any info on a bike that my great aunt has? I'm going to guess 60's or older.... CCM (???) mark 4 two seater. She isn't interested in selling, but she would like to fix this bike. It seems to be all there?, but I would like to see some pictures of one either restored or in good shape etc. Thanks Ray |