Restoration or Preservation???
People often ask me about different techniques to restore a bicycle. My question back to them is, "does it really need restoring?" My stance is to try and avoid restoration whenever possible especially with the really rare bicycles. I personally think bicycles should be preserved like a painting in a museum but made rideable without erasing the history. A little bit of paint loss and rust adds patina and maintains the history of the bike. :)
It all boils down to personal taste with bicycles. For some of the newer/older bikes restoration may be the way to go if the paint is thrashed or if the bike is in major disrepair. I have friends that get tons of enjoyment by completely taking a bike apart and rebuilding with newer components. If that floats your boat then enjoy! We all have to follow our own paths of gratification so to speak.
I advised the buyer today to clean the Columbia thoroughly, removing all the encrusted dirt to establish the true condition of the bike before tearing it all apart completely restoring. Oily and greasy parts can be tackled with the right products and paint can be tested by mild cleaning and a coat of polish (be careful of those transfers though). A thorough cleaning can give you a first step idea of how to proceed with getting the look you want and most important getting it back on the pavement or trails!
Good luck to the buyer of the Columbia! I look forward to seeing the bike on the trails! :)
Comments
I can go either way on what to do when it comes to restoring bikes. If my intention is to sell I clean the bike up and outfit it with new tires and cables, just the things that wear out. I have painted and updated other bikes to my personal tastes, I have noticed that custom bikes have a harder time selling. There is no right or wrong way to go about restoring bikes, it all depends on the future purpose of that bike.
I agree with you on the bike restoration angle...it all depends on what your taste is and what you are going to use it for. It seems that the last several bikes I have sold most have stated they were going to do full on restorations. Most have been run of the mill bikes so I say go crazy...:)
That bike frame belongs to a friend of mine ...he is into pin striping and I think think the details on it are a nice touch!
I will probably go bike picking in a few more weeks with my extra $$$. Hopefully I will be able to find some treasures to either keep or flip! :) Hope all is well with you!!