How to go about restoring my vintage bicycle?

Question

I've just purchased a vintage bike (from the 1970's), and I have no idea how to go about cleaning it, making it look presentable, etc. I know absolutely nothing about bikes. The bike is in decent condition, the paint is chipped off in some parts and some dirt has built up pretty heavily on certain areas. There's rusting on the springs under the seat, which can also shift from left to right. The chain is pretty dirty but looks like it works fine. Also, is there any way to lower the seat, even after I've adjusted to the lowest position possible? I'm 5'3 and the bike still causes me some slight discomfort because of its height. Any advice at all is greatly appreciated.

P.S. I'm on a tight budget.

Answer 1

it depends of what kind of bike it is. if it trully a vintage bike that will make worth the investment, you can really restore slowly.

the cleaning should be done with a power washer or even soap and soft brush. then use car wax to remove other grease and heavy dirt. use the same wax to try to remove some of the rust, but if it is heavy, the rust will just be there and then you will have to sand it and recrhomoed it

bikingthings

Answer 2

Well, it depends on if you want to make it rideable or if you want it to be a collectors item.

To just ride it, I suggest getting it a new chain. Even if it looks like it still works, you will want to get a new one and keep it greased up nicely. Chains are pretty cheap ($10?) and you can install them yourself.

You can lower the seat more by cutting down the stem. We do it at the shop by putting it in a vice and using a hack saw to it.

For the seat, you would probably want to replace that too, (anywhere from $5-100 depending on the quality and comfort. For cheap saddles, ask a shop for the ones they take off the bikes and replace for customers that buy new bikes, they usually have a huge pile of them for cheap) But if the broken springs don't cause you any problems, then don't worry about it. You have to figure out if the problem you are having with discomfort are from riding the bike that isn't fit for you or if it is an uncomfortable saddle. Saddles are what make or break a bike for people riding it. Nobody can tell you what the best saddle is though, it depends on you and what you prefer. Some people like the hard saddles and some like soft. Try them out from a place that has a good return policy if they aren't comfortable, and you should be able to tell within 1-3 rides if the saddle is right for you.

You can have them strip off the paint and repaint it if you want, but I have no idea where to do that or how much that would cost.

I hope this helps, but I'm sure there are things I am missing. Perhaps you could take it into a bike shop for them to look over and give you an estimate on what it would cost for them (or you) to fix anything on there. Also, see if there is any rust you need to remove and they could help you do that or at least point you in the right direction.