Nothing compares to the style and quality of a vintage bicycle; especially as now thanks to festival goers, indie stores and celebrities these bikes are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Sadly, because everyone now wants one, the price has rocketed, and a good vintage style bike can set you back as much as £500!
We don’t all have that sort of money, but don’t worry; your dreams of a dreamy pastel bicycle with a basket aren’t over yet, because there is another way! It’s much cheaper to restore an old, rusted bike than it is to buy a brand new one; it just requires a little elbow grease and a few supplies.
Look to charity and bric-a-brac shops or even tipping yards to find an old vintage bike. You may even find one in the local classifieds if you are vigilant. To obtain an old bike will probably cost you very little or nothing at all, which means you will have a good budget to work with to make the bike into something you’ve always dreamed of. However, when sourcing your bike make sure it is the right size for you or you may end up doing all that work then finding you can’t ride it.
To begin this project you will need a bicycle repair kit and a few standard tools such as spanners, screwdrivers and hammers, but we also recommend getting your hands on some rust removal equipment (such as wire wool and sandpaper), paint stripper and WD-40. First step is to strip the bike down to its bare frame – remove the wheels, the accessories, the pedals and the chain and gears, but make sure if you’re unsure where everything goes that you take note of it. Keep all small parts in a tray to ensure you don’t lose any of them. Next, use some paint remover to get rid of any rusted and chipped paint – remove it all if you plan to repaint it, and make sure you do this task in a well-ventilated room. Next sand the frame down and wash it until you have a rough but clean surface for new paint to adhere to. This can take a long time so be prepared! Once you’re finished you can apply a coat of primer then spray on a new coat of paint. Next step is to clean up all the individual parts – use a degreaser such as Kerosene and leave the worst parts to soak for a few days; they will come out as good as new. Your bike might need new tires; cream or white tires always look great on vintage bikes, so search around to find the best. Reassemble the bike when everything is clean and / or new. Re-grease anything that needs it such as the chains. After all that you can add any final accessories; there are plenty of online tutorials for reupholstering your bike seat, but you might also want to add a shiny new bell and basket to your bike for an authentic look!
If all this sounds too much like hard work and you can’t be bothered with the elbow grease but have a few quid spare to buy something with a vintage look, you should consider from the Electra Range at Global Bike. Electra Range @ GLOBALBIKE
