In 6 steps :
Restoring a vintage racing bike
You like vintage racing bikes? Are you a bit of an environmentalist at heart and don't want to buy a new bike? They say you have "urchins in your pockets"?
But above all: you don't want to invest in a beautiful bike that will end up like all the other beautiful bikes in town: STOLEN.
Then we have the solution for you: Rebuilt an old racing bike from the 80's to make it a little racer.
Sure, it will be a bit heavier than a bike for a 30 year old who starts triathlon, but it will ride! And it will ride pretty well... and most importantly, you will be much less likely to get pulled.
Step 1: Buying a racing bike on the internet
For my part, I threw my heart on a small Gitane bike at 70€ size 54, worn by life, but which only needed a little love to reveal itself fully.
Regarding the size, note that 54 will be versatile enough for anyone between 5'6" and 5'8".
Find below a table explaining how to choose the frame height (between the center of the bottom mount and the bottom of the seat) of a road bike:
Step 2: Find the nearest repair shop
Three reasons to contribute to a workshop near you:
- for each repair, the golden rule if you don't want to tear your hair out is: one repair = one set of tools
- you can find a lot of spare parts impossible to find in stores
- the icing on the cake, in general the subscription costs only around 20€ per year.
For Parisians, I recommend Solicycle.
Step 3: Change the rim tape and tires to avoid flat tires
To check if a puncture comes from a worn rim base, you just have to check if the puncture is on the bottom of the tube. If this is the case, then there is no doubt that it is the rim base that is at fault!
To do this:
- deflate the tube and remove the tire
- check if the bottom of the rim has holes (if so, it's a guaranteed puncture)
- if it is damaged, remove the rim base.
- clean the rim with a dry cloth
- roll the new rim tape flat, starting with the valve hole
When to change the tire of your bike?
- every 2000 to 5000km
- no depth of grooves on top
- cracked on the sides
- holed / lacerated
Note
Tire maintenance
- every 2000 to 5000km
- no depth of grooves on top
- cracked on the sides
- holed / lacerated
Step 4: Change the brake cables and sheaths, the brake pads and apply the brakes
-
1.
Remove the handlebar (the front and rear brake cables are supposed to go underneath).
-
2.
Unscrew with a wrench the bolt that "clamps" the cable and cut the end of the cable.
-
3.
Push on the brakes to "open" them on the front, use a wrench hex to unscrew the brake handles (easier to do if the brakes are disassembled but it is not mandatory)
-
4.
- Push the cable towards the exit of the handles and pull it all the way out
- Put a new cable in the brake handles (remember to grease it)
- Cut the sleeve well (you need it all the way through the handlebars under the handlebar)
-
Well done!
(but it's not over)
-
Perpendicular axis
An equivalent of my front brake. The bolt axis of the brake pads is perpendicular to the rims.
-
Parallel axis
The skid screw axis is parallel to the rims.
-
Apply and adjust a center pull brake
The last step is to adjust the cable clamp on the small piece that is used to lock the cable to a center pull brake.
-
Column
The best way to do this is to use aY-tube wrench aswell as a wrench plateand to make the adjustment with the cable pulled out of the room. Check if it is tight enough, then start again.
Step 5: Change the cables and derailleur hoses
The cables of a racing bike normally go through this type of trigger. They are easily removed by unscrewing the clamping bolt at the derailleur (front/rear) and then pulling the cable through the end cap from the trigger.
See the picture on the right.
--
How to adjust the front/rear derailleur on a vintage racing bike?
As with all derailleurs, the game is to adjust the high and low stops. On mine, there are two stop screws:
- a screw that corresponds to the stop when the cable is taut : the derailleur will not go higher
- a screw that corresponds to the stop when the cable is slack : the derailleur will not go lower
I spare you the diagrams, it 's the general principle that is to be understood: tighten the cable to the maximum and adjust the high stop, loosen the cable to the maximum and adjust the low stop. By playing a little with the screws, you can immediately see if the derailleur goes up or down.
- when the cable is tight, we want the chain to be on the big chainring. If it is not the case, we give a little screw to allow the derailleur to go a little higher
- when the cable is slack, we want the chain to be on the small chainring. If it is not the case, we give a little screw to allow the derailleur to go a little lower
-
Tense
-
Relaxed
-
Do you have it?
Step 6: Grease the rear hub
Not the easiest thing to do, but at least you'll be sure that your bike will run smoothly after that! But first of all, you have to understand how a bicycle rear hub is made:
- the hub is the mobile part of the wheel on which the spokes are fixed (which do not need to be removed for maintenance)
-
Anatomy of a bike
Not the easiest thing to do, but at least you can be sure that your bike will run smoothly after that! But first of all, you have to understand how a bicycle rear hub is made.
--
Above: Diagram of a hub (note the order and side of the nuts / bolts)
-
The hub
The moving part of the wheel to which the spokes are attached (which do not need to be removed for maintenance).
-
The axis
The part of the wheel fixed on the frame, and around which the hub turns (via balls). It's nothing more or less than a big screw that can be solid (bolt tightening) or hollow (quick tightening). Remember to measure your axle well because you need an axle with the same dimension (or almost the same dimension).
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Last straight line!
Steps to disassemble a vintage racing bike rear hub:
-
1.
- Remove the rear wheel
- Remove the rear cassette using a chain whip and a cassette wrench
-
2.
- Unscrew the locknut using two flat keys
- Make a note of which side the pieces go on
- Check that the axis is straight
-
3.
- Remove the covers to access the balls (with a flat screwdriver)
- Delicate operation: remove the balls and count them
- Change with a ball cage containing the same number of balls
-
4.
- Grease thoroughly
- Replace the covers with a soft hammer
- Put it back together
-
Tadam 🎉
Your car is ready for the road!
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