How To Restore A Vintage Bike- Bringing An Old Beauty Back To Life
Recreating vintage beauties is an absolute form of art, it is a marvel of the human brain. The human eye is so powerful that it can note down subtle details with such perfection and that applies to the case of bikes. In this guide we will discuss how to restore vintage bikes!
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Vintage Bikes are amazing, they carry the beauty and cultural heritage of the past that has to be preserved. Cycling has always been a really good form of exercise, you get to intake fresh air and explore new places, nothing beats that.
With that being said, getting a really good bike today is an expensive endeavor, the have gone up since the pandemic, as a lot of people are ditching their rides for the pleasure of bikes! If you love bikes and want to do something really special then this guide is for you, we will show you how to restore a vintage bicycle.
Vintage Bike Restoration- What Do You Get From It?
You must be wondering, what do I really get from restoring a vintage bike? Well, there is no fixed answer for that! A vintage bicycle is like an old painting, sure there is a lot of value in it but in order to understand it more, you have to restore it, bring it back to its original shape!
When you restore an old bike, you get to enjoy the following things:
- You save a lot of money
- You understand your bike better, and your techniques
- You can personalize the bike
- The motivation is off the charts
These are only a few reasons why bike restorations are so much fun, and you should definitely give them a try. You should pay your local bike shop a visit and look out for vintage bikes, the ones from the 1980s and 1990s would do the trick!
Being a bike guy will make you go here and there, even if you have to scrounge every local bike shop in the vicinity, you do that. This is a tough kind of bike repair so you better be prepared!
What You Should Look Out For?
When it comes to an old bike, there are plenty of things that you have to look out for. There are bikes of different kinds, different makes, there even would be some models that you can’t restore properly so that is where you have to be careful.
The bare metal is something that you can penetrate and fix, although when it comes to the other components, that is where things get difficult. Research properly before starting and you will never have to face any obstacle, and it is advised that you take a friend along for the project.
The most challenging thing that I had to face was to find a replacement for the brake pads, and that was a nightmare. Getting the kind of brake pads that would work perfectly with old bikes is very rare. We hope that these vintage bike restoration tips come in handy.
Remember, this is unlike any bike repair that you have done before, so precaution is advised.
Tools Needed For Restoration
You cannot restore a vintage bike without the proper tools, there is just no chance at that. You will need a lot of products to help you with your project, and that is why we made this list for you.
These are a lot of things, we know that, but all of them are necessary. This is just an overlay for you, and these tools can change depending on the project. If it is something simple as a single-speed bike, things will change from time to time, and should be ready for that.
There would be some challenging obstacles, for example, no one can easily remove surface rust from these old bikes, that is why it is always recommended that you have a friend with you, to help you around.
Note: The bike restoration process is no easy task, you will need protection material and will be using different kinds of paints, tools, and chemicals. Make sure that you always acknowledge the safety protocols and instructions. Starting the process without doing proper research is never recommended!
How much does it cost to fix an old bike?
The cost of fixing an old bike is the main factor when deciding whether to do it or not. If it were cheap, everybody would be doing it. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
On average, fixing an old bike that wasn’t used for ten or more years will cost you between 150 and 600, depending on the number of parts that need to be replaced. If the frame is rusty and needs to be repainted, the cost can double.
I wrote an article about the cost of painting a bike, so definitely check it out if your old bike needs a new paint job.
It’s important to know that the price of fixing a bike can skyrocket if you leave it to the professional. The 150-600 estimate is based on the assumption you’ll do all the work yourself.
There is another cost that I need to mention – tools. If you decided to fix a bike and don’t own any bike-specific tools, taking it to the bike shop might be a better solution.
Pros
Many people don’t get why you would want to fix an old bicycle if so many newer models are on the market. While that is true, it’s good to know that fixing an old bike is more than just fixing an old bike. It’s an experience.
The enjoyment you get from fixing a bike
Bicycle repairs will only be undertaken by those who enjoy the process. Sure, from time to time, you’ll swear and think to yourself, ‘why did I have to do this,’ but a few minutes later, you will enjoy it again. I promise.
Groody Brothers. Bicycle Restoration
Making something yourself is one of the best feelings you can have. You will be proud of what you achieved when you finish, even if someone else says they could do it better. But they didn’t, you did it!
I have that feeling when writing this blog. It’s not the best, and I’m sure many people could do it better, but they didn’t make the initial step, and I did. I admit I sometimes swear, even right now, but I only remember the beautiful things when looking back, and I’m so proud of what I achieved. You can do the same with your bike.
You’ll learn a lot about bikes
Nobody in history learned to fix bikes from books. A hands-on approach is the only way you can learn about the mechanical features of a bike. The more extensive the repairing will be, the more aspects of bike mechanics you’ll learn.
Once you repair your first bike, there won’t be a problem you don’t know how to fix. You will quickly fix every little problem, as you will know exactly how the bike works. Even more, you’ll hear a weird noise, and you’ll know what to fix.
Older bikes are easier to fix
Modern technology provides many advantages, but the more complex it gets, the harder it is to repair even minor problems yourself. With the introduction of internal cable routing and electronic shifting, the bar is set even higher, and repairs are done almost exclusively by professionals.
Older bikes are easy. Cables are external, shifting is mechanical, and every problem is straightforward. If the bike doesn’t shift, the cable is loose. You don’t have to figure out if the battery is dead or if you didn’t charge it. One problem, one solution.
Cheap spare parts
Spare parts become much cheaper once the bike becomes old (about ten years). Manufacturers always develop new and better parts and downgrade their already existing models. They become more available to the general public, which reflects in their prices.
The price of older bike parts starts rising once the bike becomes vintage. In the last few years, vintage bikes have begun gaining popularity. and more of them are being restored, which drives the up.
Even though most bikes will never be viewed as vintage, the whole fuss around older bikes raises the price of parts. So even if you’re fixing a non-vintage bike, you might pay a vintage price for spare parts.
Most of the time, when you’ll restore a non-vintage bike, you will be able to find affordable older parts that will work just fine. It might take some time to find them, but they are out there somewhere.
Older bikes are more robust
Not that one, though.
Do you remember your first bike that weighed almost as much as you? It was the heaviest bike you have ever ridden, but no matter what you put him through, it survived.
Nowadays, bike manufacturers want to make the lightest and fastest bicycle possible. Consequentially they are not very durable and have to be ridden only on surfaces without too many bumps that could hurt them.
Older bikes were made to be durable, and durable they are. Even after several years, they can withstand much more than newer models. If you’re planning on racing with them, then a new bike might be a better option, but nothing can beat a robust old bike for a commute through the city center.
Sentimental value
The sentimental value is something you can’t put a price on. What seems like a worthless piece of steel to one seems like the best bike in the world to another.
There aren’t many logical arguments to justify repairing some older bikes, but the sentimental value can blur your mind. And I don’t blame you. Together you created everlasting memories, and you are not prepared to erase them.
You need to know, though, that sentimental value can be expensive. Some parts might cost more, repairing can be more time-consuming, but it will all be worth it once your love is back at its former glory.
Cons
High cost
The relatively high overall cost of fixing an old bike is the main reason people don’t want to do it.
Spending 500 on bike repair won’t make it a 500 bike. It might be worth just a quarter of that, so it’s not a good investment. It’s the value it has for you that makes it worth spending a ridiculous amount of money on it.
The problem with justifying a high cost is that you can get a fairly decent new bike for that price. If you’re lucky, you can even get some used higher-end models for 500.
Financially speaking, fixing a bike doesn’t make any sense, but as mentioned above, it’s the sentimental value that makes us do crazy things.
Schwinn cruiser Restoration pt.1
Spare parts are hard to find
Finding spare parts for an older bike is a nightmare. The older it is, the harder it gets.
Manufacturers always develop new bike parts, and often the standards change in just a few years. Almost every bike had 26″ wheels not too long ago, but nowadays, they’re practically non-existing.
27.5″ and 29″ wheels have become a standard. You can only find 26″ wheels on older bike models.
While wheels are still easy to find, you won’t be so lucky with other parts. Manufacturers remove older models from production, so you’re stuck with the secondary market. If you need a specific, uncommon part, you might never find it.
Once you get serious about repairing bikes, it’s not that uncommon to buy a whole bike just to get one spare part. That makes sense if you’re repairing bikes as a hobby and you can use other parts elsewhere, but if you’re repairing only your bike, buying a whole bike is not an option.
Lack of features of modern bikes
Modern bikes are superior to their predecessors. Technology is better, the frame is lighter, the bike is faster, etc. You’re consciously giving up on all modern features by restoring an older bike.
I’ll admit that some of them are not worth your money, especially if you use your bike only for a commute. But for instance, if I had to give up indexed shifters, I would seriously think if repairing an old bike is even worth it. I would probably buy a new one.
Time-consuming
Don’t expect to repair a bike in one afternoon. Or five of them, for that matter. Fixing an old bicycle is a lengthy project that will bother you for a few weeks at least.
Doing it all by yourself is the best way to save some money, but you need to invest your time. A lot of it.
How long it will take depends on multiple factors. The bike condition is obviously the main one, but a worse condition does not always mean longer repairing time.
Once the bike parts’ condition drops below a certain level, you’ll have to replace them. Replacing them is much quicker than fixing them. Therefore replacing parts on an extremely old bike can be quicker than fixing a few years old bike.
The biggest time consumer is the frame. If it is rusty, you’ll need to sand it and prepare it for repainting. Sanding is a pain in the ass, and at this point, I would advise you to take the bike to the paint shop, where they will fix the frame for you.
Old bikes don’t look as ‘cool’ as modern bikes
That statement is the one that will spark the most debate. There are many vintage bike lovers out there that will come after me. But before you start kicking me, let me explain.
Vintage bikes do have a cool factor, but most old bikes are not vintage. It’s the same as with cars. A 1969 Mustang is cool, but not many people will put a cool mark on the 1969 Honda 1300.
The bike you’ll be restoring will be about 10-15 years old. There is no way you can hide its age, and that’s OK, but don’t expect people stopping you on the street to admire your bike.
If you care about having a good-looking bike, buy a new one. But if you just want to get from point A to point B, then having an old-looking bike is not a problem.
Vintage Track Road Bicycles
Last year, a gentleman who had watched our TV segments on the Gus Gnorski Tour in February brought in a couple of his old bicycles for our museum. But these were not any ordinary bicycles. Wally Klager, currently a resident of Brookfield, was among the few in the early 1940’s to ride road style bicycles. You see, in the 1930’s and 1940’s the most popular style of bike ridden by the American public was the heavy balloon-tired bicycle. (We have plenty examples of these in our museum) The road bike had a tire width nearly half of the balloon and so could go faster and further with the same amount of energy.
Wally had two bikes that he bought and road before he graduated from high school in Detroit, Michigan in 1942. Then he promptly enlisted in the military for service during WWII.
The first bicycle was a URAGO lightweight which is a handmade bike manufactured in Nice, France (in the French Riviera). The second is a SCHWINN SUPERIOR made in Chicago, IL. The Superior was the 2 nd tier of quality available from Schwinn; the top tier being the Paramount brand. Both bikes are in great condition and both have vintage derailleur systems. These are very strange contraptions but worked well. (See photo links below)
We will be restoring these over the winter and will have them in the museum by spring of 2010. We will post some photos of the bikes with links in our newsletters as we progress. I also hope to tell you more about the tales of Wally Klager. He told me over the phone yesterday that once he road 1,000 miles in ten days! I’m guessing he must have eaten a lot of Wheaties to get that far!
Here are some links to PHOTOS of these bicycles in the condition we received them from Wally.
If there is something more you would like to know about South Shore Cyclery, or articles you would like to see, or questions about vintage bicycles let me know at: scott.w@southshorecyclery.com
Vintage Ads Photos
After all these years of bicycle collecting and restoration (since 1988) you would have thought that things would have slowed down a bit. But amazingly, year after year, nice vintage bicycles or bikes with usable parts keep coming out of attics, basements, and garages. Americans seem to have a lot of extra space to store stuff for a long time! over, we are lucky enough that occasionally even good customers of South Shore Cyclery will roll in a vintage bike for us to acquire. But sometimes it’s a good idea to just get in the ole’ van and drive to a swap meet which is what I did about two weeks ago.
Anamosa Iowa is home to National Motorcycle Museum which was hosting their 6 th Annual Vintage Rally. It was advertised as a Motorcycle AND Bicycle swap meet so that is why I was making the trip. Anamosa Iowa is only 3-1/2 hours from Milwaukee.
The swap meet was almost entirely comprised of motorcycle parts and motorcycles. Not too much bicycle related stuff. But I did find and buy two vintage speedometers. One was a J.C. Higgins from the 1950’s and the other an Elgin”X-Pert” from the mid 1930’s. Both were equipment used on bicycles sold by Sears Roebuck. I also ran across a fellow that had a large green plastic container which had some older Schwinn bicycle cables, brakes, vintage Simplex derailures and some 1960’s Japanese-made rear fender lights. Nice pick at the right price! But that was about it. The best part about the show was the people and the museum. As this was my first motorcycle swap meet, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But everyone was personable, welcoming, and willing to share stories and their knowledge with a guy wearing plaid! Black tee shirts are the order of the day (I should have known) but once a geek always a geek I guess.
Even better was the National Motorcycle Museum. Founded in 1989 this 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization has grown from a collection of 40 vintage motorcycles to over 400! And what a collection it is! Emphasis in the collection, naturally, is placed on Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles. But lesser known makers like Henderson, Excelsior, and The Miami Cycle Mfg. Co. makers of the “Flying Merkel” are given good exhibition. Also included are motorcycling accessories, clothing, and other cycling memorabilia. Beautifully and meticulously curated, the museum offers faux motorcycle shops in period settings. Fortunately, for guys like me, there were a couple of dozen antique vintage bicycles. Many of them were related, at least in head badge branding, to their motorcycle counterparts.
I was able to harvest a few good ideas for curating our bicycle museum and I took a bunch of photos which you can see at the link below.
If you visit (and you should!) you will need a day at least to see everything. Maybe more if you are a motorcycle aficionado.
Buying Vintage Schwinn Bikes
If you’re interested in purchasing an antique or vintage bicycle made by this iconic company, you’ll have plenty of options. Price varies significantly, depending on the condition, age, scarcity, and desirability of the model. Whether you’re looking for a fixer-upper or want a bike in mint condition, there are plenty of places to shop.
eBay
eBay is a great resource for all kinds of antique and vintage items, including Schwinn bikes. You’ll see many of the models Schwinn produced in the last half of the 20th century, along with some older models from the earlier part of the company’s history. You’ll also find parts for Schwinn bikes of all ages. If you’re buying a vintage Schwinn on eBay, be sure to ask lots of questions about the bike’s condition. Also keep shipping costs in mind, since packaging and transporting a bike can be costly.
Old Roads
Old Roads specializes in vintage bicycles from several different brands, including Schwinn. You can browse their selection online, and they also offer a great deal of helpful information about assessing a bike’s condition. Before they are sold, all the bikes are tuned up by professional bicycle mechanics.
Craigslist
Although the selection of merchandise is constantly changing, Craigslist can be a great place to score a deal on a vintage Schwinn. This isn’t the place to go if you need a bike immediately, but if you’re patient and watch the listings carefully, you may just find the vintage bike of your dreams.
Local Resources
Although shopping online for a vintage Schwinn may net results, you may have better luck if you look at local shopping resources. Bicycle stores and repair shops often carry used or vintage bikes, and they may have some beautiful Schwinn models available. Additionally, you can find vintage Schwinn bikes at garage sales, estate sales, antique shops, and flea markets.
Restoring Vintage Schwinns
Often, vintage bikes are not in great condition when you find them. In fact, this can be a great way to purchase an old Schwinn for an affordable price. If your vintage Schwinn needs some restoration, you can buy parts on eBay or from VintageSchwinn.com, a site devoted to Schwinn enthusiasts.
Certain restoration jobs may be easier than others, and depending on your skills, you may want to avoid the following major issues in a vintage Schwinn:
Popular Styles of Vintage Schwinn Bicycles
Schwinn bicycles. If you need help downloading the printable, check out these helpful tips.
The following are highlights of two of the most popular of these vintage treasures.
The Black Phantom
The first Schwinn Black Phantom was manufactured in 1949 and was in production for ten years. Highly desired by collectors, original Phantoms are very hard to find. The company reissued a limited production of the original model in 1995. Special features of this classic bicycle, which was issued in black, red, green, and blue, include the following:
- Patented Schwinn forewheel drum brakes in the front and rear wheels
- Whitewall tires
- Taillight
- Streamline fender light
- Cyclelock steering mechanism
- Tank with horn
- Chrome steel fenders
- Rear carrier
- Three spring padded saddle
- Bow pedals on the later models
Sting Rays
Manufactured from 1963-1979 Schwinn Sting Rays were considered one of the coolest bikes of the times, at least by the younger generations. The Sting Ray design was unique, featuring a banana seat, 20-inch tires, and raised handlebars. These bikes were manufactured in 1, 2, 3 and 5-speeds in several styles:
- Classic
- DeLuxe
- Super DeLuxe
- Fastback
- Ram’s Horn Fastback
- Krate
Sting Ray Krate
The Sting Ray Krate series featured a fat rear tire, rear shock, and a 16-inch front tire with a springer front end. Painted in bright hot rod colors, each Krate also had the popular Stik-Shift. Colors of the Krate models include the following:
- Flamboyant red (Apple Krate)
- Flamboyant lime
- Radiant coppertone
- Sky blue
- Violet
- Black
- Campus Green (Pea Picker)
- Kool Orange (Orange Krate)
- Kool Lemon (Lemon Peeler)
- White (Cotton Picker)
- Silver Mist (Grey Ghost)
- Sunset orange
- White with bicentennial decals
- Cardinal red
- Emerald green
- Golden yellow
Beautiful Pedal-Powered Machines
Do your research, both online and at local bike shops, to get the very best deal on vintage bikes or to restore your Schwinn to its original condition. Whether you dream of repairing your childhood Sting Ray, hanging your shiny red Phantom on your den wall, or amassing a large collection of vintage Schwinn bicycles, you are part of the love affair many people have with these beautiful, nostalgic, pedal-powered machines.
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