Unknown bicycle 1910-20. Not sure if it's French. It is a very good restoration however imo, pic heavy. I like a story. Owners translation below.
When Héléne and Hervé* called me to tell me "We have a bike for you" I had just told myself that it was finished because: I have no more space, I am too much in the workshop, the winter is coming and it is cold, I have "pud'soupoursa" (I assume porky/belly?) I don't do enough cycling etc...
"But it is very old and rusty"!
Really, "that old"? "Well, send the picture".
The time to develop the film via the cable of the phone and I received pictures.
I didn't believe it myself. First of all a real old one with a rest of "Bordeaux" on the frame and a funny tap on the side but in a state that I've never tackled.
It is complete and really comes out of a cellar . It's the grandfather's bike sold "cheaply" on the implicit condition that I ride it again.
A gift is not to be refused, I had the misfortune to touch it and to ride it, one coffee later it was in the trunk.
First observation.
Completely complete but only 20% black paint, the nuts are not damaged, the rust has not perforated the fine metal mudguards, no dried mud under the mudguards and dry grease in the bearings
Stored in the shelter but in the air currents. All this is encouraging. I need to keep busy a bit.
I'm considering a minimal restoration because it protects the wallet and it seems to me the right way for a bike of this age and in this condition. I like it and it's condition is reversible. Moreover the work that it requires afterwards occupies nicely the winter evenings or the days of idleness.
So complete disassembly without any worries but patience and degreaser.
Bare frame with a hard brush and a water jet.
Scrubbing energetically with thick scouring pads and dishwashing liquid in order to remove the peeling paint and the crumbly rust. I didn't try to expose the metal but I got a blackish aspect that didn't contrast too much with the paint remains.
White vinegar for all the steel and formerly nickel-plated parts, all the brake linkage, then steel wool, various polishes and matte varnish.
All nickel-plated parts rusted (vinegar and electrolysis) and varnished with satin metal varnish.
Frame and mudguards rusted with a brush, dusted and washed with soapy water and degreased with acetone, no anti-rust cover, except inside the mudguards and then treated with a brush with graphite wax for iron and casting. (Grate polish Zebo I think he's referring to)
The bike was extremely oxidized, with serious surface corrosion everywhere, painting and nickel plating were not feasible except for too high expenses for a random result and on a part, certainly interesting by its age and its complete condition but, all in all, modest.
It is a method used by others and that I have adopted: it is not expensive, it is reversible, the result, very covering, is dark gray with slightly silver reflections to maintain and renew. Do not wear light-colored clothes, especially on hot days.
The fragile saddle will be lined underneath.
I considered and tried on a piece to leave it looking rusty and leftover paint with a matte varnish, but I found that it was dirty and gave it up.
There are of course other options and other products. Depending on how it moves, we'll see.
New tyres and tubes.
Softening of the chain link by link with soaking in gas oil,suspension and spraying with thick oil until refusal, draining and wiping.
Total disassembly of the saddle reinforced by a leather underside and high density foam, new rivets. Unwinding of the support and mat varnish.
Unwinding of the ?? with a grinder and voluntary straightening with a mallet,
Installation of a pump and an acetylene lamp to dress up the look.
To finish some measurements =
700-35-A tires according to the found mount
Hub to hub length = 118 cm
Height from bottom bracket to axle 32 cm
Saddle tube 54 cm
Horizontal tube 59 cm
Bottom bracket axle 50 cm - hub axle
Chain stay 53 cm
Crank length 18 cm
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