There's a great satisfaction seeing a frame come back with fresh paint. I've had a couple done in the last 18 months; one Mercian and one Carlton; great jobs both of them. Shame I can't post photos here.
Most bikes of that vintage didn't have braze on's for bottle cages. It was most likely added latter. Jeff Bock also builds beautiful frames, I was lucky enough to have him build me one back in the 90's.
Glad it’s being restored. Of course, that’s what I love to do. I’ve put more money into bikes than their worth now and then. Can you teach me how to strip down a bike like that? 😆. Can’t wait to see the new bike cave!
Hey John, what's your opinion of Sunlite drive chains, good, bad, short stretch life, wouldn't be caught dead putting one on your 2 year olds tricycle?
When was the last time a 531 frame showed up on BikeForums C&V or the CR List with a weird, perfect circular crack in the middle of the downtube? Never. Not even heat-treated 753, unless the tube has been horribly buckled, anyway. Tearing into this area under the pretext of a crack was a non-issue. This is (now was) a bad tape line all along - quickly confirmed by the C&Vers, who pointed out that the GS wouldn't have come with water bottle braze-ons - and the repaint just *might* have been wetsandable to a nice result without resorting to the caveman tactics shown here. Sure, a black downtube is easy to re-match. Sure, the Raleigh paint is thinner than a politician's promises. Sure, it's a Competition G.S., so no great loss to repaint anything on it; there are a gazillion more of these where it came from. BUT that doesn't preclude approaching the problem with finesse, even if wetsanding would have ultimately burnt through the original Raleigh finish. Rule #1 of refurbishing these things, always try the LEAST DESTRUCTIVE method first. This isn't it.
@@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage The thickness of the ridge should have been indication right there that it wasn't a crack; you would have seen an edge of rusted or bright metal. Say what you want to say, but this was still the wrong way to go about it, and that chisel didn't do whoever has to prep this frame for it's repaint any favors. What's more, this video is likely to be seen by the average newcomer, who may misinterpret the quality of your collection as an indicator of restoration expertise. As such, this just might encourage someone, someday, to wreck the paint job on a bike that *does* matter, rather than go on BikeForums and learn about wetsanding, polishing, and learning how to tell a crack from a masking tape line.
@@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage It's not personal. I just don't like bad advice presented with the aura of expertise. I also still remember the "Drew" Pinarello from 10 or 15 years ago when the fixie craze hit - nice frames can be damaged very easily by people with sandpaper, a grinder, and an internet connection that puts them in contact with others who give bad advice.
@@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage Fair point, though some may conflate your (superb - or should I say superbe?) collection with knowledge. Not that that's your fault at all, but something to consider when producing videos. I've made my point and I fully intend to enjoy my day. Sorry if this offended you, but keep in mind that when it comes to restoration efforts, opinions may differ strongly.
@@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage No worries; as you've pointed out - not the end of the world. Still appreciate your channel and the collection. Keep on keeping on.
So you didn't have a crack and you ruined the original paint? Well I guess you can have it painted more durable now. But this stuff is too rich for me. ..
Yes it turned out. It was not cracked. However, when I went to get it painted, it turned out that there were several horrible rattle can touch ups. So I really didn't ruin original paint. I ruined a ruined a bicycle lol. Thanks for watching
There's a great satisfaction seeing a frame come back with fresh paint. I've had a couple done in the last 18 months; one Mercian and one Carlton; great jobs both of them. Shame I can't post photos here.
Most bikes of that vintage didn't have braze on's for bottle cages. It was most likely added latter. Jeff Bock also builds beautiful frames, I was lucky enough to have him build me one back in the 90's.
Im excited. I just found a complete, good condition (it all works!) 1968 Superbe at the Dump!!
No kidding. Hard to find the Superbe!
Glad it’s being restored. Of course, that’s what I love to do. I’ve put more money into bikes than their worth now and then. Can you teach me how to strip down a bike like that? 😆. Can’t wait to see the new bike cave!
Oh man...that hurt to see that original paint destroyed for nothing! You needed to know what was under there though!
I love my old Raleighs, but your experiment demonstrates just how thin and flimsy the original paint was. A modern paint is just so much more durable!
Hey John, what's your opinion of Sunlite drive chains, good, bad, short stretch life, wouldn't be caught dead putting one on your 2 year olds tricycle?
The line in the paint was certainly unusual. But nice to find out it wasnt cracked, then again it was too perfect a line to be a crack .
@@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage Now you can repaint it to perfection .
Would have just jumped on it a couple times. It was too clean to have been a crack
I bought two different versions of those graphics. The small lettering varied. Anyone know who makes the correct version?
Who is your painter? I am looking for one also for my Prologue?
@@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage thanks for that info.
When was the last time a 531 frame showed up on BikeForums C&V or the CR List with a weird, perfect circular crack in the middle of the downtube? Never. Not even heat-treated 753, unless the tube has been horribly buckled, anyway. Tearing into this area
under the pretext of a crack was a non-issue.
This is (now was) a bad tape line all along - quickly confirmed by the C&Vers, who pointed out that the GS wouldn't have come with water bottle braze-ons - and the repaint just *might* have been wetsandable to a nice result without resorting to the caveman tactics shown here.
Sure, a black downtube is easy to re-match. Sure, the Raleigh paint is thinner than a politician's promises. Sure, it's a Competition G.S., so no great loss to repaint anything on it; there are a gazillion more of these where it came from. BUT that doesn't preclude approaching the problem with finesse, even if wetsanding would have ultimately burnt through the original Raleigh finish.
Rule #1 of refurbishing these things, always try the LEAST DESTRUCTIVE method first. This isn't it.
@@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage The thickness of the ridge should have been indication right there that it wasn't a crack; you would have seen an edge of rusted or bright metal. Say what you want to say, but this was still the wrong way to go about it, and that chisel didn't do whoever has to prep this frame for it's repaint any favors.
What's more, this video is likely to be seen by the average newcomer, who may misinterpret the quality of your collection as an indicator of restoration expertise. As such, this just might encourage someone, someday, to wreck the paint job on a bike that *does* matter, rather than go on BikeForums and learn about wetsanding, polishing, and learning how to tell a crack from a masking tape line.
@@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage It's not personal. I just don't like bad advice presented with the aura of expertise.
I also still remember the "Drew" Pinarello from 10 or 15 years ago when the fixie craze hit - nice frames can be damaged very easily by people with sandpaper, a grinder, and an internet connection that puts them in contact with others who give bad advice.
@@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage Fair point, though some may conflate your (superb - or should I say superbe?) collection with knowledge. Not that that's your fault at all, but something to consider when producing videos.
I've made my point and I fully intend to enjoy my day. Sorry if this offended you, but keep in mind that when it comes to restoration efforts, opinions may differ strongly.
@@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage No worries; as you've pointed out - not the end of the world. Still appreciate your channel and the collection. Keep on keeping on.
Whats in Iowa, a paint shop ?
There is also an roadside potato stall .
Dude, that was the decal edge.
No, paint edge. Someone had a framebuilder add water bottle cage braze-ons to this frame.
So you didn't have a crack and you ruined the original paint? Well I guess you can have it painted more durable now. But this stuff is too rich for me. ..
Yes it turned out. It was not cracked. However, when I went to get it painted, it turned out that there were several horrible rattle can touch ups. So I really didn't ruin original paint. I ruined a ruined a bicycle lol. Thanks for watching