Hey guys, new member here. I have too many old Italian and Soviet track bikes, and also a couple Schwinn's and Worksmans. Probably my favorite bike is this Cycle Truck. I bought it several years ago, and it spent much of it's life delivering mail in Debary, FL. It has a bunch of weird little details from years of cobbling and repairs. At some point, a new BB shell was welded in, and part of the downtube was replaced.
I've been riding it as-is since I got it, but I think it's time to do some work. I'll probably replace all the ball bearings and give everything a good cleaning. What would you guys recommend as far as preserving paint/patina?
I've done evaporust dip tanks in the past, but I would never do it on a bike like this. I've also done the WD-40/scotchbrite method on crusty 50s Schwinn's with good results. On some of my old track bikes, I've had amazing results with just wax and a little elbow grease. I'm not a huge fan of applying a clear-coat over a patina.
What would you guys do if you were in my shoes? I think this is probably my favorite/coolest bike and I don't want to screw it up. How can I keep this thing in one piece for maybe another 60 years?
Thanks!
I've been riding it as-is since I got it, but I think it's time to do some work. I'll probably replace all the ball bearings and give everything a good cleaning. What would you guys recommend as far as preserving paint/patina?
I've done evaporust dip tanks in the past, but I would never do it on a bike like this. I've also done the WD-40/scotchbrite method on crusty 50s Schwinn's with good results. On some of my old track bikes, I've had amazing results with just wax and a little elbow grease. I'm not a huge fan of applying a clear-coat over a patina.
What would you guys do if you were in my shoes? I think this is probably my favorite/coolest bike and I don't want to screw it up. How can I keep this thing in one piece for maybe another 60 years?
Thanks!