"The Project" trying to save a Raleigh Pursuit

Hey lads.

First post for me.

So I've just today come into possession of a late 80's raleigh steel framed bike.

I think she's lovely, really nice lugging brazing and in pretty decent nick over all, but probably in need of stripping and re-spraying.

I also need to get new calipers and new levers, new cables all round, new pedals and top strip the drive train and shifters and give it all a good clean up.

Thinking I'll unbuild the wheels, polish and tidy up the rims and hubs and then re-thread them with new spokes and they need to clean up and some of the spokes are pretty loose anyway.

So if anyone has any recommendations of where to pick up parts or how to strip and clean it or even how to strip the pains myself and get rid of the surface rust that would be awesome.

Basically just looking for advice on all fronts, my first project and I want to do her justice.

What tools will I need to disassemble her, what parts should I be looking to pick up to keep it looking good and so forth.

Anyway enough of my rambling.

Meet "The Project"



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I've built 2 so I'll help if I can....

here's mine viewtopic.php?f=23&t=244788

First off decide what you want from it before you start doing anything but clean and rebuild it

is yours 700c or 27"?

I wouldn't bother rebuilding the wheels, unless it already has good true 700c alloy rims and good condition hubs.

To clean up bikes I use a combination of, gunk, autoglym engine degreaser, muc-off disc brake cleaner, t-cut, cheap car shampoo, and autosol. Halfords bike hut grease and finish line wet lube to get thing back into life.

Plenty of wd40, rags, maybe some beer and hopefully not too much swearing and they're pretty easy to strip down.

Most of the time you can put in more bearings than you take out, don't worry about it, theyre all like that. Label things and your good to go.

On the parts front, dual pivot calipers perform so much better, and are still 90's if not completely retro.

Tools, normal spanners, allen keys and skrewdrivers, then cone spanners, freewheel remover, crank puller, big adjustable and a chain tool.

Hope this helps

James

I'd add a bench vice to the list of basic tools. Particularly handy if you have a stuck stem, seatpost or bottom bracket.
Just don't put your frame in it, like my LBS once did :roll:

Watching this with interest............ viewtopic.php?f=23&t=259880

Also My first proper restoration.

Best of luck