Hirame frame restoration what paint finish

Re: Hirame frame restoration mostly finished

Probably like the rest of you, I put the restoration to one side for a few days and a pile of other stuff gets in the way. Well now I can say its finished ALMOST! When some spare cash comes in Aztec brake blocks and perhaps a Spa Cycles swallow look alike saddle.

I still have a nutrak 19 mm and 20 mm tyre with some wear left but due to their age and the state of the local Cornish roads (potholes linked by rough tarmac) I would probably burst them in 10 miles. So some rubino pro's with honey side tread have been fitted, from a distance they look a bit gumwall-ish.

I redid the DIY brake hoods and they are passable, again from a distance. If I redo them again I would possibly use the big Lidel blister plasters underneath for a bit of padding.

The paint matches under some light but the miss match can stand out in dull light but as the seat tube was not that bad I wanted to keep some original paint if possible. Now wait for the response from the keep original and total repaint corners. Decals I distressed in the graphics program to make them look a bit worn perhaps I should of faded them a bit more to match the seat tube originals.

Next project/s already lined up our old Townsend 531 trails which I just brought back from France as they are starting to look very rough. The frames are getting rusty, this will have to be a very quick restoration as they will be going back out to France at the end of July, strip blast frames simple repaint with some very old synthetic car paint I have had laying around for years. Other than new cables not a lot else will be done as they have already had new bb, cassettes/chains and rear gripshift fitted.
Photo to follow I took them at too high a pixel count so will have to reduce them or take lower resolution pics.
 
good compromise I reckon, bike looks a treat, is protected for another couple decades, and you've still got the original look and even transfers in places. Top marks!
 
rest of road bike pics
 

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Thanks for all the positive comments gents once I get over the Dartmoor Classic on the 23 June I will start getting some miles on the hirame if I can still bend that low.

posting a picture of my next projects (quick frame restoration) on the MTB section Trail531.
They have a definite date for being finished.

Cheers
Phil
 
My Dirty Jo road bike had a flat so I took the Hirame out for a 12 mile loop, first time since before the rebuild, apart from around the car park in 2-3 years.

What a treat the ride is so much better than the two alloy/carbon fork modern bikes I have. The MBK RD200 also has vittoria rubino pros fitted this has the harshest ride of all, with the Dirty Jo fitted with Michelin intensives about a third down towards the MBK on harshness. I did not think I would notice that much difference, if I had lower gears on it I would seriously consider it for the Dartmoor Classic on the 23 of this month but with the lowest gear being 42-25 it would kill my knees on the hills.

Cheers

Phil
 
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