How to spot a good restoration project?
- Thread starter SamNZ
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Nabeaquam
BoTM Winner
We visited the UK in 2014. We rented bikes, did the Wash, Hadrians Wall. London, I saw very small folding bicycles that people could move like luggage with wheels. Small enough to take into a coffee shop or bistro, along with a briefcase. Don’t know the brand but I’ve never seen them in the states. They seemed to ride well.
novocaine
Old School Grand Master
Brompton. You'll be needing a mortgage (escrow) to buy one. More nickable than a shiny thing and it'll give you herbis.
Nabeaquam
BoTM Winner
People were guarding, not leaving alone and were hugging them, I noticed that.
novocaine
Old School Grand Master
Damn right they were. Quite a few stations have Brompton lockers where you fold it and put it inside the locker instead of just locking it to the lamp post. There's a Brompton race series (you have to wear tweed, burbary or belstaff). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brompton_World_Championship
I can't afford one.
27motorhead
Senior Retro Guru
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Wow! Reading this thread I'm quite glad I've left London. I lived up there for 30 years until just over a month ago. It is not all as grim as the reading above! However with the advent of battery angle grinders and gangs of scallies on electric bikes/stolen scooters nothing is actually that safe.
I've never had a bike nicked in all my time up there, however I did come out of a club at around 03:00 only to see a gang of young kids wheeling my bike away. They had just cut through my lock with some bolt croppers that were almost as long as they were tall. I did manage to get it back and I wasn't stabbed/beaten up, but this was the late 90s...
I rode a fixed/track bikes all the time I was up there for commuting and getting about. Most with full mudguards and for the past 15 years run dynamo lights so never needed to faff with batteries ever and kept them on during the day too as drag is minimal.
Just get a bike that fits and enjoy riding it. Get a good lock and lock it up properly as there will be so many bikes that will be much easier to steal as they'll be using crap locks through the frame or wheel only.
Cycling around London has sort-of gotten easier. I was always happy to play with cars (ex-courier and general idiot!) but I completely understand how segregated lanes/cycling infrastructure as really helped cycling grow in the capital.
Just don't get one of those electrified fat tyre folding monkey bikes the delivery riders "ride"!!!
I've never had a bike nicked in all my time up there, however I did come out of a club at around 03:00 only to see a gang of young kids wheeling my bike away. They had just cut through my lock with some bolt croppers that were almost as long as they were tall. I did manage to get it back and I wasn't stabbed/beaten up, but this was the late 90s...
I rode a fixed/track bikes all the time I was up there for commuting and getting about. Most with full mudguards and for the past 15 years run dynamo lights so never needed to faff with batteries ever and kept them on during the day too as drag is minimal.
Just get a bike that fits and enjoy riding it. Get a good lock and lock it up properly as there will be so many bikes that will be much easier to steal as they'll be using crap locks through the frame or wheel only.
Cycling around London has sort-of gotten easier. I was always happy to play with cars (ex-courier and general idiot!) but I completely understand how segregated lanes/cycling infrastructure as really helped cycling grow in the capital.
Just don't get one of those electrified fat tyre folding monkey bikes the delivery riders "ride"!!!
sjcprojects
Orange 🍊 Fan
531 is always a good starting point, for sure. Mavic rims and Shimano 105 or 600 are also good things to keep an eye out for on a bike (for 80s/90s bikes, that is, in particular).
Seeing as you're looking for a project and don't mind doing some mechanical work if needed, you can get a really decent steel road bike for not much money if you look carefully, easily around the £100-150 mark - though of course if anything like wheels need replacing you can then end up spending a fair bit more, so it's always worth checking things like rims/hubs where possible.
Seeing as you're looking for a project and don't mind doing some mechanical work if needed, you can get a really decent steel road bike for not much money if you look carefully, easily around the £100-150 mark - though of course if anything like wheels need replacing you can then end up spending a fair bit more, so it's always worth checking things like rims/hubs where possible.
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HourGlass
Dirt Disciple
Hiya!
I just moved back to the colonies (West Island) after living in the UK for the last 7 years and I'll mirror the other's sentiments; cycle theft is virtually decriminalised in many parts of the country and will sadly cross your path sooner or later. My wife and I lost three bikes whilst we were living there :-/
Whatever bike you get, make sure you have a good D-lock (or two), and know how to use them. It also pays to be aware of what you lock your bike too, as many of the most secure racks end up being merely bolted to the ground and easily removed, espeically in London. We used Kryptonite Evo Mini 5 locks almost exclusively as they're compact, relatively lightweight, and once you've fed the shackle through the rear wheel + frame + solid object, there isn't much room to fit a tool etc which in itself is a deterent. Skinny steel frames makes this relatively easy.
No shortage of cool projects between eBay, FB Marketplace and abandoned stuff you'll inevitably find around. I think touring bikes and 90's hybrids make for the best bases, if nothing eles than they'll accomidate racks, bigger tyres + fenders.
I just moved back to the colonies (West Island) after living in the UK for the last 7 years and I'll mirror the other's sentiments; cycle theft is virtually decriminalised in many parts of the country and will sadly cross your path sooner or later. My wife and I lost three bikes whilst we were living there :-/
Whatever bike you get, make sure you have a good D-lock (or two), and know how to use them. It also pays to be aware of what you lock your bike too, as many of the most secure racks end up being merely bolted to the ground and easily removed, espeically in London. We used Kryptonite Evo Mini 5 locks almost exclusively as they're compact, relatively lightweight, and once you've fed the shackle through the rear wheel + frame + solid object, there isn't much room to fit a tool etc which in itself is a deterent. Skinny steel frames makes this relatively easy.
No shortage of cool projects between eBay, FB Marketplace and abandoned stuff you'll inevitably find around. I think touring bikes and 90's hybrids make for the best bases, if nothing eles than they'll accomidate racks, bigger tyres + fenders.
Just bear in mind 90s MTBs have 26" wheels, putting 709c wheels in will mean the brake bosses will be in the wrong place, so you may need to fit caliper brakesI'd definitely look for bargains on complete bikes, ideally later ones, late 80s/early 90s as they usually require less specialist tools and have more unified standards, they're more approachable imho. Tange, 531, 501 etc.. that's if you're already a bit confused by all the various offerings. It's all a minefield that you sort of ease into, I'd also consider thinking about some 90s mtbs, plentiful and cheap, a conversion to 700c is fun and very easy, can also give decent tyre clearance. could also stick to 26 as 26aintdeadyet. Plusher tyres for the rough roads of London!
Now I'm going to run out of this road section fast as I can as this isn't my forteGood luck and happy wrenching, just keep asking questions until you've got an idea of what route you wanna go
Yeah caliper brakes or use pad extender or long reach v brakes, can be gotten super cheap on Big Ali. But I guess using caliper brakes wouldn't be so bad for the roadie aesthetic, I quite like em still
