Bendo wrote:oldnick wrote:quiksilver wrote:I would keep it.
Thank you all for the replies. The knowledge here is fantastic.
I think I will take your advice. I will buy a pair of new tyres for it, clean and oil the chain and chain wheels and try to use it for a couple of evening pleasure rides a week. I haven't ridden it for twenty+ years but still remember enjoying the very few rides I had. Reminded me of when I was a school kid and also what it must be like to have a heart attack. The first ride, I got half way up a hill, stopped by a farm gate and hung over it trying to get enough air in to my lungs. By the third ride, I could get all the way up that hill without a problem. Trouble was on the return, some idiot car driver nearly knocked me off and I never rode it again. Let's hope I have better luck this time. Thanks again for the help.
One of the best posts in this thread! Make sure you come back with your impressions of your 'first' ride on your resurrected GP.
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Well a few posts in this thread convinced me and I decided to keep and use the bike.
I guessed all the bearings etc. probably needed a re lube after those 20+ years storage. I cleaned and re lubed the chain, cassette and front chainwheels, all the ball bearings and every pivot. Then I decided to give it a spring clean so I stripped every moving part, polished all the bits of ally and re-assembled them with fresh lube. I polished the wheels, the spokes, the hubs, the gear mechanisms, brakes and levers, the mudguards and stays and all the nuts and bolts. I t-cut and polished the frame. The saddle was treated with hide food and black boot polish, a coat every evening for a couple of weeks. The original chromed steel pedals wouldn't polish up perfect so I purchased some NOS Loytard quill alloy pedals which are much better. I spent a lot of hours cleaning, greasing and oiling it but the result is I now have a thirty one year old bike that looks like it is a few months old. It is a testament to the quality of the bike that it has come up like a new 'un. It looks fantastic, everything shines like a tanner on a sweeps backside.
I took it for a short ride and the brakes were not great. I didn't realise this until we purchased a mountain bike for my missus. The brakes on that are unbelievable. I thought the original Shimano blocks had probably hardened over the thirty one years so I fitted some Kool Stop blocks (I've kept the old blocks in case I can find some new inserts and for originality). I now have brakes, they squeal a bit but I hope they'll stop as they bed in.
I fitted a new pair of Continental Ultra Sport 27" x 1 1/4" tyres, they look good and feel fine on a ride. I've also fitted a set of flashing LED lights.
The gearing is a bit high for me but I've managed to aquire an original SR Sakae crank puller and a new, unused 40 tooth SR chainwheel to replace the existing 42 tooth. It's only a 5% difference but it's the only one I could find. At £5 all in for the chain wheel, shipped from the USA, I reckon it's a steal. Do you think it will be a noticeable difference?
What really suprised me is how smooth this bike feels, it it so nice to ride. It has been so long since I last rode it, I'd forgotten. I've only ridden a few 2 -3 mile runs at the moment but I'm going to go a bit further each time until I can ride it anywhere. I am real pleased I didn't sell it.
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