Inspired by this…

After last nights ride, staying true the the fundamental ground rule tat all rides must end at the brewery, we walked into the bar to be greeted by this immaculately restored Chopper. It was an original one, but pristine!

Turns out that the lady who owned it had just received it as a birthday present yesterday. She had received it as a birthday present originally in 1972, and it had been well used, but then it had been left rusting in the back of her dads garage for 30 odd years.

Then her dad decided to restore the rusty lump. She showed us the pictures of it before he’d started, and it looked exactly as you’d expect a bike left in a damp garage for 30 years to look like. A right mess. He’s not just thrown money it. He’s spent time on it. Had all the original parts re-chromed, the seat re-covered. She’d ridden it down to the pub for a birthday pint.

How cool is that?!!!

I know plenty of people have posted up pics of immaculate old Konas and the like.

Lets see ’em then. Basket cases that have been restored to their former glories. My own modest effort was stripping and powder coating a tatty, rusty old 90’s GT Timberline, bought for a tenner off eBay, which was a lovely oval Reynolds 525 tubed frame, for pub duties…

Lets see ’em then…..

Circa 1990 Orbit 531 fillet brazed frame, powder coated and then iced with M730

I’m just about to start on an circa 2000 steel Kona, it’ll be getting modern components, I have a 92 cindercone for authentic restoration but not sure that’ll ever happen

Not really restored as this Raleigh Classic was in wonderful original condition when I bought it off ton a few years back. (I don’t think it was his – maybe his wife’s)

Despite it weighing enough to have it’s own gravitational field and brakes that couldn’t stop a skateboard, my Mrs loves this bike and regularly rides into the town centre to do a bit of shopping on it.

Sturmey Archers, rod brakes and a massive sprung Brooks saddle. It’s even got the original frame pump.

My most recent, a 1996 GT Performer-

I have been told it needs Skyways and I think I agree.

Raleigh Burner. Its stripped and waiting for a trip to the powder coaters. followed by some rechroming, then tidying up the original Skyways and it’ll be ready for a ride around the local pump track.

I have a 1997 CroMo Rockhopper that still gets a run out when I’m out with the kids. The handling is uninspiring, but it’s still a looker! (sorry, no pic here)

Whoa! Mk1 Tuff Burner? 😀

Burner – is that a massive BB shell, or is it a tiny frame?

Edit: BMX, big shell for one piece cranks, right?

Not a restoration on the painstaking end of the scale, more fished out of a skip by another forum member (tobymc), given to me (lovely chap), the non-working bits (forks, brakes, pedals, gears etc) taken off and replaced in a parts bin/cheap/functional vibe. Lick of paint with some left over exterior emulsion.

One of STW’s “15 bikes we wish we’d owned”:

Yes, BMX (2″) shell for one piece (or three piece if you were flush) cranks 😀

And I’ve posted this one an absolute shit-ton of times, but it always gets nice comments, so here it is again. 1999 Dekerf Generation, bought s/h in 2000, spruced up with brazings added/removed for canti’s – discs, spangly paint with Cromotos to match.

And now with chunky rubber up front.

’92 Breezer Storm. I picked it up as a rusty mess off ebay, and had Argos repaint it in the original colour scheme, with new repro decals. I managed to find parts to restore it to the original spec.

lovely, ransos!

ransos love it! I’ve had a Lightning Pro from new! If you don’t mind me asking, how much was the paint and the decals? There is a German (I think) bloke on retrobike who had a Lightning redone with new decals and there is a US place selling a set but not Lighting Pro ones, tempted to get mind redone at some point although the paint is ok and I’ve touched up dodgy bits.

This photo if it works was a few years ago, got my old MXCD forks back on it. I have the original wheels and brakes etc but not fitted. It is now 8 speed with XC Pro thumbies https://goo.gl/photos/7rwjy6PVkzYiovUn6

I also have a 96 Ignax Z cruiser 🙂 https://goo.gl/photos/nv4rKVV8RUTXM37D8

I’ve got an alpinestars almega xt that i’ve been threatening for a long time. Still looking for various xt bits for it though if anyone has anything?

Very good ransos, extra marks for the hite rite 🙂

I have the original hite rite on mine as well 🙂 All the newbies thinking droppers are a recent thing 😉

Granted the hite rite is a bit (lol) awkward to use but it has never lost pressure, broken a cable, dumped oil etc 😀

If you don’t mind me asking, how much was the paint and the decals?

Can’t remember, but it wasn’t cheap. There was rust to treat and dents to fill as well as the painting. Argos Cycles in Bristol did all the work – it looks great but is a bit fragile. The only thing missing is a head tube badge… do you know where I could get one?

Love the Flexstem on yours!

My Rudge Bi-frame folding mountain bike as I bought it (£60):

[url=https://flic.kr/p/BqetxV]IMGP9192[/url] by Dave W, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/BqeqDD]IMGP9187[/url] by Dave W, on Flickr

And current setup with a mix of parts bin bits and carefully selected second hand bits (commuting on it this week) with Exotic carbon fork, On-one Midge bars, Middlemores saddle, USE elastomer seatpost, BB7 at the front, V-brake at the back.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/M35viV]2016-09-09 10.29.57[/url] by Dave W, on Flickr

In a previous guise with carbon flat bars and bar ends, on a C2C run:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/LZ44Ay]2016-06-05 10.31.15[/url] by Dave W, on Flickr

and having finished this year’s Ride to the Sun:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/LZ44s7]2016-06-19 04.18.24[/url] by Dave W, on Flickr

Just had a look at their price list, not too bad. No dents on mine nor rust. It had the odd surface bit from paint chips, I cleaned them up early last year and touched the paint up. It was always a bit fragile from new, would have thought modern paint better, laquer over the top?

Did they reproduce the decals for you?

Flexstem was back on for Brighton Big dog a few years ago, currently looks like this, mish mash of old/slightly old https://goo.gl/photos/18QTXcKyAtX5EGUr8

This is the bloke on retrobike, might be worth asking him for a headbadge info, I could do with one as well! http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=350977&hilit=breezer+lightning

There is someone on here selling a 92 Lightning Pro and on retrobike. Met Joe Breezer a few years back, seem to recall I got a Breezer sticker from him but bigger than normal head tube ones.

That Rudge is a bit, erm, ‘unique’, isn’t it? 😯

As for the Chopper; I can sort of understand why people might get a bit nostalgic over them, and they certainly were iconic, but in reality, they were crap! Pretty much the worst kids’ bike out there at the time! Heavy, awful handling, and often downright dangerous. But kids loved them. Nice to see that so much effort has gone into helping someone rekindle happy childhood memories, you can’t put a price on that! 😀

I wish that I’d kept my ’95 rigid Rockhopper.

I sold it to my BiL in mint condition and he neglected it. I last saw what was left of it being ridden by one of his waster mates. This makes me sad.

A mate did this to an old Reef, looked good….rode shit 😉

I lovingly pumped the tyres up and rode it to the post office. Long, high and steep

somafunk – Member
A mate did this to an old Reef, looked good….rode shit

That looks remarkably like an EP-X. What’s the story on it?

Rubber B

That needs Maguras 🙂

I also have a late 90s GT Timberline I would like to restore, sadly the head tube is oval so it needs a bit of work! Does 2003 count as retro?:

Not retro but vintage. Mid 1930’s i think, Osgear set up with brass shifters. Cleaned up the cranks and all the brass bits, got new wheels built on the original hubs by big AL. New tyres are now on it. Will spend a wee bit of time during the winter

Not at all in period but I love it

wzzzz that Orbit is lovely and the reason why is I more than likely built the frame and forks!

Bought my son a Raleigh Super Grifter. Bought it off a chap who restores old bikes, Raleighs in particular. This one is in great nick, only requiring new decals and tyres. I just now need to keep it in such good nick until wee Dougie is old enough to ride it. He’s 3 months old… 😳

My rolling collection of vintage parts.

Even older frame with newest parts that will still fit.

Cruiser.

2001 Rockhopper in bits, just waiting for me to decide on the colour and save up for some parts.

It’s a lovely thing.

1999 Raleigh DHO project.

Rockshox pro deluxe shock

I’ve loved this bike for years, not ridden in anger for a decade or so. I’m finally getting round to rebuilding it. Want to get some proper red boxxers for her!
https://goo.gl/photos/3xU8Na8NFT1iso2c7

Kayla1, that GT Performer is amazing. Such a great era to grow up in for bmxing. Chrome everywhere!

I got the Performer the year after, Formula One blue I think the colour was called. Loved that bike

Link to that blue performer…

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Ex Chris Newton Donohue 653:

Swinnerton track bike:

Old rockhopper, used for general scooting about on.

My Klein Quantum…..stiffer than a stiff thing!

and my Indy Fab Deluxe SS 🙂