All types of vintage bicycles have been through my workshop since I started back in 1995. I can undertake a full nut and bolt restoration, or it can be a careful process of preservation; that helps retain the character and soul of a bicycle while making it useable. ‘After all; its only original once’. I work on anything from the beautiful 1896 Tiffany Silver bicycle (above); which I had the privilege to restore and preserve over the course of 2 years during 2021/2022, to penny farthings, classic racing bicycles and vintage children's bicycles.
As long as it has wheels and pedals, I can help. For early and victorian bicycles, I can often reproduce and fabricate any missing components.
If a bicycle retains original paintwork, artwork and the chrome can be retrieved, then I tend to recommend this process to customers. Not only do you save on the cost of the painting and chroming process, but It will retain the originality of the bicycle; which will be lost with a full restoration.
If a bicycles paintwork is too far gone and the chrome-work is poor, then I would probably recommend a full restoration. This involves a more in depth process for preparation of the parts to be re-painted; and depending on the age of the bicycle, the components to be either chrome or nickel plated. The cost is also significantly higher and the process longer due to lead times for painters and platers; which are both processes we out-source.
However; there are also some projects with lend themselves to a combination of preservation and restoration, where a frame and forks can be painted in a period satin finish, while the components are cleaned and preserved. This works very well for earlier bicycles for instance.
A full restoration process involves the following:
Strip-down of the bicycle to component form.
Lightly clean and assess all components for any damage and make a list of replacement parts to by sourced.
Repair any damage found to the frame/forks and align the frame and components.
Prepare and deliver parts to be sandblasted and painted. (we use either wet-coat or powder-coat finishing depending on the project requirement. (Current lead time is about 4-5 weeks with our supplier)
Repair, prepare and deliver all components to be chromed or nickel plated. (normal lead time for the plating process can be up-to 8 weeks. )
Collect and assemble all re-painted and plated components, including fixing artwork, head-badge etc.
Re-build hubs, pedals, headset and bottom bracket with new bearings and grease.
Re-build wheels with new spokes, nipples and replacement rims (if required.)
Rebuild complete bicycle with replacement components where needed (including replacement tyres, tubes, cables, brake blocks and other consumables).
Test ride.
A bicycle preservation process involves the following:
Strip-down of the bicycle to component form.
Lightly clean and assess all components for any damage and make a list of replacement parts to by sourced.
Repair any damage found to frame/ forks, align frame and components.
Clean and preserve the frame and forks and treat to prevent corrosion
Clean, re-assemble all components and treat to prevent corrosion.
Re-build hubs and wheels (if required).
Rebuild complete bicycle with replacement correct period style components where needed (including replacement tyres, tubes, cables, brake blocks and other consumables.
