Fifty Plus (50+) - Should I fix this bike?

I mentioned a few weeks back that a friend was going to give me his old road bike. Well it showed up and I am a bit disheartened. I was told this bike is an old Puch - but all the lables are gone. The steel on the bike looks in good shape but the paint is awful, looks like it might have been repainted - they guy had his name decaled on the bike. The brakes are old center pull Weinmanns, the shifters are suntour, the rear deraileur says Eagle on it and the front deraileur says spirt. There is a number stamped on the bottom of the bottom bracket housing but nothing that looks like a date and no name or model information. The frame is lugged with some what fancy lugs, there is a substantial rake to the front fork. Some chrome or nickle plating on the chain side chain stay but no where else visable where the paint is chiped - this looks like oxidized bare steel but not pitted with rust. The bike is kind of a puke green with pale yellow lugs. There is a cottered crank.

If I were to take on this "project" a complete paint job would be in order to stop any rust from growing. The bike was dry stored in a barn for what was probably 20 or 30 years.

My first thought on seeing this bike was - where is the nearest dumpster, but I would hate to send a vintage model to the crusher - but my gut tells me this ain't no vintage model, probably an old Sears bike, and I haven't got the time or money to throw away on junk. Advise please!

One thing to consider is the bottom bracket and headset. If they are French setup may cost a bit to replace. It kind of boils down to how much money you want to throw at the thing. A picture would help and I would also post this on the Classic forum for more response.

A picture would help and I would also post this on the Classic forum for more response.

+1

I did open a thread on the vintage & classics

Here is the pic

An Eagle rear deraileur, and Spirit Front deraileur, tells me it's probably a sears bike. Looks to be early 70's vintage.

It might be useful as a around-town bike, one that will not attract thieves. The shifting mechanisms on these are difficult to maintain and work hard. Your call, but I would suggest converting it to a single-speed.
You'd be able to leave it places and it would be less likely to attract the attention of thieves and vandals.

I've always found that a lot can be told from thwacking my fingernail against the frame tubes. If it's got a bright hollow sort of "plink" to it that suggests thinner metal and a better than buttery temper then it's worth some effort. If it sounds like thumping a hunk of water pipe then it's not worth the effort. It helps to run around and thwack your finger on a lot of frames to develop a skill at the notes you get but it works pretty well.

My boss gave me an old Dawes road bike I'd guess from 1970s It looks cool. I put a new bottom bracket on it and some old ultegra components on it got some cross type tires and I ride it on the rail trail. It's fun. Not a great bike but it rides decently and it looks pretty neat. My vote is fix it up but don't restore it.

I decided it will get cleaned up and lubed and will then be placed on my trainer for indoor winter riding. I had fogotten all about winter riding - but it's just around the corner. This will save my MTB which usually gets strapped to the trainer in late Sept.

I decided it will get cleaned up and lubed and will then be placed on my trainer for indoor winter riding. I had fogotten all about winter riding - but it's just around the corner. This will save my MTB which usually gets strapped to the trainer in late Sept.
Good decision. I was about to suggest using it as a beater. From what I can see from the pic it looks like a low end department store bike not worth throwing money at.

I agree with BCRider's fingernail method of evaluating a steel frame. :thumb:

Good decision. I was about to suggest using it as a beater. From what I can see from the pic it looks like a low end department store bike not worth throwing money at.

I agree with BCRider's fingernail method of evaluating a steel frame. :thumb:

I tried that - did it first on the simoncini - a nice high pitch ring (Columbus SLX tubing)
Then tried it on the Puch - thud, the sound of old gas pipe. The Puch will be fondly referred to as the "Puke" so beater status it has. If I can clean/tune it up and make it ride well I may ride it in a classic bike ride next summer.

Steyr-Daimler-Puch made a wide range of bicycles, from very basic, but competent, beaters such as yours to coveted high-end road machines, such as the Austro-Daimler Vent Noir. As the owner of two old classics from Vienna's Otto Cap Farhrad Und Metallwerk, I am an admittedly biased fan of Austrian bikes. :)