Wu Yang Bikes - beyond restoration?
01-11-13, 12:56 AM
#1
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Wu Yang Bikes - beyond restoration?
Happy New Years BF C&V...
I was looking at picking these bikes up and "restoring them" for my brother and wife as commuters in the bay area. It would be great as they both lived in China for years. When I say restore I mean make rideable and reliable. So, are these things even worth the hassle? They are cheap to buy but I have a feeling it could get time consuming and expensive quickly. I have "restored" many bikes but nothing like this. Two bikes here, man's and women's. Opinions please...
I was looking at picking these bikes up and "restoring them" for my brother and wife as commuters in the bay area. It would be great as they both lived in China for years. When I say restore I mean make rideable and reliable. So, are these things even worth the hassle? They are cheap to buy but I have a feeling it could get time consuming and expensive quickly. I have "restored" many bikes but nothing like this. Two bikes here, man's and women's. Opinions please...
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01-11-13, 03:03 AM
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Wow, that is a cool bike! It sure looks like a Raleigh so parts should interchange. Is it worth it? as a financial investment no . Would it draw a lot of attention and bringing it back to life will be more rewarding than another episode of blah tv.
Get a little car polish and see if the paint will shine up. I think it has great potential!
Get a little car polish and see if the paint will shine up. I think it has great potential!
01-11-13, 04:44 AM
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Indonesia was also full of these chinese raleigh clones. Closes your eyes and you won't feel the difference!
01-11-13, 07:04 AM
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Is your time worth much? Those are huge projects. Even if they were free, I would probably pass.
Back to my standard commuter recommendation, think vintage rigid frame mtb. All the parts are standardized, plentiful, and affordable, lighter weight, and if you look aggressively, they can be found at reasonable (low) prices.
Back to my standard commuter recommendation, think vintage rigid frame mtb. All the parts are standardized, plentiful, and affordable, lighter weight, and if you look aggressively, they can be found at reasonable (low) prices.
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Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
01-11-13, 07:57 AM
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There is no way this is a Raleigh clone! Nothing on this bike looks remotely like a Raleigh in any way.
Great headbadge
I agree it looks like an interesting project but as FTwelder points out any return on your investment is unlikely.
Great headbadge
I agree it looks like an interesting project but as FTwelder points out any return on your investment is unlikely.
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One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
01-11-13, 08:10 AM
#10
You gonna eat that?
If you think you can make the existing parts work, it might be an interesting project. If you're not familiar with it, check out some threads on oxalic acid; it removes rust.
I think the most optimistic scenario is to use one for a parts bike and try to get one complete bike out of the two.
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"However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
01-11-13, 09:03 AM
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Do it...with an OA bath some grease, wax, tires and a saddle; there's at least one bike in there.
01-11-13, 09:45 AM
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Do not listen to the bourgeois running dog capitalist pigs! Strive, strive, for the glory of restoring bikes for righteous triumph of the masses! And do not forget, morning Self-Criticism session! Surely there is some way in which you have FAILED the Bicycle Restoration Revolution!
But get a tetanus booster first.
But get a tetanus booster first.
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I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds.
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01-11-13, 09:50 AM
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Almost certain to be lot's of problems finding parts....would be amazed if they follow any standards. Then once you give them away probably on going maintenance and parts issues.
Cool project for yourself yes. Reliable commuters no.
wrk101 rigid mtb frame base commuter recommendation is good. My preference is mid level 80's japanese road bikes (nishiki, univega, panasonic, miyata...etc) most came with eyelts make great commuters.
Cool project for yourself yes. Reliable commuters no.
wrk101 rigid mtb frame base commuter recommendation is good. My preference is mid level 80's japanese road bikes (nishiki, univega, panasonic, miyata...etc) most came with eyelts make great commuters.
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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
01-11-13, 09:51 AM
#16
Senior Member
I'd do it. But my time is not worth much, and I like rusty projects. It justifies my purchase of a sandblasting cabinet and a welder.
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Semper fi
Semper fi
01-11-13, 10:33 AM
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For commuting bikes? No. For fun? Heck yeah! But I enjoy fixing rusty old bikes so I don't count my hours like I would at work. If they were mine I would do it. You don't have to do a full on restoration, remove the rust, a couple cans of black and silver paint and the usual consumables would get a couple decent bikes assuming nothing is too far gone, which is hard to guess at from photos. Just beware cottered cranks, those might be rough to remove...
01-11-13, 10:45 AM
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Wu Yang ain't nuttin' to f*** wit'.
)She recognized the brand. The name translates to "Five Sheep".
01-11-13, 10:56 AM
#20
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Thanks everyone for the replies. I am going to skip this one. I love the idea but I'll wait for the next thing to pop up on CL that no one wants.
Thanks all
GG
Thanks all
GG
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01-11-13, 11:01 AM
#21
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Bikes on Flickr
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Bikes on Flickr
I prefer email to private messages. You can contact me at justinhughes@me.com
01-11-13, 11:32 AM
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BTW, depending on which of the 4 tones used to pronounce it, the word "WU" can also mean MY. So, if you pronounce it a certain way, the name could mean, My Yang. And, as the Captain so aptly put it...best not to mess with your Yang.
01-11-13, 12:06 PM
#24
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That rear rack looks as if made from scrap metal at a shipyard!
01-11-13, 12:17 PM
#25
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These bikes were built as commuters and utilities, parts are available, I just bought a Wu Yang Chaincase of ebay for $40 US. Check out this blog dedicated to Chinese bicycles for more on the Wu-Yang
https://www.flyingpigeonproject.org/wu-yang/
https://www.flyingpigeonproject.org/wu-yang/