Resurrection of a Bike Pictures (or: I Made this Rusted P.O.S. Useable Again)
 

I just "finished" resurrecting a bike for a friend to use as a commuter. Like any project, it's never really done, but what I started out with was well on it's way to scrap.

Please post pictures of any bike that you've resurrected from the dead.

Here's the *before* pictures of one I just turned over to a new owner.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265758http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265759http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265760http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265761http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265762http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265763

These are the *after* pictures, and after the new owner had it for about a week. I will state up-front that the specific light that is on there is the one that he had to have. My best guess is that he doesn't trust LEDs...

The parts for the resurrection either came out of my extra parts bin, a second free bike, and some super-cheap online sales.

It probably wasn't the worst case to start off with, and it's likely not the best rebuild ever, but it works pretty darn good, and it was the worst case bike I've ever worked on.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265781http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265782http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265783http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265784http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=265785

Congrats. That's a pretty amazing transformation.

GREAT job!

soma before
http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/29...600x600Q85.jpg
soma after
http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/49...600x600Q85.jpg
letour before
http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/49...600x600Q85.jpg
letour after
http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/49...600x600Q85.jpg

Both of these bikes were well past a restore IMHO the letour was done for a friend.
I have many others but never took before pictures.

Bud, Those are great! From the pictures, the Soma looks like it had the bigger transformation, if not more difficult.

Ya the Soma was really mangled in the rear end. The RD was twisted around and in the spokes. I wanted to build something crazy and fun to ride and look a little like a single speed. I used a 26” 3 speed wheel in the back and left the 27 up front. And then used the stem shifter on one side to work the 3 speed hub. I mounted a horn to the left hand stem. It was a curb find on trash night.

The letour was really more work it was at a yard sale for $5 but had sat outside for about 10 years. I bought it just for a couple of the parts on it but you know how that goes when you start working on it this leads to that and pretty soon you are getting the rust out of everything. I gave it to a friend when done and last year I add a triple crank to it to give them a granny gear. Some projects never end.