crandress 

I may have a line on a nice Peugeot. I has some rust spots on the frame that just look like light surface rust. What is the best way to remove/rejuvenate? And what else should I look for to make sure the frame is in decent shape, that I might not see with a quick look over? Is it worth dealing with or better to look for different frame/bike?

3speedslow

One possible way: clear the paint off the rise area until you see good steel. Knock the loose rust off and lightly sand it smooth. Check for metal integrity( no weak spots or soft rust). Use rust converter on spot. Paint when ready.

So many ways to go about this. Use search on this site to help you decide.

Good luck with the possible project!

crandress 

Thanks for a quick response! I have always shied away from anything with rust, but have a bee in my bonnet about a Peugeot for some reason. I will check it closely before deciding to purchase. Thanks! Chris

francophile 

Evapo-rust. I can't say this enough at this forum. If you haven't tried this product, you're insane. Drink the kool-aid.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...s-spelled.html

And here's how you'd apply it, wet paper towels flat around the tube and cling wrap around that, along with the results you'd potentially see:

https://www.bikeforums.net/18433369-post29.html

My only warning to you is this: If you have un-clearcoated waterslide decals on your bike, avoid wrapping those spots. If the decals are clearcoated, you should be fine.

Kevindale

I think you're jumping ahead a couple of steps asking how to mitigate the rust. First focus on the "what else should I look for" part. If there's rust, there's a good likelihood that either the seat post or the stem, or both, are stuck in the frame. Take some Allen keys, and when you examine the bike see if you can loosen the relevant bolts and get the seat post and stem to move. These can fuse into the frame and sometimes require destructive methods to remove.

Then try to assess the bottom bracket and head set and wheel hubs. If you take the chain off the chain rings, do the pedals turn very smoothly and quietly? Repairing/replacing the bottom bracket is a rather advanced task.

When you turn the handlebars, do they move smoothly and evenly? If you hold tight on the front brake, and wiggle the bike forwards and back, do you feel a knocking in the head tube? If the headset is shot, that's another advanced task to replace (almost definitely something for the LBS).

Then try to see if the wheels are true (watch the space between one brake pad and the rim as the wheel turns). See if the wheels spin smoothly. Do the gear changes work easily?

As for the frame, look beyond rust, and try to see if there's any sign of having been crashed. Wrinkles and cracks in the paint can indicate defects in the underlying metal from a hard crash. If you can post a good clear picture of the bike, taken from the drive side, and a few closer photos of different parts, the folks here can give you a huge hand in assessing the condition, and spot potential problems.

EDIT: Last note - if you're fairly new to vintage steel bikes, I'd try to make the first one either something really special, so it's worth all the trouble, or something that's a decent bike but in very good condition. It's the same amount of work to rehab a rusty, worn bike, whether it's an entry level bike with little value, or a race-worthy PX-10.

gugie 

I've rarely seen a frame where rust was an issue that couldn't be resolved. Follow just about anyone's recommendation on how to remove it. They all work, some better than others.
@Kevindale has a strong recommendation. So +1 on that.

crandress 

@francophile Thank you, just the info I was looking for to remove rust!
@Kevindale Good info, yes, I should have started with that rather than ending with those question. I have just never dealt with rust, so that was my main concern, but REALLY appreciate the other things to look for as I would not have thought of them.
@gugie Thank you as well!

crandress 

Thank you. I have a 1980 Mercian Vincitore, a lovely touring frame that I purchased in about 1995. It was actually my first internet purchase from a bulletin board on the old Prodigy online service. The guy mailed me pics before I purchased. A couple years ago I did some work on it, but no rust was involved, just revitalizing it and switching out the component, which I may do again. I also have Bridgestone MB-3 mountain bike which I just had tuned up. The rims had failed, so I purchased some new (to the bike) wheels off the Rivendell group and updated to 8-speed.

Again, I have never dealt with rust. I keep my bikes pretty clean and garaged. I purchased the Bridgestone new in 1991/92 or close to it.

That said, I am getting the bug to add another bike or two. I have lots of old components to replace parts. I would like an Italian frame from the 70's/80's. I have all the campy components to complete a bike. Then I was thinking of a Peugeot or some sort of vintage randonneuring frame. The PX-50 would be perfect, but would do a PX-10 (like I was referencing above. I was looking at this on ebay, but hate not being able to inspect:

21" Vintage 1963 PEUGEOT PX50 Randonneur 650B Restoration Project | eBay

Note, that is not the bike I was referencing above. Just what got me thinking. Would a restored version of that PX-50 though.

I think it would be fun to have a project bike to redo. I am in a bigger house and have to room to set up a bike shop. I have always had all the tools as well to work on classic bikes. I don't understand indexing or anything new than 1990.

Thanks for all the help!

Here is my Mercian:

Kevindale

Ah, you're an old hand at fine vintage steel bikes. I apologize if my suggestions came off the wrong way; I thought you might be someone who had been riding modern CF and aluminum bikes, and now had the bug to get something vintage.

My only advice now is try to buy locally, if you can, so you can do a proper inspection. It takes some patience and luck. OTOH, that Peugeot you referenced has free shipping. I'll leave it to others to assess the value - if you post the link to that ad in the Appraisals subforum, you'll get good responses.

randyjawa 

Brush off the debris with a plastic brush, then rub the area with a plastic scrub pad(the kind you use for washing dishes) then rub the area with aluminum foil. And you go from this...



to this...



A coat of wax and that's about it. I don't like using chemicals to clean chrome. I try to keep my vintage bicycle hobby as environmentally friendly as I can.

The end product looks like this...

jj1091

The PX-50 is a nice bike. Here's my '75 for reference:




Mine is mostly original, replacement brake levers, RD, saddle, and fenders. I couldn't imagine fitting it out with Campy, I like the OEM look.

crandress 

Thanks, but I do understand completely. Besides, in a way I am an old hand, but its been a while. I redid the Mercian in 2013, early 2014 or so. Then got sidetracked by a house remodel and then job layoff. The layoff should have given me tons of time for the bike, but somehow never really found the time. But now with a move, new job, and new house, finally settled, I have both the time and space, so I need to get riding and would like to work on a project or two.

crandress 

That is a nice bike! Well I would like any build to be as OEM as possible. The campy would go on a racing bike. I recently won a bunch of NOS bike stuff at a local auction, so I have a bunch of Huret, Simplex, Mafac, and Lyodard items, as well as NOS Zefal frame pumps I could use on a Peugeot. Plus I have a lot of stuff to trade/sell to find the right items. I love the look of that PX-50 I found on ebay. Would prefer to keep it as original as possible.

jj1091

Thanks. The PX-50's most expensive OE item is the Mafac Raid brake calipers. They're sought after for 650b conversions, so if you find a PX-50 to do your build, make sure it has those with it. The one on ebay would be a miserable one to restore. Most of the shiny bits and the chrome wheels are beyond restoration, and finding that many replacement parts would cost much more than finding a suitable better-shape PX-50. The model isn't very common to the US, and nice-shape ones are rather rare. They don't have a value comparable to their rarity, however. They're extremely heavy rides, but ride quite nicely.

francophile 

Note that Evapo-rust is safe enough to drink, very environmentally friendly and reusable. In fact, it's the only rust remover on the market other than distilled vinegar that can make the claim. There's an argument to be made against using abrasives, you can see the scratches even plastic leaves in the chrome with concerted rubbing.

@crandress if it helps, I've bought from that eBay seller before. It was a good transaction. It wasn't a whole bike, so YMMV, but ... was fast ship, good price and a great communicator. Price is 20-30% higher than I'd like to pay locally, but being remote and rare, it's not horrible by any stretch.

crandress 

Thank you for the info on the rust remover and about the seller. He did say the wheels are no good and he had intended to take them off. So I am not sure at this point. I never heard back from the guy selling the PX-10 for which I started this thread, so I assume he has already sold it.

francophile 

Well, honestly, unless you really like the stock steel wheels, you'd be better to upgrade those to something alloy which looked OK anyway.

If you do get the PL50/PX50 (I think that's a PL) and you find a need for similar steel wheels, I have no less than 2 pairs of barely-used Rigida steel wheels (70s era, 5spd), as close to 60s period-correct as you'll find w/o rust and at a price a fellow BF'er couldn't beat. Both off a 78-79ish 8-series or 9-series Peugeot. they've been in my attic with no tires on for a couple of years waiting for a project. I haven't seen any mid/lower-end bikes that warranted using them, and they're too heavy to warrant selling on eBay.