My beloved Peugeot that I bought in HS, and then stopped riding it when life got busy (job, house, marriage, kids, etc...) but always stored in dry sheltered conditions is starting to show it's age. I had leant it to my son for a few years which probably accelerated it's erosion but took it back about 2 years ago to do some restoration with the help of all your input.

New wheels, seat, brake pads, all the usual stuff and some touch up paint and it was looking real sweet but I'm noticing in some areas a bit of rust is coming through. Under the bottom bracket, along the joins, under the down tube, etc...The paint is also starting to lose it's luster and showing showing hair line cracks. Hey, we all start to go downhill at a certain age!

At what point do you abandon the touch ups and go full out re-furbish? The frame is not compromised in any way at this point but it's more the aesthetics of the frame that is of concern.

There are so many variables:
Is the bike valuable in it's original condition?
How good you are at doing paint touch ups.
How willing your are to look at a bike that isn't perfect.
How good you are at stripping paint and repainting a frame.
Can you get the original decals?
Do you even want the original look?
Can you get the right color paint? Is close enough ok?
Are there frame issues that need to be addressed?
Do you have the tools and space to repaint?
Are you willing to spend the money to send it out for paint?
Do you have the larger chunks of time needed to strip and repaint? Touch ups can be done in is little as 15 minutes a night over several weeks or even longer.
How good are you at color matching?

There is a lot to consider. The biggest variable is you.

I have the tools and the skills to repaint frames. I don't do it often because it takes large amounts of time that I don't have and because I'm ok with a bike that is not so perfect (in most cases).

This bike has been touched up. You may not see it so well in the picture, however, the paint doesn't match right.

Yes all good points and I have been thinking about these options and even looked into some of the alternatives. I'm ok with the imperfections of scuff marks, a few scratches or even my imperfect touch up jobs I did at the beginning of the pandemic but it's the bits of rust that scare me.

No to almost all the rest of your points. I don't have the tools to strip and then repaint myself. I have looked into having it sand blasted and re painted and it's expensive where I am. I can get most of the replacement decals. Maybe not exact matches but close.

Is it worth much? it's not a grail bike but it was my first bike I ever bought 30+ years ago and the bike that got me into road biking so it's value is priceless to me.

A good distance which shows bike looks in fair condition


but a closer look shows the problems that worry me

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suggest to leave it be unless you are ready to do "the whole enchilada"

perhaps you could get help with disassembly and reassembly from a local bicycle co-op?

...or there may be a forum member near to you who has a home workshop...


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I'd just put a little Evaporust on it and call it a day.

Where is Oakville?

There's two Oakville's, one in California, the other outside Toronto Canada. I'm in Canada. There are several forum members in the Toronto area so might be able to ask around for help.

Ideally, I would like a solution that removes that rust, prevents it from coming back and then the best way to paint over the cleaned spots. My initial touch up work was chips, small rust spots and scratches which I bought some Testers model paint to cover up.

I think these rust spots are going to create bigger areas to paint over.

They make evaporust gel that works ok, if you keep it wet by adding to it, it works better, a bit tedious and time consuming. You can also wrap area's with paper towels soaked in the liquid and wrapped over with regular clear plastic wrap then clean the bad derusted spots with a fiberglass scratch brush and touchup. You can find an auto paint supply that can color match some touchup paint for a better look. I would then treat with framesaver or Boeshield inside to slow down the rust from and in the inside.

Here's a link to the brushes, the fiberglass ones go fast so I would order extra ones, the metal ones last a good while.

These brushes work great as the holder keeps them concentrated.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/40237994904...r=672412565831

That is a great looking bike! FWIW I would disassemble, clean all the parts, give the frame an oxalic acid bath, do whatever touch-up is warranted, wet-sand the touched up areas, polish and wax, repack all bearings, maybe replace all cables, and re-assemble. Do not think it is even close to needing a strip and repaint. This is what I am doing right now with a 1987 Gitane Record I just picked up, which is in about the same condition as yours. BTW, nice story about loaning to your son, getting him started on cycling, and it coming back to you!

I don't have any rules, per se, but there's definitely some subconscious calculation going on somewhere in my mind that tells me when not to refurb. If the lizard brain doesn't give me the stop sign, then it comes down to what makes me happy. Generally, if a bike looks good from 10 feet (and I'm guessing yours does), I don't feel like I need to do anything, but quite often I decide I want to. I like repainted and powder coated bikes more than the average person on this forum.

A few random comments....

- Rust is not patina -- It doesn't add to an old bike's appeal, and it is more than just an aesthetic problem. The amount of rust you've got there isn't really a problem, but if you take care of it now it'll be easier than it would be further down the road.

- Red is great for touch up -- There are lots of shades available, and chances are very good that you'll be able to find or mix something that blends well with the current paint, especially in areas like the bottom bracket that you hardly see anyway.

- Sentimental value is real value -- The bike may not be worth much to anyone else, but it is to you. To me, this means that you get the best of both worlds. You can justify spending money on it because it's a bike you love, but you don't need to worry about offending the purists.

- Refinishing let's you enhance -- If you decide to have the bike repainted or powder coated, it'll be stripped down to bare metal. This is a great opportunity to do things like adding a second set of water bottle bosses, or a new fork, or a pump peg, or whatever else you might want.

I love that generation of Peugeot paint! I had a Peugeot Triathlon of the same era. It was too small, but I would love to find one in my size.

It looks like it's in pretty good shape overall. Until you are ready for investing in a complete overhaul, Evaporust will remove and minimize the appearance of that rust. Follow merziac's application recommendations and then touch up. That rust isn't that bad, to be honest, but treating it right now is a good maintenance item. And if those are touchups on the non-drive side chainstay, it looks like you found a good paint match, which is half the battle of touch ups!

Not absolutely necessary, but having a shop apply Framesaver to the insides of the tubing is a nice preventative measure that will help with with rust that's inside the frame and make the frame last longer. It's not at risk of imminent demise, but it could help your bike last for 40+ more years instead of for "just" 25 (for example.) You can certainly do it yourself if you wish to learn how to remove and adjust your bottom bracket and fork.

Agree with the value to you, this is paramount and can guide, justify, empower you to get after this, whatever that may be. It could be the justification to get the tools, learn the dance and come out the other side with newfound valuable skill, a great keepsake that lives on and the ability to do it again.

You probably only have to ask for help to get some close to where you are.

Like you said, priceless.

Thanks everyone, i really appreciate the input and I feel better about it's condition from what you all say. I was getting worried because the rust (albeit, relatively small amounts) seem to come out over this last year. I ride this bike several times/week, have it stored in a dry garage and never ride in the rain. I also have 2 other vintage bikes and newer bikes in same garage and none are showing any signs of rust. Maybe it has something to do with the Reynolds 453 steel?

I will start with the evaporust procedure and get that taken care of and then touch up paint. Maybe it's time to bring it in the house over the winters to slow down any kind of moisture build up from the inside of the steel.

Next spring, I'll see if the my touch ups have kept the rust in check and then determine whether I need to go the next level with a complete refurb.

BTW not sure if it's my bias from riding it for 30+ years but it rides even better than it looks. Smooth as silk and no matter what wheels, tires, cassette/freewheel I put on it, still rides like a dream.