Inviting tips and tricks for cleaning up neglected roadbikes. Just picked up a Centurion Elite for $48, but the previous owner must have left it in the rain. There are little spots of rust around the cable guides on the top tube.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to find a neglected classic in need of TLC. What are the tricks for putting em back on the road without sandblasting and powdercoating? What parts do you disassemble and rebuild, or replace? What do you look for when inspecting parts?

Paul

I'm new here, but this is what I came looking for.
What I like to do is leave the whole thing as intact, or as original, as possible.
If the rust isn't too bad, get rid of it, and repaint those spots (practice on something else before you do the real thing). Set the frame aside and get to work on the parts. Do a thorough cleaning with a lite solvent (gas or kerosene--without igniting anything!) then wash it all off with a little dish soapy water. Then just start in on disassembling, cleaning, inspecting each, usually starting with the simplest.
When you inspect, look for tiny cracks, splits, bad threads, anything thats not the way it seems it should be. If the nuts and bolts and springs etc are still good, use them again.
If need be, a little lite filing with a lite file, then 1200 grit sand paper (dont go nuts with this!) then rub-a-dub with polishing compound.
Different people like different lubes, and thats a topic for another thread, I think.
Springs are tricky, so maybe take a photo, draw a picture, memorize the part before you disassemble; it might be a few days before you get back to reassembly of the part.
If a part is too trashed to use again, and you want to stay true to the bike or era of the bike, many LBS have used part bins you can rummage through.
When youre all done with it, show it off! If the era is right, wear your woolies, use your toe straps, maybe even that old leather hairnet!

This is a very timely post, since I want to keep my 1960 Capo as original as possible, including the paint. (The 1959 Capo is a CyclArt repaint with upgraded components; it is great and stunning looking in its own right, but different from a cleaned up OEM machine.) I will have to repaint the head tube.

I have had good luck with automotive brake cleaner for general parts cleanup. I tore the wheels down to the Campag. hub shells, which took a fabulous shine after 46 years.

I concur with the "show it off," having ridden the 1959 Capo every weekend for the past few weeks. I found a nice set of red Christophe toe straps, and I put a pair of candy red water bottle holders on the handlebar, using modern equipment in a very period-correct orientation. However, I do wear a state-of-the-art helmet instead of a leather hairnet.

John E is right about the helmet. Seriously wrong thing for me to suggest. My hairnet has been in a box with other junk for 20 yrs.
I'm having a hard time finding toe strap tips. Any ideas? Do I have to make my own? And I dont ebay.

One trick I found is if you remove the little rust spots you have a choice as to what to do then with the spot. Some folks like to leave it a bare metal spot, others like to try and paint match it. If you want to try and paint match it fingernail polish is the way to go. It can be found in just about any color you might want, and is a pretty damned protective coat. otherwise just clear coat your metal spot so the rust doesn't come right back.

New straps are still available. A good LBS should have them or be able to order them.

I'm just looking for the tips to the straps, not the whole strap. The little deal that we put on the tip of the strap to grab hold to sinch it up.

"a thorough cleaning with a lite solvent (gas or kerosene--without igniting anything!) "
It's never a good idea to use gasoline for cleaning, the risk of ignition is to great! Use a slow solvent or a detergent.

If the rust is in unpainted chrome or aluminum parts then I use a light touch with a fine stainless or brass brush in my dremel.

I confess to sometimes using my jewelers rouge on my bike parts. I once filed-sanded-polished a set of Dia Compe 500's to a Campy-like finish.

Simichrome was very popular when my high school buddies and I were fixing up bikes in the late 1960s. I just bought a tube; we'll see how it works.