The "Before And After" Thread
06-07-12 | 01:08 PM
#1326
Crawlin' up, flyin' down
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,726
Likes: 4,374
From: Democratic Peoples' Republic of Berkeley
Bikes: 1967 Paramount; 1982-ish Ron Cooper; 1978 Eisentraut "A"; two mid-1960s Cinelli Speciale Corsas; and others in various stages of non-rideability.
Did someone mention Cooper?
I just finished rehanging the parts on mine after getting a respray from Ed Litton (I had the forks rechromed, too). It may not look like it needed one, and to many of you it wouldn't have, but it had some good sized chips in the paint and had a bit of bubbly stuff happening under the paint and the chrome, so I thought I'd rather nip that in the bud.
Before:
After:
It looks even better in sunshine - the blue isn't sparkly (Ed asked if I wanted sparklies, but that didn't seem right on a Cooper), but is almost luminescent, and the white lettering just pops. I love the way it turned out. And, of course, it's a great ride.
I just finished rehanging the parts on mine after getting a respray from Ed Litton (I had the forks rechromed, too). It may not look like it needed one, and to many of you it wouldn't have, but it had some good sized chips in the paint and had a bit of bubbly stuff happening under the paint and the chrome, so I thought I'd rather nip that in the bud.
Before:
After:
It looks even better in sunshine - the blue isn't sparkly (Ed asked if I wanted sparklies, but that didn't seem right on a Cooper), but is almost luminescent, and the white lettering just pops. I love the way it turned out. And, of course, it's a great ride.
__________________
"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
06-07-12 | 08:09 PM
#1329
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,472
Likes: 549
I've been littering this place up lately with pics of my Gran Sport, so I might as well post it on this thread too. As I was riding it the other day, I realized the bike has done service in quite a variety of ways:
1973: bought new, rode it to the mall to buy the latest Bowie album. Or was it Roxy Music? A couple years later, got the brilliant idea to paint the bike. Stupid stupid stupid.
1977: rode it in a couple low-key races. Took 2nd in one.
1978: got my Motobecane, turned the Raleigh into a winter fixed gear.
1990's: fixed gear kid hauler.
2000's: fixed gear kid chaser.
2010: turned it back into a geared bike.
2012: gave it a powder coat and a few new parts.
1973: bought new, rode it to the mall to buy the latest Bowie album. Or was it Roxy Music? A couple years later, got the brilliant idea to paint the bike. Stupid stupid stupid.
1977: rode it in a couple low-key races. Took 2nd in one.
1978: got my Motobecane, turned the Raleigh into a winter fixed gear.
1990's: fixed gear kid hauler.
2000's: fixed gear kid chaser.
2010: turned it back into a geared bike.
2012: gave it a powder coat and a few new parts.
06-07-12 | 09:57 PM
#1331
Hopelessly addicted...
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4,955
Likes: 13
From: Central Maryland
Bikes: 1949 Hercules Kestrel, 1950 Norman Rapide, 1970 Schwinn Collegiate, 1972 Peugeot UE-8, 1976 Raleigh Sports, 1977 Raleigh Sports, 1977 Jack Taylor Tandem, 1984 Davidson Tandem, 2010 Bilenky "BQ" 650B Constructeur Tandem, 2011 Linus Mixte
My 1949 Hercules Kestrel started out as a frameset that had been gifted me by ftwelder and now looks like the last picture below. 
Hercules Kestrel Frame - Late 1940's - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
Hercules Kestrel Frame - Late 1940's - 8 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
Kestrel Finally Done! (Mostly) - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
Hercules Kestrel Frame - Late 1940's - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
Hercules Kestrel Frame - Late 1940's - 8 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
Kestrel Finally Done! (Mostly) - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
06-08-12 | 12:11 AM
#1333
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,802
Likes: 417
From: adelaide, australia
My 1949 Hercules Kestrel started out as a frameset that had been gifted me by ftwelder and now looks like the last picture below.
Hercules Kestrel Frame - Late 1940's - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
Hercules Kestrel Frame - Late 1940's - 8 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
Kestrel Finally Done! (Mostly) - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
Hercules Kestrel Frame - Late 1940's - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
Hercules Kestrel Frame - Late 1940's - 8 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
Kestrel Finally Done! (Mostly) - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr
06-08-12 | 08:59 AM
#1336
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 27,266
Likes: 150
From: YEG
Bikes: See my sig...
06-16-12 | 08:00 PM
#1340
Get off my lawn!
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,035
Likes: 118
From: The Garden State
Bikes: 1917 Loomis, 1923 Rudge, 1930 Hercules Renown, 1947 Mclean, 1948 JA Holland, 1955 Hetchins, 1957 Carlton Flyer, 1962 Raleigh Sport, 1978&81 Raleigh Gomp GS', 2010 Raliegh Clubman
illwafer, I love it, that frame is soo relaxed it looks like it will just roll along forever. Are those Compass or Panaracers?
Sixtyfiver, Nice, but I must confess, when I first saw the parts I thought for a split second, "cool, parts for a tall bike"! Then I remembered you did some brazing. I agree with you, the painted frame is better than the burnt. Many happy miles on your wee wheels!
Sixtyfiver, Nice, but I must confess, when I first saw the parts I thought for a split second, "cool, parts for a tall bike"! Then I remembered you did some brazing. I agree with you, the painted frame is better than the burnt. Many happy miles on your wee wheels!
06-16-12 | 08:37 PM
#1342
)) <> ((
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 4
From: San Diego, CA
06-17-12 | 06:07 AM
#1347
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 275
Likes: 2
From: Medina, OH
Bikes: 85 Cilo, '91 Bianchi Volpe, '00 Gary Fisher, '74 Raleigh SuperCourse, '06 Soma Groove, '09 Nashbar X
Wow SixtyFiver. You should do a quick build thread on your Twenty. You've made me start looking for a project again.
(in no way am I taking away from the coolness of the other bikes on the page)
(in no way am I taking away from the coolness of the other bikes on the page)
06-17-12 | 06:13 AM
#1348
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 27,266
Likes: 150
From: YEG
Bikes: See my sig...
Am working on that... I have taken hundreds of pictures of this bike over 5 years and the real work started at this time last year when I decided to gear up the bike and do the frame modifications and the only stock part left is the H frame and the head badge which I have to re-attach and am talking to my decal maker about getting some custom ones made up.
06-17-12 | 08:18 AM
#1349
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 27,266
Likes: 150
From: YEG
Bikes: See my sig...