Roni Solomon

Not too long ago, I picked up a Viner Special Professional in fair condition. A handful of paint chips and touch ups, some "rust snakes" and fading decals, but no dents, bends or structural damage. The chrome on the seatstay is scuffed, and there is some light pitting on the fork, but nothing a good polishing can't hide. I took a flashlight and looked into the bb shell, seat tube and head tube and both are rust free. While I can certainly build this bike up today and ride it, I am wondering if it is worth restoring; not from a resale standpoint, but just as something to have. I only paid about $200 for the frame, fork and C-Record headset, so I am not incredibly invested in this frame as of yet.


I have some photos of the frameset over on my flickr.


Also, if this frame is worth restoring, could anyone recommend a place to have it sent out to? The only bicycle restorer I am familiar with is Cyclart; while I am sure they do great work, I would like to see if there are any on the East Coast. (I currently live in New York City)


As always, thanks in advance.

jebensch

I'd leave it be, but I hear there's a good place in Providence. Circle A or A something...I'll try and dig up the name.

unworthy1

Viners are nice bikes, and this looks like a good one, but "restoring" can turn into a very expensive outlay. I don't think it warrants a cyclart-level investment: I'd get it stripped (protecting the good chrome, blasting off the bad) and either a good thin powdercoating or paint, and look into a set of replacement decals from JRestore or Greg Softley. Even that modest approach could still run into a few hundred $ .

Oldpeddaller

If you're going to use it, then I'd build it up as it is. The chips etc. look very minor and they are already there! It would be very frustrating to spend a lot of time and money on having it refinished, only to start your own new collection of chips and scratches (Speaking from experience!)

miamijim

I agree with the others. Leave it as is.

cyclezen

nice bike! ride as is
clear nail polish is a great clear coat for those spots where rust can be cleaned and you want to keep it off. apply as often as needed...

cudak888 

Try a very light amount of fine microfinishing compound over the rough touchups to see if the edges will smooth out.

-Kurt

treebound 

I know people with nice bikes who are very meticulous with their bikes clear down to using the proper nuts and cable ends. Some ride their bikes too, others own personal museum pieces that will never see pavement again under their ownership of the bikes.

I know other people with nice bikes who mechanically maintain them in good to excellent working condition, but don't fret about chips and such if the dings and scrapes are come by honestly (a tire washing out in a corner leading to a scrape on the paint is better than a flower vase falling off a shelf and chipping the paint on the top tube for example). The patina and wear and tear simply add character and history to their bikes.

I'm more in tune with the later category as I tend to ride what I own. I don't really have a collection, and only one or two that some would consider "nice" bikes, but I like to ride what I do have. So my vote would be to just give the frame a good solid cleaning, address any areas that need a touchup (rusty scrapes and such), and build the bike up to ride it.

If you go the full professional restoration route taking it back to better than new condition, would you still ride it? Likewise, if you just clean it up and ride it as is would you be happy riding it in that condition? Only you can decide what direction to go with it. I'd love to have a Viner someday, and I'd ride it too.

Roni Solomon

If I got the frame professionally restored, I would ride it, without a doubt. If I kept the frame as is, I would definitely ride it as well. I've run into this problem many times before, with antique furniture, and I have dozens of pieces that I still can't make up my mind as to whether I want to restore or keep them as is. To me, this frame is no different; right now the frame has twenty years of chips and scrapes of the previous owner. Do I apply my scrapes and chips over his, or do I remove them and apply twenty years of my own?

I guess the majority of the forum feels that I should leave the frame as is, so perhaps I will ride it that way for now and see how I feel about it in a few months.