pinel777

hi there

my name is steve, originally from belgium, but living in new zealand since a few years...

i just purchased an old avanti road bicycle... not sure what year it is from, so any information on that would be very welcome...



after some assessment, i think/hope the general condition of the bike looks quite good. since i'm a complete noob when it comes to bicycles, but very keen to learn how to repair/restore/renew an old road bicycle, it would be awesome to gain some information from the experts on this forum...

i'm planning to update this thread once in a while, so you guys (both experts and noobs like me) can see the progress... i hope some of you will be willing to share some information and guide me a bit in this process...

i have a couple of questions to start with...

- there is some rust visible on the bicycle, but i think this is just on the surface... rust on the frame should be sanded first to remove and make the frame smooth before repainting it? rust on the chrome parts (e.g. on the seat post or wheels) can be removed by using steel wool to enhance the general condition of the chrome? is that right?

- how to remove rust from screws and bolts?

- how to clean chain rings and cassettes thoroughly?

- the chain is as rusty as can be... is there any way to get rid of the rust, or should i just purchase a new chain?

- there is a crack in the back wheel (see picture)... i don't think this is very safe, but not sure if this wheel should be renewed or if there are ways to restore it...



- since the tyres and tubes are very old, they need to be replaced... maybe one of the forum members here can help me out... i would like to purchase completely colored tyres (red or blue ones), maybe with some profile, cyclo-cross alike if you will... where can if find them online in the right size?





- i would like to purchase a new sadle, but i'm not sure if any newly purchased sadle can fit the seat post...



- how to clean a derailleur properly? is it necessary to take it completely apart?

by centralising all the information in this topic, i hope i can help other people who want to repair/renew a road bicycle and don't have the expertise yet. i already thank you for the advice...

cheers.

.steve

sonatageek

That rim is toast.

John E

I had a Swedish Avanti track bike, which may be the same marque.

Your bike appears to have 1970s components.

Replace rims, tires, brake cables (center wires and housings), chain, brake pads (with KoolStop salmon). You can clean the derailleur by soaking it in solvent -- disassemble the cage and jockey wheels if you like.

Check the seatpost diameter -- thicker, with respect to the seat tube diameter, is better, because this implies thinner-walled tubing.

mickey85

You can get a saddle with double rails (most any decent saddle) and just use the existing clamp.

And is the Avanti like an old version of the new Hummer, Cadillac, Ferrari, Jeep, etc bikes?

pinel777

thanks for the advice so far...

@ mickey85
i thought avanti was more like a rolls royce, no? :-)

i just started to take everything apart... not completely sure how to remove the bottle holder... it is attached with two round screws that aren't actually screws, so it's not possible to use any tool to unscrew... i don't wanna pull to hard on it as it might ruin the frame a bit... any advice please?