aubergene

**newbie first post warning!**

Hello, I bought this Falcon/Eddy Merckx bike recently. I wanted some advice on restoring it. I know it's not a real Merckx but it looks like one if youu don't look too closely and makes a good winter bike. The photos below show it as it was when I bought it. I've replaced the wheels (the old ones were too warped to be worth repairing). The frame is quite badly scratched and chipped, I got a bottle of colour match paint from halfords and was planning to touch up bits and hopefully buff it up so it won't show too bad. Would it be easy/worth it to change the gears?





Thanks

sydney

Looks like landfill material to me.

lotek 

nice, very nice.
If you don't have anything intellegent to say you don't have
to respond to every post. You seem to really enjoy dumping on
bikes here, so why bother?

aubergene,
Although not a top of the line bike, it will make a good rider.
Falcon made a decent bike contrary to what some folks think.
what exactly do you want to change on gears? modern STI/ERGO
setup shouldn't be too difficult but might be too much of an expense
for the bike as you will need shifters, Derailleurs, cogs, chainset etc.
I'd recommend cleaning it up and getting it back into good shape.

Marty

sydney

Not 'might' be too much of an expense. Basically throw evrything away but the frame fork,bar and stem,and there will still be issues.

sydney

It's really just reality, but that sometimes bites. Alot of this stuff should be in the dump.More so when people start talking dumping money into it.If it's a beater,clean it up and ride it till it goes TU,then recycle another one.

lotek 

That is a whole lot different than saying its landfill huh?
If you think its not worth it say so, don't just respond
that its landfill material.

Marty

Dannihilator

Being that I have seen bikes that have been worse off get turned into looking beautiful before. This one is in good shape, by time it is restored it should look great.

Maelstrom 

I would have figured that was the point of a vintage bike. No matter the cost, you rebuild it for its beauty. Similar to people spending 1000's of dollars on a 3000$ car. Looks like a sweet bike to work up

sydney

It's just an opinion.Yours may differ.That's how it works.

Poguemahone

I say give it a general overhaul, ride it a bit, and if anything needs general fixing and improvement, it'll come to you. In general, my philosophy with older bikes is to get them in riding condition and then tinker around the edges a bit. For example, I just stuck Simplex retrofriction shifters on two rides; just like that smooth shifting. I'd hold off on major parts shifting, unless you've got a basement of spares you're trying to figure out what to do with. Get it running, figure out what you like and don't like, keep the former and switch out the later

It's nothing earth shattering, but you can't always find Colnagos in the rubbish bin, thrift shop, or yard sale (or where ever it was found). Half the fun of older bikes is fixing them up. Enjoy! And some of the parts, in particular the saddle, look quite nice. I've fixed up bikes in far worse shape for very little cash outlay.