Grand Bois

I wouldn't change anything but the saddle.

Dylansbob 

Wow, alot of negativity. Sorry for the late reply, broke a spoke on the Trek coming home from work last night and just wanted beer when I got home.

I think jrecoi summed it up best. I'm think of adding a "rider" wheelset to be able to enjoy the bike more. The original wheels have heavily rusted spokes/nipples (triflow and wd40 soaked toweling wrapped around test nipples, then wrapped with plastic wrap couldn't free any nipples) The crankset is missing large amounts of chrome that is still peeling up, likewise the 1pc bar/stem. The tires are the original red Michelins, but they have rubber cement or something on them that makes them glue themselves to whatever they touch. Rechroming parts is more than *I* would like to do.

My thought was to keep the parts I'm not using (the above ones, + BB) safely packed away, then put on a mixture of '60s/'70s french parts to rebuild the bike as more of a 650b randonneur. I have a Bellari cockpit that should work with the TT length and maybe just an older Duopar operated off the original shifter. That idea of respacing a bmx cassette hub is a great idea. I've seen it done on bikes before, but hadn't thought of it for this.

due ruote 

I don't think folks were trying to be negative. In fact, everyone seemed quite positive about the bike itself; just not the idea of modifying it. It's quite an unusual find, and I think the response, given that this is C&V, was quite predictable.

photogravity

Dylansbob, you're not getting a lot of negativity from me. I've been known to do all kinds of things to bikes to make them more pleasant for me to ride. My 1972-ish Peugeot PX-8 is one of those projects that I modernized from end to end, with only the frame, fork, mudguards and lights remaining original. OTOH, I do have other bikes, such as my 1950 Norman Rapide, that are original and will remain so.

If you aren't drewing the frame and making mods that are irreversible it's no big deal, though it is YOUR bike and YOU are the decider.

photogravity

This crowd is becoming more like the CR list all the time. It's only a matter of time before we have folks just alluding to their OT bikes!

clasher

One method of cleaning that would work well for the chromed steel is electrolysis, I've had success with it on cast iron pots and it shouldn't eat away anything but the rust and grease on the chrome.Great tutorial I've found on the subject... of note are the clean-up it did on the rusty rulers. I would guess that it'd strip paint and it does damage aluminum too.

devinfan

I didn't read any negative posts. You did ask for advice on modernizing a 50's French bike, after all...

Go ahead and make it rideable, it sounds like you have some decent plans for it. Negative would be people saying "You bought a low-end piece of junk" etc., but I've read nothing but praise for the bike. Just make sure you don't lose/break anything you take off and go ride it and enjoy it.

Roll-Monroe-Co

It was as if you had gone to rural southeastern Indiana in 2006 and said "I have these 50 kilos of really pure methamphetamine. I'm thinking of using it to make a zen sand garden for my basement. What do you guys think?"

Sorry. I know meth isn't funny.

jrecoi

May I ask what is wrong with the original derailleur? It seems like its a run of the mill Simplex bellcrank derailleur from the 1950s. It's not exactly the best shifting derailleur out there (although comparable to the Cyclo Standard), but it works well enough with what cogs are available.

Question, is the derailleur set up for 1/8" chain or 3/32"? according to the old catalogues, there are differences between the two, and can determine if it can handle a 5 speed freewheel. See here: https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/...ue_page_5.html