bleucheddar

It's midnight, and I finally decided to post.

So, my name is Hailee. I'm from California but just moved to Maryland. I recently found myself strongly interested in the art of restoring discarded bicycles. My first project has started with a 1989 Giant Quasar. I found it in the dump and bought new handlebar tape, tubes, and tires for it. I recently found out that this bicycle isn't worth much, but I have a very close love for it simply because it's my first. I don't have many tools for it because I moved across the country with just the clothes and electronics I own. I'm only 18 so the tools I've used have always been my father's tools. I am an EXTREME beginner and only have a basic understanding of how to tear things apart and backtrack to put them back together (though I think that's very easy, and you only need basic logic to figure this out).

All in all, my whole point in posting is to hear about any of your beginning experiences with restoring bikes bikes for the first time and some advice to get me started. I would love to hear it all. I'm super excited to start up this new hobby!

cb400bill

Welcome to Bike Forums Hailee. Overhauling and rebuilding bikes can be a very rewarding hobby.

You will likely get a much better response to your inquiry in our Classic and Vintage or Bicycle Mechanics forums.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/

https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/

LAJ

Welcome to Bike Forums, bleucheddar!

Grey goat

Trsnrtr

2cam16

Welcome,Hailee! Enjoy your new hobby. It can be frustrating at times but mostly gratifying. You can get a lot of help from here in these forums. We're a good bunch of people.
YouTube will also be your friend. LOTS of bike DIY channels.

delbiker1 

Welcome, I am 66 years old and just in this past year I decided to challenge myself and start doing the work/maintenance on my own bikes. I bought a set of mid-level tools and have added a few others as I have discovered that they are needed. I am a mechanically challenged, pretty impatient person. I have made some mistakes, more like many, and I have also learned quite a bit. Bike Forum members have been extremely helpful, generous, and honest about questions/needs that I have posted. When I complete a task of maintenance, changing a set up or switching out a component, I really get a feeling of accomplishment and my confidence level continues to increase. I still have a long way to go in the patience versus frustration area. At times I have to just walk away and leave things alone for a short while, go back later, maybe the next day, and have another look. One issue I continue to have is staying organized in my bike work area. Hopefully, that will get better with knowledge and time. If you have a bike related issue, the Bike Forums is a great place to get some advice and insight. Starting now at the age of 18, this whole bicycle thing can become a gratifying, self confidence building lifetime hobby.

Siu Blue Wind

Hi Hailee! I'm from Cali too. Welcome!

Dannihilator

Welcome to the forums.

gpisca

I was bitten by the bike bug six years ago and have restored many bikes since then. I love quality steel road bikes from the 80s. Italian, French, British, Japanese and the like.

obit