The problem with finding a decent donor bike is that I now find myself wanting to bring it back to life, vice trashing it. Apparently it's got some historical BMX value, so I reckon I'm going to bring it back from the dead.
Dead Reckoning
- Thread starter CRASH
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This will be boring for you to watch. I don't plan on doing anything creative or spectacular. I used the hubs for my MX build, but I'm going to stop there and keep the rest of the parts for it. I've got a line on some weird mag wheels, so I'm going to pick those up this week. I'm going to get a pair of 20x1.5" tires to make it fit the category. So it'll be a speedy BMX. 
Then I'm going to have to decide on a color scheme. The original bike was silver with blue anodized parts. I'll do some research to see what original Raleigh R-10's were offered. But I might step outside that. @ifitsfreeitsforme suggested black and gold when he saw these mags. Maybe a reverse? Paint the mags black (with polished flat surfaces outside) and paint he bike gold?
or Red? Or silver/blue? or.... ?
Then I'm going to have to decide on a color scheme. The original bike was silver with blue anodized parts. I'll do some research to see what original Raleigh R-10's were offered. But I might step outside that. @ifitsfreeitsforme suggested black and gold when he saw these mags. Maybe a reverse? Paint the mags black (with polished flat surfaces outside) and paint he bike gold?
or Red? Or silver/blue? or.... ?
This afternoon I tore down the bike. But I can’t get the crown race off the fork. I didn’t take a picture, but I’ll have to figure that out. I’ve never had one be so stubborn. Were the pressed on somehow?
And my trick for getting the headbadge off didn’t work. (Beating the rivets out from inside the head tube). So I might have to drill them out.
And my trick for getting the headbadge off didn’t work. (Beating the rivets out from inside the head tube). So I might have to drill them out.
I'm not used to seeing a TAIWAN sticker on a Raleigh. That threw me off a bit but really digging the parts selection so far.
A simple build by a skilled hand should be intriguing.
A simple build by a skilled hand should be intriguing.
These look like pop rivets, so I would be surprised if you could beat them out from behind, like you would with classic fixings. Nice badge though!
Tape around the rivits and use your grinder bit on the Dremel just be ever so gentle
Or a drill that is slightly larger than the hole through the rivet, but slightly smaller than the actual hole in the badge?
That's a cool ride! Keeping it simple and 'vintage-y' would be cool, keep some of it's heritage and age in tact.
I'm having a mental dilemma I need opinions on. The more I envision this bike, I cannot see it with 20x1.5 tires. That's just incredibly skinny for a vintage BMX bike, isn't it? In the picture you see, how I got it, it had a 2.125 up front, and a 1.75 in the back. That may have been original. I will sell this bike (hopefully) when it's done, and throwing another $50 on tires that I'm just going to have to replace seems like a waste just so I can join the "Trifecta Club".
Or am I worrying about nothing?
Option A) Keep the bike here with 1.5" tires. Join the Trifecta Club.
Option B) Vintage BMX should have vintage BMX sizes. Move the bike to the Off Road category.
What say you?
Or am I worrying about nothing?
Option A) Keep the bike here with 1.5" tires. Join the Trifecta Club.
Option B) Vintage BMX should have vintage BMX sizes. Move the bike to the Off Road category.
What say you?
*See my comment above.
I'm in the BMX / Off Road party.
I'm in the BMX / Off Road party.
B
Also option B.
The crown races I've dealt with needed a screwdriver or something slotted to wedge under it and then tapped with a hammer to break it free. It sometimes stayed on there, I just taped over it when painting.
The crown races I've dealt with needed a screwdriver or something slotted to wedge under it and then tapped with a hammer to break it free. It sometimes stayed on there, I just taped over it when painting.
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I fall for the “historical“ line every time. I buy a bike for parts, (or pull it out of the trash or scrap heap) next thing you know, I’ve got $200 into it!
For me, it boils down to space. If you’ve got the room, what the heck! Would be a wonderful addition to your collection. If you’re tight on space, grab the parts you want and sell the rest on market place cheap. At minimum you’ll get your original investment back, and get the parts you wanted for free….
-and someone else can build the bike from their childhood….. and save the historical value
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For the headbadge I use the narrowest and sharpest chisel in the tool box and shear the rivets off on the inside of the head tube and hope to find suitable replacement hardware.
Well if it were mine and with limited funds especially if I was not worried about keeping or selling I would keep the patina but well scrubbed up, new bearing/grease (good selling point if selling) I've always and with no issue used a drill bit slightly bigger than the rivet hole as already suggested and once badge is removed the rivets should fall inside headtube, I either use a flathead screwdriver/hammer and crc/WD40 between bearing race and fork as already mentioned or if there is a bit of a lip on the race I use an adjustable spanner wide enough to fit on each side of the fork crown and sitting on the bearing race with fork upside down and tap each side of the adjustable spanner on top with a hammer, works everytime, as for tyres its hard to say but I'm leaning towards 1.75s I think fats would be ugly imo
Oh and removal of the taiwan sticker should have already been removed hasn't it.... It has been removed right?, I mean no disrespect to Taiwan they make good frames in the better handbuilt section of better factories but its like having a jag with the "owned by Tata motors" stigma hanging over it
Oh and removal of the taiwan sticker should have already been removed hasn't it.... It has been removed right?, I mean no disrespect to Taiwan they make good frames in the better handbuilt section of better factories but its like having a jag with the "owned by Tata motors" stigma hanging over it
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While the bike might have some historical value, it probably isn't going to be enough to make it worth restoring. It is short of bits, rusty and the tires are getting on.
I keep rebuilding the same bike frames for my builds, reusing the same parts, which means I could go out and buy fresh tires. The question is how much do you plan on spending anyway, and will you reuse those narrow tires on other builds?
I keep rebuilding the same bike frames for my builds, reusing the same parts, which means I could go out and buy fresh tires. The question is how much do you plan on spending anyway, and will you reuse those narrow tires on other builds?
The B’s have it. The thread will be moved.
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lots of early BMX ran skinny tires. till more fatter motor cycle off road type tires. started showing up in bike shops. but those mags not to sure on them. could look cool for now. but for resale ya fat tires and rims. then save the mags and skinny tires. after the build for some other cool frame.
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yes my vote Option B) Vintage BMX should have vintage BMX sizes. Move the bike to the Off Road category.
