Recently acquired this vintage Hobbs Of Barbican through my grandfather, as he has been going through his stuff recently. From my research, I believe it to be from July of 1947. It was his father’s, who brought it to Canada from England ages ago, so I plan on fixing it up so it’s Rideable for the occasional ride on it. I also want to make it look as nice as possible, as it’ll mostly be a display piece, due to its age, along with the fact it was in a fire at some point. The tired hold air, and don’t feel too bad to ride
Any thoughts, or suggestions on the safest way to go about cleaning the paint up? Im not looking to repaint it, I’ll only clear coat the fork as the paint is starting to flake off, so I want to seal it in to keep the aesthetic
by Infinite_Layer8397
9 Comments
I like to take WD-40 and a rag to wipe down dusty bikes. It won’t harm the paint and works as a mild cleaner/degreaser, too. It also repels water, so no worries about flash rusting on the exposed parts of the frame.
Wow. That is a very nice frame that looks to be in original condition. Beautiful lug work. [classic lightweights](https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/classic_builders/hobbs-of-barbican/)
That’s a really cool bike, and I applaud your decision not to repaint it. The paint is only original once.
I’d start with a total disassembly, cleaning and evaluation of all the parts. Use a rust treatment on anything that needs it. I’d replace wear parts (cables, pads, tires, tubes, bearings, grease, bar tape, chain if needed), and reassemble the bike. I’d probably wax the frame to try and bring out a little shine in a non-invasive way. I’d consider replacing the saddle with a nice vintage leather saddle from Wrights or Brooks or similar, if you can find a good one.
Other suggestions: It looks like the top tube cable clips are missing and someone has used tape to keep the cable housing attached. You can get new or vintage clips on ebay. The seatpost is installed backward and I think both the stem and post and probably too high, or close to it. When reinstalling them, set them lower and use a little grease or anti-seize compound so they don’t rust to the frame. In terms of tires, a lot will depend on the rim size. I would want to use some high quality tires from Rene Herse if possible. Get the widest size you can fit. If that’s out of the budget, or if the rims are 27″, don’t go cheaper than Panaracer Paselas. Those are the cheapest decent tire that looks good on classic bikes–you want a tan wall, trust me on that. Don’t get Gatorskins, they ride terribly and look worse.
Other than that, good luck, please post it when you get it refurbished! If you have any questions feel free to ask.
edit: The only thing I might consider replacing is the rims and spokes, if the rust is really bad or they are in a size you can’t get tires for. If that’s the case, look at the H+Son TB14 rim, the Velo Orange Voyager rim, or the Sun M13 rim as a budget option.
Oooh it’s perfect! A deep clean and polish will work wonders- DON’T MODERNISE!!
Nice bike. How’s your supply of elbow grease?
Clean everything, grease everything, check if the drivetrain needs replacements, new tires, breakpads
That is a cool frame. Really nice ornate lugs. Do what you want with it. The best way to start is to strip the components down to the bare frame and start with a bucket of warm water with a few drops of dish soap in it and a soft rag. These are rewarding when they haven’t been washed for decades. You make a big difference with minimal work. I’d recommend a can of clear coat over the paint and decals that are left. It’s a modern paint without the pigment and will give the finish the best chance of holding together.
The components are up to you. I like keeping the parts that make sense. The gearing may be too high, the brakes may not function well enough, etc. They’re best, in my opinion, if they’re fun and safe to ride. They’re not really valuable as museum pieces. They’re not one of a kind. They’re more valuable under your butt where people get to see them out on the road.
An actual vintage bicycle, nice!
Beautiful piece. As others have said, carefully strip off the components and give them a nice bath w a (very few) drop of dish soap. As far as rust… This is where people more knowledgeable than me regarding bikes this old will offer better advice. If you want it rideable, you will want to replace those tires ASAP! And I rarely see it recommended here, but after wiping off whatever dust you can with a damp rag, a can of keyboard cleaner can do wonders in blasting away dust in the more difficult to reach areas. Otherwise, a clear coat after the frame is in its cleanest condition will slow down any further deterioration. This is definitely a nice show piece and I love your idea of having it in rideable condition as well! Congrats!