Found at my local council yard

[Ajax Bay]

I would have no interest in rescuing that bike

Coming at this from a perspective of a serial bike rescuer and rehouser (sometimes for profit but not when you ascribe any value to the labour of cleaning and minor fettling, and cables); tell us what sort of bike would you be interested in rescuing, or is this just a 'not worth rescuing bikes' philosophy? I think the OP will have hours of pleasure getting the bike back to scratch (hint: decent brake blocks). The trick will be to find someone who will appreciate owning and riding it.

@taximan that is a great find and well done you

Plus one to that.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

PLUS many more. The enjoyment of the first several ride-outs is to behold and if truth be-known it will continue to be-so for many years to follow.
There is a great deal to be had from upgrading from the standard build of the bike to a more bespoke choice - as are both of my Benotto and Steve Goff fully refurbished rescues.

 

[screenman]

We all cycle and own cycles for different reasons, I have 7 bikes hanging up but I doubt you would have any interest in them. Neither of us are wrong, just different.

 

[Ajax Bay]

tell us what sort of bike would you be interested in rescuing,

We all cycle and own cycles for different reasons, I have 7 bikes hanging up but I doubt you would have any interest in them. Neither of us are wrong, just different.

Noone (well not I anyway) is suggesting you're wrong, so you don't need to deny it. If you are not interested in rescuing bikes, then just say so.
My question, after you said "I would have no interest in rescuing that bike", was "what sort of bike would you be interested in rescuing?" Saying you have 7 hanging up doesn't answer that (maybe they are all rescue bikes) and I cannot guess what sews the doubt in your mind that I would have no interest in any of them. My bike interests are a broad church.

 

[Nigeyy]

To the OP: nicely done! And.... mmm well, I have a problem.

My problem is that when I see something like that, it would take all of my super human strength of self control to not pick it up and at least give it a good go over. Whenever I go by a bicycle put out to be picked up/dumped/recycled I can't help but take a look at it, and if it's a decent bike, I'll have it. Keep in mind I've got a nice cozy cellar with all the bike tools I need and aside from repainting, I've done pretty much everything and built bikes up from scratch quite a few times. I've tried to understand my behaviour, and after some thought I've come up with this:

• it just drives me crazy to think that a beautiful piece of machinery can be discarded
• further from the above, it's a beautiful piece of machinery that is practical and can actually be used for the better, and can take someone thousands of miles (think about that, isn't that incredible?)
• given the above, and the fact I was brought up not to waste stuff, it's hard to turn it down
• I do get some enjoyment out of fixing it up so it can come back to life
• ...and finally, even if I can't resurrect it, I might be able to at least get some parts of it, or stuff that might help me (I use an old bike downtube for extra leverage on socket drives) that will probably help me with a bike I can resurrect!

Yes, I know I have a problem. Though I do and will turn up my nose to poor quality bikes.

 

[screenman]

Looking back on my post, it would make a good turbo bike of which I have one already.

 

[GuyBoden]

Great find, good bike. Well saved. Mid 1980's bike I guess.

Shimano 600 Arabesque, late 70's to mid 80's.

Them old black plastic BB's are a nightmare to remove without the correct tool, very fragile, I remember having to cut a damaged one out with a red hot knife.

 

[taximan]

Thanks for the tip, I will bear that in mind if I decide to go ahead with the full restoration. (I have just noticed on the above image that one of the teeth is missing in the big ring) My thoughts at the moment are to simply fit new tyres etc and give it a try to see how she rides. I have been looking at other images of similar bikes and most seem to have chromed forks. Was that standard for this model? The forks fitted at the moment are painted black and appear to be replacements. Would the bike have originally been fitted with amber wall tyres in the eighties.

 

[Ian193]

By the look of the photos new tyres and tubes and cables and it will be good to go