I may be out of my depth but...

[hobbitonabike]

I bought this Raleigh kids bike for a tenner intending to learn some fettling skills fixing it up a bit but on getting it home I am taken with the urge to completely strip and respray it...the works. Bearing in mind that my fettling prowess to date stretches to fixing a puncture and putting a chain back on...where do I start??? This is going to be a massive learning curve for me but I am really excited about it!! I guess what I am trying to say is...help!!! Do I dismantle it to start with and give everything a good scrub?? Any advice very gratefully received!!!

 

[roadrash]

Dont forget to take lots of photos of each part you dismantle , really helpful when you come to re-assemble.
as you are probably aware there are loads of vids on you tube, and a wealth of knowledge right here on CC,
go on you know you want to

 

[hobbitonabike]

Good advice roadrash!! I am terrible for taking things apart or unfolding things and not be able to get them back as they were!! I am really looking forward to it even though it's incredibly daunting at the moment!!

 

[roadrash]

im sure you will enjoy it and pretty soon you will wonder what you were faffing about.

 

[hobbitonabike]

Cheers

 

[gbb]

Dismantle it. Just do it, it cost a tenner, whatcha got to lose ?
Start with the easy bits, seatpost, calipers, wheels and handlebars.
Handlebars and quill will come off together, just undo the centre bolt,, give it a firm tap to undo the taper and it should, albeit with a fight, come out the frame.
Disconnect all the cables at the calipers and at the derailleurs.
Eventually you'll end up at the cranks and BB. The cranks look like cotter pin type. Loosen the nut, not remove it, and tap firmly with a hammer to loosen them. Leave the nut on while tapping to protect the threads.. Because theyve probably been on years, the cranks may take some persuading.
BB will almost ceratinly be the old cup n cone type. If it feels ok, you could leave it..or strip and replace with a modern cartridge type.
Getting the paint off the frame may not be easy. My Raleigh Clubman was hard, so hard I gave up and had it sandblasted and powdercoated. Nitromoors just didnt touch it,. I tried sanding with emery cloth, it works well on the tubes, but its hopeless in corners and on detail work like lugs and joints.
Hopefully, someone will have a better method for paint removal, I struggled.

Go for it I say, its very satisfying.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Get some little plastic storage pots from a cheapo shop for keeping bits in. Don't throw anything away, even worn out bits like brake blocks so you can match them. As said above, take photos of anything confusing/fiddly.

Have fun!

 

[hobbitonabike]

Cheers guys...I can tell you are going to be invaluable

 

[arch684]

and as soon as your finished with that one you will want to start another

 

[PpPete]

Chances are you will be wanting to replace the cables (both inners & outers) .
Measure the lengths of the outers before you take them off. And photograph the way they go round the stem.

 

[I like Skol]

Personally I would just clean it up as best you can and revel in the fact that it is a 'retro' or 'classic' bike. Respraying it will lose all that 80's period charm and also the patina of age that come from being around for 20-30 years.

That bike comes from an age when it didn't have to have the manufacturers logos emblazoned on the tyres, saddle, wheel rims and every tube of the frame and as a result IMO is very stylish just as it is.

 

[Nigeyy]

I think you should start simply by taking it apart, cleaning, lubing, and putting it back together. I think that would be a great start and a good way to go. However, there are some things you need to realize before you do this:

i. the right tools make the job far, far easier
ii. the bike you have is from the "olden" days -so the right tools you need will probably not be useful for more modern bikes (.e.g it has cotter pins on the crank, and while you may be lucky getting the cotter pin out, with a bike that old chances are you'll need a cotter pin extraction tool -and modern bikes don't have cotter pins). Same goes for tools for removing the freewheel, getting the bottom bracket off, removing the chain and adjusting the headset bearings, .
iii. it's an old Raleigh; chances are modern replacement parts will not fit (that bottom bracket will most likely not have the correct threading for modern bottom brackets, which will effectively limit your choice of bottom bracket and crank). Similarly, modern calipre brakes will not fit.
iv. having said all this, you can still do a lot with this bike with just simple tools. You just might have a problem getting the freewheel and bottom bracket off though.

Also, I started off by saying take it apart and clean, lube and put it back together for a reason -if you want to repaint it, a rattle can is not the way to go for a decent long lasting finishing (and I know you may be OK with that, just want to point this out). For a longer lasting finish you should consider professionally powder coating it -but that costs money (money better spent IMHO on getting tools).

So sorry to sound negative on this, but I think you need to know the pros and cons of what you want to do -you can then make the choice that you are happy with so you don't spend money potentially getting tools you might not reuse or a paint finish that isn't quite what you hoped. Good luck, and I think you'll have loads of fun!

edit: forgot to say loads of people have posted some really good advice here too -keep a record, keep parts safe, etc!

 

[hobbitonabike]

No thanks, it is all fantastic advice!! I am going to this pretty much blind as I know practically nothing. It is a project I can just play with and learn what goes where and what not. I want to learn all about cranks, bottom brackets, cotter pins and what to do with them. I may decide how far I will take it as I go along. There is no rush to get it sorted so I can take my time. I appreciate all good honest advice...it is what I need!!

 

[Dogtrousers]

+1 to @I like Skol 's suggestion of not bothering with respray. I think it'll look just fine properly cleaned up.

Re @Nigeyy 's comment about a cotter pin removal tool - I used to have one of those, it was a hammer. I only learned recently about things like "cotter presses". Back when I had CPs I just tapped them out (keep the nut on the pin when you do this so it will clean up the boshed thread when you take it off). But I've only ever been a hideous bodger. And I'm sure it did my BB bearings no good at all.

Re the bottom bracket - fitting a new BB would be a hideous faff, as you'd have to get the fixed cup out. Best to just disassemble, replace balls, regrease and reassemble.

Think carefully before upgrading parts, not just for the sake of looks (although that's important) but also, as @Nigeyy says, modern things may not fit and also you may be putting lipstick on a pig - in financial terms (if that makes sense). Same goes for things like powder coating. You may be better to save your money and put it towards a posh bike.

If you can get hold of a 1970s copy of "Richards Bicycle Book" by the late lamented Richard Ballantyne it will have everything you need to know in it. You'll need to wear a tank top while you work on it though, and listen to some Glam Rock.

 

[wisdom]

Good project for you.
let us know (with pictures included) how you get on. If you hit a snag or are unsure of anything just ask on here. An answer will be forthcoming. Most of all good luck and have fun learning.