Len wrote:
Taking advantage of the clear photos in this auction what would you do if you ended up being the buyer of this bicycle as far as cleaning it up/preserving it? Areas I'm particularly curious about would be the rust on the top tube and the chrome deterioration on the stem/front brake hanger. Assume it will not be a wall hanger but be brought out for rides on special occasions.
Len Diamond Ridgewood, New Jersey USA
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this is a good question. I have a lovely hobbs of barbican tandem that has some light rust in the paint, nothing really gross, but enough to you'd like to clean it up, not dissimilar to the Philly cinelli Len's writing about. what do you do about rust like you see on the Cinelli? Won't do to leave it, really. Assume you wouldn't repaint--although it does appear to me like some artful touch-up is in order, surely the lug lining is the brainstorm of some later owner..
So what do you do about rust like that? scrape, sand, prime and paint all the little spots? just very carefully remove it and leave bare-metal? something in between?
Charles Andrews
Los Angeles