COMPONENT DAMAGE - INTRODUCTION

The appearance of a bicycle's components will often tell an easy to read story, and you don’t have to be an expert to learn the language.  Busted! – You must replace it.   Banged-Up! – You might have to replace it.  Worn out! – You will have to replace it sooner or later!  Rusted! – You might have to replace it.  Rotted! – You will have to replace it.  Altered! – You will have to replace it.  Missing - you will have to figure out what it looks like and then replace it!  I am sure that there are other words in the language, but these are the ones repeated most often.

And taking the time to study a vintage road bicycle's components will help you understand the bicycle's history of use and more importantly, abuse.  There are a great many clues that will help point out how a bicycle spent its life.  Even if the old bicycle was left hanging in a forgotten place for a quarter of a century, or more, is a story to be told and the bicycle will tell you. If you learn how to speak the language.

This absolutely beautiful old Gardin 400 was used for less that the time it takes to drink a couple of bottles of beer and then carefully stored away until it was put up for sale in a Yard Sale.  The bicycle appeared to be mint and it practically was.  So how does one know that it was stored carefully rather than used very carefully?  The freewheel was stiff!  Had the bicycle been used carefully, the freewheel would still spin with a minimum of drag.  However, left to sit the lubricant will dry out and the freewheel will not function as it is indented to.  Understanding the Gardin's history is a bit of a trick.

On the other hand this Rochet Paris reports its history of use and abuse in easy to read terms!  The bicycle was obviously left to the whims of Mother Nature, as is indicated by the copious oxidation.  The crash damaged bent frame set suggested rough use as did the absence of the front wheel.  A host of other use and abuse clues rush to the surface as one inspects this old bicycle.  For the average vintage road bicycle enthusiast, the Rochet would not be a good Street Restoration project.  There was just too much damage to warrant the cost and effort.

An old Bianchi would never have been issued with a Shimano "Lark" rear derailleur.  Entry level Campagnolo, absolutely but not Shimano.  When you see a replaced rear derailleur, anticipate lots of use or crash damage in the bicycle's past.  And as you go from component to component, attempting to hear the stories told, as yourself an important question...

What do you want from a restoration?  If the end result has to be perfect, then it is likely that all of the components will warrant replacement unless you get lucky enough to find another Gardin 400.  It is important to understand you as well as the bicycle you are considering for restoration.

With this in mind, take the time to look a potential restoration candidate over very carefully.  The frame and fork consideration have already been addressed.  Now it is time to look at each component and attempt to understand what story it has to tell.

NEXT- COMPONENT DAMAGE - DERAILLEURS