Lemond Zurich Restoration
 

It's been awhile since I have posted anything. I thought I'd finally share this year's restoration project with you all. I am managing to restore about 1 bike per year, so this is the final result in pictures...

Not sure the year of this one, but thinking late 90's. I picked it up as a bucket of parts, the frame was dented pretty badly on the top and down tubes, some minor rust, but the components were in nice shape, and polished up well.

I experimented with my paint process again, of course I call these "custom restores" as I don't go exactly original, but nothing that wouldn't be in the realm of reality for the bike..

Believe it or not, I cleaned up the white bar tape, which is original, and it came to life surprisingly well..

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/Lemond_1.JPG

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/Lemond_2.JPG

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/Lemond_3.JPG

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/Lemond_4.JPG

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/Lemond_6.JPG

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/Lemond_7.JPG

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/Lemond_9.JPG

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/Lemond_12.JPG

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/Lemond_16.JPG

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/Lemond_20.JPG

Like the colors you went with on your bike. I'm not really a fan of the colors that Lemond chose for his bikes. The color combinations, especially with the yellows, just did not look good to me.

Yes, I agree this one was not very good, originally it was flat gray and blue with yellow lettering

How did you work the dents out?

Nice end result!

Two part process, I made some reform blocks by drilling a 1 1/8 hole through a hardwood block, then cut it in two down the center. I used some mild heat, which you can do with steel, and clamped the blocks to the dented area and then rotate it around the tube, slow, squeezing it tighter as you go.

You can't get it all the way, but enough to where I can skim coat the rest with some body filler and feather it in, just like collision work on a car...

Nicely done. I was wondering about the dents too, sounds like a good process.

Love it. Looks like it's my size. :D

I have mavic ma 40's on my 660. Nice rims.

Very nice, loving the new paint scheme!

Very nice work, you ended up with pretty sweet bike.

Neat bike. I went out on a group ride tonight - something I almost never do - and a guy there was riding one of these. I was on my '66 Paramount so we rode together for part of the way.

very impressive job of restoration

Awesome
 

:d

Very nice - love the color. I have the same age - that was a 1995 or 1996 paint job when they were still welded up in Waterloo WI. Mine happens to be my most modern road bike, and it gets lots of comments.

Beautiful work, are those the Zurich decals out of the UK?

Yes they are!, and they were very nice folks to deal with..not really too expensive, and they were prompt in mailing them across the pond..

Chapeau lovely work

I will be pedantic and point out the bike is modified, rather than 'restored.'

Just what it needed :thumb:

I kinda liked the look of my Blue/Silver 2001 Zurich, although the finish was beat to death. And it was three sizes too small, so I passed it along pretty quickly. If I had kept it for some reason it would have ended being repainted, too. I asked the guy I sold it to to send me a pic when he was done finishing it, but he hasn't yet.

Great work, love the color! I have a Zurich of the same year and blue grey color scheme. I love my original paint just wish it had less yellow lettering lol.

I have a question on the decals, do you know where to find some original yellow "Lemond" lettering? The previous owner of my bike peeled off just one decal on one side!

That is a lovely bike !

Are those shifters & the rear derailleur really original ?

Yes just contact Andrew, if you provide the Art work, he can make a set for you, Royal Mail fromUK , it's not bad he is an awesome guy to deal with...andrew@seventy2design.com

Good luck !

Indeed they are, thoroughly cleaned and polished, they were in not too terrible shape to start with but, considering the shape of the frame, which you can see was very poor, the components were not as bad, very surprising.. very nice group set from Shimano, bullet proof..

Oh, and nothing wrong with the gray-blue color scheme, just the seemingly meligned yellow lettering, you can have your re- pro decals produced in any color you like:) I would push for white with black outline, but I can tell you are a purist, want to match the Amarillo ...:)

Awesome thanks for the links! Yes I am tempted to be a purist because mine looked so nice when I got it, with the 600 tricolor group in great condition. Best looking group imho :thumb: though the paint has quite a few small spots that have been scuffed.

Anyways hats off to you for saving that beauty!:beer:

Nice work OP!

I love LeMond bikes, I wish I could find one at a price I could afford they are really beautiful and your color scheme is really stunning.

Isn't this Trek Lemond? I didn't think he had much is any say what the colors were