marknoir

Hello everybody. Got a present: 2004 Fuji Royale hybrid. It sat on a Brooklyn balkony for about 7 years (!) completely neglected. That's a 19.9 lbs, 27 speed bike with carbon fork and rear Ultegra. Its very rusty. Frame is aluminum so its good. At the very least it will need new chain, cables, rear cassette, rear and front bearings and most likely bottom bracket or at least cups. And lots of new bolts. Im not sure how to get rid of rust in some other places. Blue Book shows that its only worth $200 in great shape. So my question is - to restore or not? Hate to see it go to waste...

Flip Flop Rider

dump it unless you can do the work yourself, but that's just my opinion. others may feel differently

thumpism 

If it cost you nothing so far, it might be worth messing around with just for the experience.

Retro Grouch 

What is your objective?

If your goal is to restore it to sell and make a bunch of money, chances are that's not going to happen.

If you are looking to fix it up and ride it, an Ultra equipped bike is pretty high end. If you like the bike it's definitely forth the effort.

bikemig 

If you plan to fix it up to ride, a product like evaporust is your friend.

jefnvk

Pics are helpful in something like this. What you consider excessive rust may well be nothing but light surface rust that in no way impairs use. OTOH, it may be so rusted that it really isn't worth saving it. The repairs you mention are nothing that doesn't get done to every used bike I buy (well, minus cassette), regardless of how good they look.

As @Flip Flop Rider mentioned though, it is unlikely that paying someone to do the work will be economical.

ramzilla

Spray it down with diesel fuel & scrub it all over with a toothbrush. Put some new parts on it. Then, go ride that mutha.

Romyan

Add photos, use something like prnt.sc

marknoir

I have no plans to re-sell it. I decided to try to restore it just enough to ride it. I will post pictures a bit later, if I figure out hiw to post them :-) I have to buy some tools, as my bike tools are in Miami. After being left for 10 ys exposed to elements, problems are plenty. I sprayed the whole thing with WD-40, the majic solution :-). Tires are fine, so are the tubes. Valves had surface rust, I was able save them. Aluminum rims are only so-so. I cleaned the braking surfaces with scotch brite and they will do, but there is some aluminum oxidation coming thru the anodised finish. One of the front bearing races is pitted, which means the wheel will have to be either re-hubbed, or replaced. Don't think I will be able to find the original Ritchey Comps. Shimano hyper-glide seems to work well with almost no wear, but with surface rust on the inside. Skewers have rust on chromed parts, but they will do. Seat is kaput, so are the brake handles and brake calipers, all have to be replaced. Front derailleur is rusty and frozen, rear Ultegra works well after cleaning, but has pitted surface, not much of the label left. Bike needs new cables. One spot on frame has oxidised and needs to be repainted. Didn't get to rear bearings and BB yet. Gear bolts are rusty, as are the chrome bolts on stem, bar etc. Hanger needs new bolt as well. So a big project.

marknoir

I don't know how to pist photos here...

marknoir

Oh, needs new chain, of course. And clear coat on carbon fork is not very clear, and is kinda yellowish. Yuk :-)))

Flip Flop Rider

it looks better than I pictured it

really like that shade of blue

Juan Foote

I would throw a chain, some cups and bearings, grease, and not replace anything you can get by with. Ride it.


For having been on a balcony for 7 years it's in amazing shape.

Longfellow02

Yours is a better quality bike than the 1993 Diamondback hybrid I restored this spring.
Mine had sat in a basement, and then a tool shed for the better part of 20 years.


Here's what I did to restore mine:


Tires (all cracked and split from years of dampness and just sitting there). Be careful with old tires, many times they 'age out' before they 'wear out'.
New saddle, new chain, new stem (taller). Good general cleaning, steel frame was in OK shape overall.
Brake pads and overall tune-up. WD50 was my friend also.
I was lucky that hubs and rims were OK. I may rebuild/repack the hubs and BB this winter.


Good luck with it!!

Milton Keynes

I'm honestly surprised the tires aren't all dry-rotted. I'd probably consider replacing them anyway. A bike which was recently given to me had spent quite a bit of time outside, and aside from a little rust here and there, the tires were completely dry rotted. I ended up replacing them as well as the tubes. The tubes looked fine but not knowing how old they were, and the fact that they're fairly cheap, I went ahead and replaced them to be on the safe side.

marknoir

Tires are ok, surprisingly. But after I get my tools and open up the rear bearings I will know if I have to replace the wheels. And tires. And tubes :-)))))

Romyan

Just paste the l

Just saw it lol!

GrainBrain

Rusty and not worth anything? stfu I'd love to have something like this given to me.

That bike looks awesome, I'd just regrease the hubs and replace the tires/tubes and cables/housings. Direct sunlight can do a number on rubber over the years. Shop around and you're easily $75 into it for a really nice "beater".

billyymc

Any concerns over the carbon fork being exposed to the elements for 7 years? I'm no expert on those things, but I'd want to know what UV exposure for that period of time would do to that fork before I ride it too hard. Probably nothing, but may be worth trying to get an informed opinion.

Viich

Watch it for cracks or deformation, but it should be absolutely fine. Remember that it's painted, which should protect the epoxy if it is UV vulnerable - many are not.

marknoir

Hello all and thank you for your interest and input!

Here's the progress:

1) Front hub race on one side has pitting. I packed it with lithium grease and new ball bearings (Ebay $6.07), will see how it rides for now;
2) Just got a tool set from Ebay ($22.17, china, will do for now). My good set is in Miami. Will remove the cassette (Park tool, $6.45), de-rust it, and see the condition of the rear bearings:
3) Got el-cheapo variety Jagwire cables, $13.45;
4) New front derailleur, same model as original, but black, and it says "8-speed" instead of "9-speed" (same model for both. I think I can live with it :-) Came from Poland (!) (Ebay, $15.00);
5) Tektro brake handles, new (Ebay, $11.00);
6) Tektro brakes, new (Amazon, $33.75);
7) New chain, 114 links with a quick link, will need to remove two links (Ebay, $8.49);
8) New shiny bolts, coming from China (Ebay, $11.00);
9) New seat clamp (Ebay, $7.59).

The nice touch on that bike was that all Tektro parts were made custom BRONZE color. None are available. Original parts would have been usable, were it not for attached pivots, which are riveted, and are heavily rusted. So the new brake levers are black/silver, and brakes are black. Original shifters are fine, with small bolts a bit rusty but I can find a replacement. The seat I had new in my closet, should work for now with my bony butt. Clear coat on the fork turned cloudy, but is difficult to remove, so I just washed it and sprayed it with a clear coat. Have to touch-up one spot around rear rack mounting bolt housing, will try to find paint to match. Want to remove the cranks and gears and de-rust them too, let's see how that goes. The BB is a sealed FSA, it has no play, but is a bit noisy, I think. Need advise on it. It may be OK again for now, new one is about $40.

So far that's it!

marknoir

Of course I can't remove that Truvativ Elita crankset, to clean the rust off, they are frozen stiff onto spindle. And standard crank removal tool does not fit this crank. Pedals are also stuck solid. Rear bearing is fine, but race nut and securing nut also seem to be welded together. Arh...