juvela

That is definitely in the normal range for a road machine. Right in the middle of normal. Keep in mind that in the photo the rear wheel is all the way back to the rear of the axle slot. Moving it all the way to the front would raise shell height by about seven mm.

Have had undamaged road bikes with the correct size wheels come through whose shells were as low as 9 5/8" and as high as 12 1/2". The latter figure is oft encountered in "19" " production bikes whose makers achieve the frame size by raising the shell. Not much help for the small rider concerned with standover clearance.

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noobinsf 

Closing in on completion. Just need to file cotter pins, wrap bars, and finalize front derailleur. Cables and housings are still a bit long pending final adjustment...

non-fixie 

Looking good!

primo123

Can you explain some more on how you cleaned the white hoods. I have the same pair that have a yellow tint to it and it looks even worse since ive installed brand new white housing which makes it worse. Any other alternative products I could try?

noobinsf 

Sure - I used a toothbrush, mild dish soap, and Bon Ami mild abrasive powder, just a bit. It's in a gold cylinder, and you can get it for 80 cents at Target.

I've heard you can also use Bleche White, which I understand to be for cleaning white wall tires. Haven't tried it, though...

juvela

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One product I have found helpful for this is Soft Scrub cleanser. It has a mild abrasive which seems to do a good job at getting out ground in dirt/discoloration.

Like to finish up with an application of amine-free dressing for vinyl & rubber such as 303 Protectant.

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rsandoval75002

Hey there!, great job, I wonder if you can share the technique for the 'bath' to remove the rust on the parts they look amazing! I'm leaving mine in copper color and putting on some Campy components that I had laying around from other projects. See updated pics in this link.

https://goo.gl/photos/FGsc438XAjvPF3y56

SloButWide 

Nice Puch!

There have been many threads on rust removal in this forum. Unfortunately, the Forum's builtin search function is quirky. Try using a Google search with the inurl qualifier: "rust removal inurl:www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/".

I found this thread pretty enlightening. Abrasion, Evaporust, and Naval Jelly (Oxalic Acid) are all mentioned; only the 'Aluminum foil for surface rust' was left out :-).

noobinsf 

Thanks! If you're asking about the small parts, I used EvapoRust for everything -- just put it in a tub, soak, rinse, then spray/wipe with WD40. That's all. I did this for the shifters, pedals, all bolts/nuts, cable guides, seat post, and headset bits.

As for the frame, I just sanded, but did not treat the frame at all. I want to ride it first and make a decision later, so I just sanded the worst of the pitted areas. If I decide to keep the frame, I'll most likely use some sort of rust converter and have it powder coated, or maybe rattle can. I really like the look of your bare copper frame, but the pitted finish on mine is wrecked, so I couldn't go that route.

rsandoval75002

Went looking for the evaporust at my local walmart, didn't have it on stock but will buy it from another place thanks for the advise on this.~!

primo123

I got mine at orchelens. You could also just order it off amazon, too.

noobinsf 

I'm calling this one finished for now. I need to ride it for a little while to decide on the saddle, and that will determine the bar tape color, so I am leaving them unwrapped for now. First test ride around the block indicates that the fit is perfect, but we'll see as I get more miles on it. This is not the first tear-down rebuild I've started, but it's the first one I've finished, and it feels good to have everything work properly, and to know that I did it right (for the most part).

I'd like to file the tab on the rear fender to get the fender line just so -- I've seen with other 27-inch bikes that it's difficult to get the mount high enough. I got a price quote for a powder coat, but likely will not act on it for a while, if ever. Brakes squeal like a banshee, so I'll need to clean the pads and rim surfaces, but they work just fine. Wheels pinged a few times, so my first wheel build is not without issue, but they are true and strong (for now).

noobinsf 

noobinsf 

Here are a couple of sunset glamour shots after a joyride. I managed to get the toe-in right to eliminate the brake squeal, and the trickiest part was getting the front derailleur dialed in so that I wouldn't toss the chain off of the rings. It's a bit kludgy a fix that involves a short length of housing, a Campy DT cable stop from a 72 Mondia (tossed in free when I bought a rear der some time ago), and two zip ties, but it feels rock solid now.

The long wheelbase allows 27 x 1 1/4's with fenders and no toe overlap...

juvela

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What a fine job!

Beautiful work with Herr Bergey and with the documentation.

He's looking most excellent now.

BTW - Huret offered natural rubber covers for those shift levers in case it may be of interest:





(usual colour is an off-white/light grey)

Part nr. 1851 -

[IMG][/IMG]

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3speedslow

Nice job!

Thank You for saving this bike, so far from its home. Hope it enjoys the new stable.

non-fixie 

That turned out really nice! Well done!

noobinsf 

Thanks, everyone!

juvela

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Blade question -

Noticed his blades exhibit the characteristic Styria dimple on their inner face. They appear to be almost round at the top , become more oval out in the middle and return to round at the distal end. Is this correct?

It is almost as if the manufacturer is inviting the owner to fit larger cross section tyres than machine fitted with ex-works. Expect there might be clearance to run a 1 3/8" piece of rubber.

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noobinsf 

Without being able to take a better picture at the moment, here is a close crop of an older shot that should illustrate the fork shape pretty well. I have plenty of room to run the SKS 45mm fenders that it has, so I'm certain 1 3/8 tires would not pose an issue.

gmanella 

Great job on that bike. When I read the header I first thought you picked up the most sought after Puch Vintage Racing Bike.
The Bergmeister with the split seat tube of the late seventies.

noobinsf 

I just did a quick search and it looks like you're referring to the Puch Mistral Bergmaschine. No such luck, but it's for the best -- I would have been reluctant to do all of my own repair work and turn it into a beater commuter.

Grand Bois

It deserves better than a crappy Pletscher rack!

noobinsf 

I'd be tempted to upgrade the rack if it hadn't arrived for the unbeatable price of "free." (It came with the bike.) I started polishing it, but I got impatient and just wanted to ride and have a place for my panniers. Also, I think it adds to the theft deterrent to have a blemished rack...

juvela

AND, it's a germanic rack for a germanic bicycle

one small bit you may wish to keep an eye out for is the Pletscher stabilizing/support bar. keeps the rack from slipping down the seat stays and means clamp does not have to be so tight. one may turn up at a co-op or junque yard near you..



Edit:

Just came across this image of someone mounting one inverted from its usual arrangement:



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