gerv 

Yesterday at the bike co-op we had an ancient Gitane with paint in the most terrible condition you can imagine. No rust, but the top tube paint had faded in various spots. Bare metal on the seat and chain stay.

We all immediately concluded that the bike needed paint.

But here's the thing. It had no rust and it had some of the most unusual stickers. A deal sticker. Three bike licenses that kind of told us the whole story of the bike.

In thinking it over, I'd probably want that bike to stay as is...and maybe just clear over the faded colors. It'd be a great conversation piece and I'm pretty sure low on the totem pole for any bike thief.

Have you ever done anything like this?

shoota 

There is no "totem pole" for thiefs. It's a crime of opportunity. Just ride it and don't miss it if it gets stolen. That goes for any bike, which is easier said than done i know

flash2070

I haven't but I would keep it as is! Is it light? If it is, then maybe 531, which you know it's high end! I wouldn't repaint, just clean it, overhaul it, and ride it. All the best!

Flash

bloom87

i love patina i think it's the most beautiful thing on a vintage bike !

noglider 

That's the cleverest thing I've read all day. You are a wise and witty person.

rando_couche

You mean I'm not the only one??? Those "better than new" resto's, be they bike, car or whatever, just leave me cold.

SP
OC, OR

bibliobob

Repaints generally just look wrong. Love it for what it is....

gerv 

I've seen frames that really needed re-painting, particularly where there's a lot of rust forming. However, when there's no rust, you lose a lot of character.

Normally, I use clear nail polish for minor bare metal spots.

Not sure what I would do with this bike as there are quite a few bare spots. Is there a clear finish in a rattle can?

Murray Missile 

A lot of "traditional" hot rodders are into patina, rather than repaint a weathered original paint job on a vintage hot rod they clean it and then shoot a coat of clear over it to preserve it. When I find the right C & V bike that's my plan. Clean, detail and clear coat but no paint touch up or repainting. I love the look myself. Some poseurs have even gone to the extreme of faking patina, not considered cool among the hardcore though...........

To answer your question, there are ALL kinds of rattle can clears.

iab

A little bare metal is nothing. One of my bikes is missing 40% of its finish. Apply some car wax and it is good to go.

oldroads

Patina .vs. Rust.

When I'm buying a bike I tell the seller it is Rust.
When I'm selling a bike I tell the buyer it is Patina.

Bruce Enns

I believe the word "Patina" is often used to sugar coat blatant abuse and neglect. IMHO there is nothing attractive or desirable about the latter.

rootboy 

Good point Bruce. I think the term is often misunderstood, or mis-used. The main definition in the dictionary usually refers to the oxide coating that develops, or is applied to metals, especially bronze and brass. But I think the more general definition is more applicable here:

b : a surface appearance of something grown beautiful especially with age or use

And that doesn't count most of which is considered "patina" on bikes being sold, IMO. But, beautiful is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

bikemig 

This is going to be your 2d Gitane Gerv, that's quite the collection. You need to post some pics.

rootboy 

BTW, did you acquire the bike?

My personal opinion is that it is OK to paint a bike. Certain bikes. But I much prefer original, of course. You say "ancient" Gitane. How ancient?
Whether or not to refinish it depends a lot on its rarity, to me.

SJX426 

This is one of the topics of consternation for me, so this discussion is of interest!
I agree with both viewpoints but I think the criteria for each view is the subject. I have a Colnago from 1983, + or – a year. It is not a Super but looks the same except the chrome on the frame and a sticker that barely managed to stay on the TT with the word “Superissimo”. I haven’t seen very many discussions specifically with the Superissimo model and don’t really know how it differs from the Super other than the chrome treatment. Is it rare? Maybe, maybe not. I have seen “Supers” having Chrome forks but not any on the frame or just on the stays, never on the HT and lugs. Mine has it on the head tube and lugs, chain stays and fork (painted legs but not DO;s or crown).

What does this have to do with Patina? Well the paint is beaten up as opposed to worn. What I mean is that the bike was carried on a car carrier or repeated placed on or against something that removed the paint on the seat stays just below the bridge. In addition, the paint and decals are “peppered” with nicks. I suspect it may have seen a lot of miles on the back of a car being hauled somewhere and the road debris, small rocks pebbles or other material, “rained” on the frame. Some liquid dripped on the fork crown and ran onto the paint below which discolored and came off during the Oxalic acid bath to clean up the rust. The only decal not damaged is the Campagnolo one between the shift levers and the LBS sticker on the ST just above the BB. It looks like it was treated as a tool as opposed to a center piece!
There are plenty of Colnago’s and many Supers. They are always showing up on the “bay”. I found mine on CL and was located 50 miles up the Columbia River from Portland (Hood River)!

I debated about repaint. They look so good afterward. The downside is that when a frame and fork are refinished, the components look like sh… Since the groupo is Super Record of the era, NOS replacement parts are out of this guy’s scope of financial justification. Oh yeah, I love riding the thing even with all its period parts!

So for me, restoration is not justifiable and there are plenty of examples found on threads in this forum that are far better looking bikes than mine. I enjoy it for what it is including its unknown history as evidenced by its appearance and condition. Clear coat? Nah, why? To me it is equivalent to restoration (preservation). I will likely add my own history over time. Will I sell it? Not likely. My daughter is interested in having it after I am done with it.

Now my 1984 Trek 610 is an entirely different story. It was rattle canned, had rust under the paint and all the parts were abused either with environmental exposure (pitted AL), misuse (bent RD cage) or damaged from using the wrong tools (bearing puller to remove the cranks). The only two components that will survive will be the HS and BB, maybe. Everything else is junk. Even the frame was drewed of the eyelets. I call it the PaTrek 650 as Frank gets too much credit (frankenbike), the frame is a mix of specs (added braze-ons) between a 610 and 660 with replacement components equivalent to the 660. Frame color will be BRG.

gerv 

It's probably an early 70s Gitane. Alloy rims with Normandy competition hubs. Delrin Simplex derailleurs. Indeterminate tubing. Simplex dropouts, but no derailleurs hanger. [Edit: and a lovely Sugino Mighty crank]

I'd be all over it, but it's a 59 or 60cm... normally too big for me... but French frames often have those lower BB shells. so it might just work.

My main interest was to keep the bike from being stripped and the frame recycled. Luckily the manager at the shop thought it was a keeper too.

gerv 

I have a Mercier and Peugeot. And neither has the fine patina of this one. I'll try to get some photos... perhaps you might know some tall, local francophile.

bikemig 

Too big for me but it sounds like a cool bike for the right person. But it does sound like you need a 3d French bike, n'est ce pas?

SJX426 

A competitor to the UO-8? My size but too far away.

gaucho777 

Mmmmmm...patina.

JPZ66

Nothing wrong either way in my book.......my own criteria is to look at what isthere, how rare is it and what shape is it really in. As an example, I have a couple of bikes picked up in Italy on the cheap, and both have seen several very cheap repaints....I mean, applied poorly with a brush cheap...soooo....the good news is that it probably saved these frames from the ravages of the environment, but they look really bad, so they are being stripped and repainted. all of the components will be either cleaned and polished or replaced as needed.
Frankly, I see no other way to make these into acceptable looking rides.

On the other hand, I have a few that have the usual wear n tear on them, but nothing terrible and still wearing their original paint, so they get cleaned and waxed...that's it. I would call those as bikes with "patina" ....

I am a firm believer in the idea that if it's your bike, do what makes you happiest with it and don't worry what others think about it. The only time it really matters if at all, is if you are planning to sell it...then you may want to consider the impact to your potential market audience and the perceived affect on the valuation of said bicycle.

Enjoy
Joe

Murray Missile 

Yes, that is my definition of "patina" as well, normal aging and wear NOT abuse and neglect.

downtube42

A couple guys paused and spent maybe five minutes looking at, inspecting, and talking about (but not touching) my heavily patina laden Grand Jubile a couple days ago, outside the restaurant where I was eating lunch. It rides beautifully but is pretty rough looking. It's my commuter, and even the newish cloth tape has disintegrated from a summer of sunlight. If it had been repainted - and it could look beautiful - their interest would not have meant so much.

To me, mechanically sound but showing evidence of use is a beautiful thing. But it's your bike, so it's your choice.

jimmuller 

I do a fair amount of recreational frame hunting on ebay. (Hey, it keeps me from going nuts at work!) Whenever I see a repainted frame claiming to be such-and-such tubing or an unpainted frame that "lost its decals", I become skeptical. Sure it might be valid and perhaps if I knew enough about that brand I could spot a fake. But perhaps not. I sure wouldn't pay many hundreds on a frame I haven't seen in person unless I have many reasons to trust that it is what it claims to be. Come to think of it, I've never spent many hundreds on a frame anyway, so never mind.