Maohaus

[I am a newbie and therefore restricted from posting photos until I have 10 posts - So, I apologize for no photos at this time. However, here is what I wanted to post with photos previously.]

Quite unexpectedly I woke up to two new vintage steel bikes in my workshop. I guess that is how addictions go While waiting for a friend to get ready I was browsing FB Marketplace and saw a just listed Raleigh (circa 1980) Competition GS listed for $150. I made a quick inquiry to the owner (the bike had belonged to his now deceased farther) and arranged to see the bike a few hours later. Turned out to be quite a nice bike in really good mechanical condition and a bike that will restore beautifully. As far as I can tell the bike is 100% original. He wouldn't take less and I gladly paid the $150 (He later messaged me to give me the names of a few others who wanted the bike and were willing to buy it from me for more).

While at the storage unit he casually mentioned that he had another bike of his father that had not yet been listed. This turned out to be a 1983 Trek 620 Touring Bike, exactly as it was the day it was purchased. I was not prepared to buy another bike and showed him all the cash I had left in my wallet - $102. He agreed to sell it for that and I gladly emptied my wallet.

So there you go - Two very nice vintage steel bikes from the late 70's or early 80's. Neither will need to be repainted in my opinion. Rather, I plan to strip the bikes down to the frame, refurbish the paint, clean and rebuild all the componentry and maintain thier perfect stock qualities.

To my question - Both bikes have the sticker license adhered to the frame (fortunately not on any decals). I am looking to you wise mavens to suggest the best means to remove these without damaging the paint. Also, any suggestions on refurbishing the paint is welcomed as well.

Jeff Neese

A heat gun on the low setting will make those stickers peel right off.

Mr. 66

I've used heat for removing stuff like reflective tape. Heat gun or propane torch was my preferred, in conjunction with a teflon use spatula to get the peel going. The adhesives have a lower melting point than paint.

Pompiere

After the heat to remove the sticker, a little Goo Gone will take care of any remaining residue.

look566 rider

Leave alone! The license is part of the bikes history. I picked up a 1951 Rudge 3 speed with original owners last name (Morley) etched into paint in several places plus City of Columbus bicycle license decal from early 1960s. Just cleaned Morley up and still ride from time to time. Tweed Ride anyone?

Classtime 

Sometimes a heat gun won't do it. Careful application of a single edge razor blade will work.

thumpism 

I concur. My own Raleigh Sports came with one that conferred the bike's name on it, Eugene.

Vintage Schwinn

I agree with look566 rider!

Here is my opinion on License decals and Bicycle Shop stickers: " IF THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE BICYCLE FOR A DECADE, THEY SHOULD REMAIN,
AND IF THEY HAVE BEEN ON FOR NINE , THEN REMOVING THEM IS FINE!!! " - the opinion of an arrogant dumbass who loves riding bicycles-

If said bicycle is getting repainted and restored or/and resto-modded with new paint, or a repainted frame is being utilized in a custom project, then certainly who gives a flip about the decals.

I do make an exception for certain Bicycle Shop Stickers, as if they aren't attractive or contrast badly with the bicycle colors and graphics, I WILL REMOVE THEM.
In the rare exception where said employees and proprietor of that particular Bike Shop are a bunch of A-Holes, then I WILL CERTAINLY REMOVE THAT Bicycle Shop Sticker. If said particular A-Hole Bike Shop Sticker cannot be successfully removed, I would simply go to EBAY and purchase a vintage Bicycle Shop Sticker, or a vintage unused License Decal that would completely cover-up the A-Hole Sticker. The Sticker that I would choose to cover-up the A-Hole Bike Shop Sticker would be something that both best matches the bike's paint scheme and colors, as well as appears to be period correct. It would not matter to me, from what part of the USA or other parts of the world that said cover-up License or Shop Sticker is from as long as it looked great. I just will not under any circumstances have essentially an advertising billboard for an existing A-Hole Bicycle Shop on any bicycles that I own, or rehabilitate-repair for Donation, in such cases, I certainly take the extra five minutes to remove or obstruct/cover the A-Hole Bicycle Shop decal. About 30 years ago, where I volunteered rebuilding bikes from several hundred donated old bicycles, we affixed a decal with a black lab named Lucky on the his collar was a dog tag with that name and the year(two numbers....91). One other volunteer had a sister that owned a trophy shop that did engraving and made the decals. Since we stripped all the bikes and repainted them and made them appear as new as possible, but no two were really exactly the same since we were just comingling whatever useable parts in an attempt to build a decent enough bicycle to Donate.
After a few years, these re-purposed rebuilt bikes, earned the "street name" of BLACK DOG BIKES, as in typical conversation among some donor recipients and other cyclists, : " oh, you have one of those "Black Dog Bikes" so the special decal was eliminated.

Deal4Fuji

I agree they are part of the bike's history and I always leave them on as well as shop stickers. I didn't know eBay had shop sticker or city licenses.

I have 3 city and 1 college sticker on my current line up

Maohaus

Thank you to everyone who has weighed in on this discussion regarding the license stickers.

I have a bit of a different take on this. I was a bicycle mechanic from about 1970 to 1985 and worked in good shops. I always loved the beauty of the steel bikes and appreciated the fabricators who could complete a bike that was not only a well oiled machine but was astatically pleasing and even beautiful. Many bicycles are nothing less than a work of art.

The seventies started a series of well-intentioned, yet meddlesome, mandates that were aimed at the bicycle business. OSHA jumped in and mandated reflectors on all bikes regardless of price point or application, and municipalities abandoned the lovely metal licenses in favor of, often gaudy, sticker licenses. At least where I was operating in the bike business, non of my colleagues were anxious to embrace any of this. Especially when it came to beautifully crafted bicycles - non of us were having any part of the sticker licenses or cateye reflectors. It simply ruined the vision of the fabricator. So we ended up with piles of reflectors in boxes after the new owners bought the bike and immediately asked us to remove them. Further, the municipalities could never enforce the license laws so they came and went.

All of that said, I do appreciate the perspective of many of you regarding the historical significance of the stickers. I had not given that any thought. So we really have two perfectly legitimate schools of thought. Those that want to reveal the maker's mark and beauty of the bike, and those that value the historic aspects of the vintage bicycle. Great discussion all!

randyjawa 

In place of a heat gun, a simple hair dryer will work just fine. I, personally, do not like the government's useless license place sticker, and almost always get rid of them. That said, if preserving the bike's history is a concern, then keep the sticker.

nlerner

I’ve collected these over the years, usually from old 3-speeds I’ve bought locally:



They don’t exactly leave the bike unaltered, however, as they were affixed with a couple of extra holes in the rear fender.

Maohaus

Those vertical plates are outstanding!

bikingshearer 

This. If you need to do some scraping, use on old credit card or something similar. Do it gently and don't try to take too much off at a time and all will be well. I used this method to get to get rid of a really ugly sticker in a way-too-noticeable place on a mid-1960s Cinelii with no issues.

It also had a second, decent looking sticker in much better location - I left that one on. Consider the opinions you've heard here, but do what feels and looks right to you. They're your bikes, it's your call.