Elphabasan

Hi all,

My name is Ash, and I just nabbed a blue 1970 Schwinn Breeze off Craigslist for $30. I'd been looking for one for a while because, well, I saw an old rusty Breeze at a garage sale a few months ago and fell in love with it, but it was too big, too pricey, and too spray-painted for me. When one finally came up for sale in my area, I had to jump on it. I'm glad I waited, too. It's the perfect blue, the perfect size, and it was the perfect price!

I replaced the tires and used aluminum foil to clear up some rust spots on the chrome fenders, pedals, and so on. Some of the rust has made it down too deep for me to clear off, but hey, since I'm using this thing around campus, I don't mind it lookin' slightly used, you know? It's got a few chips in the paint where corrosion is starting to take hold (tiny pitting; nothing huge), though, and while the lettering is still in very good condition, it did run a little when I was cleaning the bike up due to moisture.

Here are my questions:

-- Is there any way I can seal these small chips in the paint so the rust doesn't continue to spread or get any deeper?

-- Is there any way to preserve the lettering, or should I not worry about it?

-- What is the best way to get sticker residue off the bike without scratching off all the paint? =P

I'll get pictures soon! Thanks for your help in advance, and happy riding!

All the best,
Ash

serra

Craigslist bikes do work? Sweet, I've been meaning to get a second cheap bike for around campus myself.

Make sure the rust isn't affecting the integrity of the frame, that could lead to a nasty spill someday.

As for your questions
--Clear finger nail polish
--I wouldn't worry
--Goo gone, that stuffs amazing!

Good luck!

Elphabasan

Clear fingernail polish! Hah! That's a cheap fix. Awesome! Good to know it's good for something besides French tips.

The integrity of the frame is definitely sound. The rust is really just in a few little spots. I'll go raid under the sink to see if some Goo Gone is lurking down there. If not, a trip to Wally World is in order.

As to Craigslist: sometimes it's a huge miss, but it can't hurt to look.

Thanks so much for your help!

Best,
Ash

Jeff Wills

Sometimes you can even get a reasonable color match with colored fingernail polish. It's worth a try.

The Schwinn chrome-plating is pretty thick and durable. As long as rust hasn't gotten down to the base metal, you should be able to remove it with Quick-Glo: https://www.quick-glo.com/ . We used to sell tons of it back when I was working in a Schwinn shop.