Where (in the Chicago area) to get an old bike restored?

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Permalink Reply by Haddon on June 14, 2013 at 1:18am

Might it be a blue Miyata Americana??

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on June 14, 2013 at 2:10am

I can do it via. Element Cyclesport; I love doing old bike restorations.  If you don't feel like taking it out to Oak Park you can drop it off at our Lincoln Park location and we can transfer it out to my shop.

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Permalink Reply by Michael A on June 14, 2013 at 6:10am

Do you want to restore it back to original condition, or just make it a functional, safe bike? If you are just looking for the later almost any bike shop will do a tune up and let you know if it needs more then just that. There are plenty of online resources available if you do want to try some of the more basic things yourself to hold down costs. But if you want to go the whole nine yards and bring it back to it's former glory I would suggest working with someone like Doug (for the mechanical bits) and Chester Cycles for the refinishing... please post some pics of the before and after and good luck

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Permalink Reply by Jim Freeman on June 14, 2013 at 9:59am

Boulevard Bikes in Logan Square is good at this stuff.  Overhauls on old touring rigs are very cool, but they cost money- more than the bike is typically worth.  I totally appreciate a good vintage touring bike though.  There's nothing like returning an older ride to pristine function.

Dug would be good too.  The key is finding a mechanic that shares your vision of the bike.

I have a Bridgestone T-1000.  I built some fairly awesome wheels for it and installed a set of Suntour bar end shifters.  I found some awesome NOS 27" rims from Mel Pinto a few years back. 

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Permalink Reply by Abby Johns on June 14, 2013 at 9:43pm

To answer a few questions: it's a T1000, exact year unknown. The frame seems to be in great shape; it has a few scratches but it won't have to be repainted (it's been kept in basement storage for roughly 10 or so years). The tires and brake pads are dried out and will definitely need to be replaced. I don't know about the components; I know for sure they'll have to be cleaned and re-lubed, not sure if they'll need replacement. I'm not looking to build a top-notch touring machine; I'd just like a solid, safe bike for commuting and light touring.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions!

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Permalink Reply by Josh L. on June 15, 2013 at 6:49pm

I can't say enough good things about Uptown bikes. They do the work on my road and commuting bikes I can't do and they are incredibly fair, competent, and reliable. Half the time they don't even charge me for little stuff and I didn't even buy my bikes from them.

John and Nora, who seem like the most skilled techs, are off the charts good.  ..I'm sure they would be glad to do the restoration.

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Permalink Reply by Ash L. on June 15, 2013 at 9:36pm

Ron at Lugs also does some nice restoration work. Check out their FB page for contact info and peruse their photos to get an idea of what they do.  https://www.facebook.com/lugs.bicycles?fref=ts

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