Specialised Globe Vienna 4 bling bling

[hcjg1]

I transformed this bike from the frumpy-looking machine to the polished beast. I upgraded or modified most parts as it was really heave. Now this thing is light and shifts well with little effort eating up the 25 mile ropundtrip daily commute into and out of Central London.
Modifications - complete strip down everything polished and set back up

• 55t extra light alloy Specilaised chain ring (originally came with a 42t steel ring)
• Titanium axle, alloy body pedals
• Royce titanium B/B
• Campagnola 177.5 Piste alooy cranks
• 130mm Uno Alloy stem
• Uno alloy handlebar with matching bull horns
• Bontrager 170g 700x23 tyres
• Uno allloy head set spacers
• Specialised racing saddle with hollow titanium rails
• Bontrager x-lite seat post
• Lightweight leather handle-bar grips
  

[cyclerUK]

That's a really neat job !!
What did you do to polish it?

[Alex Ramon]

Wow, I've never seen a bike like that. Super cool space age look, love the curves!

[hcjg1]

(01-18-2010, 05:03 PM)hcjg1 Wrote:  I transformed this bike from the frumpy-looking machine to the polished beast. I upgraded or modified most parts as it was really heave. Now this thing is light and shifts well with little effort eating up the 25 mile ropundtrip daily commute into and out of Central London.
Modifications - complete strip down everything polished and set back up
55t extra light alloy Specilaised chain ring (originally came with a 42t steel ring)
Titanium axle, alloy body pedals
Royce titanium B/B
Campagnola 177.5 Piste alooy cranks
130mm Uno Alloy stem
Uno alloy handlebar with matching bull horns
Bontrager 170g 700x23 tyres
Uno allloy head set spacers
Specialised racing saddle with hollow titanium rails
Bontrager x-lite seat post
Lightweight leather handle-bar grips

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thanks mate i knew people would like it and appreciate it on this site.

1st i stripped the bike down to a bare frame then i took the paint off using nitromoss paint stripper that stuff is lethal and itches like hell when it gets on your skin. you just paint it on leave it for about 5 minutes and watch the paint lift doing section by section. then i rubbed the frame down using a fine grade steel wool, then 600 grade sand paper, then 100 grade sand paper, then 1500 grade sand paper, then 2000 grade wet sandpaper, then this polish named Brasso from homebase. it is not very common but it is fantastic. it comes in a tin and it is like a cotton wad. when you put it on alloy it comes out black but when you rub it off with a cotton cloth you see the results. i polished everything but i guess if you get somethings that are already shine like handlebar and cranks and brake calipers etc half the job is done but bare aluminum just looks fantastic.

[El Lobo]

Wow. That is some bike. Great job.

Lobo

[Bill]

This is a very very sweet looking bike. When I was younger I wanted a totally chromed bicycle, never happened but seeing this one I must say is pretty closed to what I dreamed of having. Thank for sharing!!!

[hcjg1]

(02-04-2010, 10:40 PM)El Lobo Wrote:  Wow. That is some bike. Great job.

Lobo

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(02-04-2010, 10:50 PM)Bill Wrote:  This is a very very sweet looking bike. When I was younger I wanted a totally chromed bicycle, never happened but seeing this one I must say is pretty closed to what I dreamed of having. Thank for sharing!!!

thanks a lot mate. i just hope i could inspire other bike lovers. no chrome on this totally polished aluminum.

[jr14]

That rusted flagpole you leaned the bike against really makes it look SUPER shiny. Great job. When I was in the Army, Brasso was the ONLY thing we would polish our brass with. Well, that or a rouge wheel, but I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say polishing a bike on a rouge wheel isn't practical.

(edit) Whats the internal hub? I couldn't see an identifying mark anywhere? Is that an Alfine?

[hcjg1]

(02-05-2010, 08:07 PM)jr14 Wrote:  That rusted flagpole you leaned the bike against really makes it look SUPER shiny. Great job. When I was in the Army, Brasso was the ONLY thing we would polish our brass with. Well, that or a rouge wheel, but I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say polishing a bike on a rouge wheel isn't practical.

(edit) Whats the internal hub? I couldn't see an identifying mark anywhere? Is that an Alfine?

Leaning the bike against the rusty flagpole was purely coincidental. It is a football / soccer goal post. I think people have either forgotten how effective a polish Brasso is or most might be too young to know it but i used to be in the boys scouts then cadets when i was growing up and we used it to polish our belt buckles, medals and anything brass. boy does it shine. the hub has been completely stripped of all markings. I polished everything with hand after stripping the paint off and sanding with sandpaper. the hub is not alfine its the 8 speed nexxus. i dont know what a rouge wheel is.

[jr14]

A rouge wheel mounts on a bench grinder like a grinding stone, and does the same thing as brasso.

[Bill]

Brasso did that????? Sweet, have to get some of that. Heard stories of it but never thought it would do that kind of a job.

[jr14]

Brasso, with enough elbow grease, will polish up ANYTHING. Its amazing stuff. Do NOT use a cloth wheel with it though. I learned the hard way on a large ceremonial gold pin. Ruined it. Use a clean white cloth and only rub in circular directions.

[Bill]

Ok any other advice never used it before?

[hcjg1]

(02-07-2010, 12:32 AM)Bill Wrote:  Brasso did that????? Sweet, have to get some of that. Heard stories of it but never thought it would do that kind of a job.

Yes mate Brasssso did this. there are 2 types there's a liquid one and there is one that comes like a cotton wad in the tin. the cotton wad is ths one you need. for your final sand use 1500 or 2000 sand paper. put a little dishwashing liquid in a bowl with water and dip the sand paper in it each time it feels dry. then wipe the metal off and then rub it with the brasso cotton wad then rub it with a clean 100% cotton cloth. i like to use hanes, fruit of the loom or bvd vests. one thing i found was that if you let the polish dry on the metal it comes out with a higher shine than if you rub it straight away. i think brasso is kind of a military secret as i learnt it when i was a youth cadet.

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(02-07-2010, 12:45 AM)Bill Wrote:  Ok any other advice never used it before?

use the brasso that comes in a cotton wadding not the liquid, the cotton wadding is neater to rub on as you tend to get the liquid overwetting the polishing cloth. main secret is to finish rubbing the metal with 1500 or 2000 (wet and dry) sandpaper. put a little dishwashing liquid in a bowl of water and each time the paper begins to dry out dip it and rub again. always use a 100% cotton cloth. let the polish dry completely on the metal.
i tried polishing aluminum in the past with all different types of stuff like autosol etc but brasso is the easiest to rub on and off and gives the most amazing results.

[Bill]

Noted and thanks.

[hcjg1]

(02-07-2010, 10:42 AM)hcjg1 Wrote:  

(02-07-2010, 12:32 AM)Bill Wrote:  Brasso did that????? Sweet, have to get some of that. Heard stories of it but never thought it would do that kind of a job.

Yes mate Brasssso did this. there are 2 types there's a liquid one and there is one that comes like a cotton wad in the tin. the cotton wad is ths one you need. for your final sand use 1500 or 2000 sand paper. put a little dishwashing liquid in a bowl with water and dip the sand paper in it each time it feels dry. then wipe the metal off and then rub it with the brasso cotton wad then rub it with a clean 100% cotton cloth. i like to use hanes, fruit of the loom or bvd vests. one thing i found was that if you let the polish dry on the metal it comes out with a higher shine than if you rub it straight away. i think brasso is kind of a military secret as i learnt it when i was a youth cadet.

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(02-07-2010, 12:45 AM)Bill Wrote:  Ok any other advice never used it before?

use the brasso that comes in a cotton wadding not the liquid, the cotton wadding is neater to rub on as you tend to get the liquid overwetting the polishing cloth. main secret is to finish rubbing the metal with 1500 or 2000 (wet and dry) sandpaper. put a little dishwashing liquid in a bowl of water and each time the paper begins to dry out dip it and rub again. always use a 100% cotton cloth. let the polish dry completely on the metal.
i tried polishing aluminum in the past with all different types of stuff like autosol etc but brasso is the easiest to rub on and off and gives the most amazing results.

[hcjg1]

The ladies frame is a Carrera Vulcan and i have put a before and after photo. It hasn't been polished yet only stripped and sanded, so that is still to come and I will post some photos. I just lined it up next to my Globe to see what it looks like at this stage.

The other bike is my Carrera Subway 1. Because its my daily commuter, I haven't bothered to even sand it but merely stripped it of its factory paint I have included a before and after photo. All aluminum bikes should be left bare as you really get to see the beauty of the metal and the welding.

[hcjg1]

Here is the ladies' frame Carrera Vulcan. I tried to get away without wet sanding it but it doesn't work that way. Although still looks good I could see tiny scratch marks so would be wet sanding the frame again and then it should come up silky smooth.

There is also a photo of my other Carrera Subway when it was halfway through having its paint removed.

[hcjg1]

I wet sanded the frame with the following grit sandpaper - 1st 800wet then 1500wet then 2000 wet, then polished. Looks the way I wanted it to look. Just goes to show there are no shortcuts to getting things right as I polished the frame yesterday without wet sanding hoping it would be ok.
Included in this thread are the handlebar, stem, brake calipers, cranks and bash plate. For now the 2 cranks are different, but both are SR Suntour 170mm.

[hcjg1]

Raleigh Streetwolf BMX. I don't know how many people would remember these but they were built in the 70's by Raleigh. I restored this for my 5 y/o son and he totally loves it as 'they just don't make em like this anymore'. The little box on the handlebar makes all kinds of siren noises when you press the switch.