The Merckx Full Circle Project

No one overtook me on the way home last night.

I didn't even waste time sucking any wheels.

I got home. Walked the dog. Got home again. Then made a brew for the glorious unveiling. The previous owner had packaged it up with the care and attention of someone who had owned this for 20 years. He hasn't sold it, he's entrusted the ownership to someone else for a while.

So after I'd plucked out the little air pouches he'd stuffed the box with (the dog loved them) I was able to remove the frame. It looked like something out of the Wicker Man.

http://imageshack.us/a/img203/8760/bikewickerman.jpg

Cup of tea at the ready, I spent the next hour carefully peeling away the gaffer tape and cardboard from around the tubes.

This is me. Sherlock's in the bottom corner there, eagerly awaiting every bit of cardboard I threw away. And yes, I am wearing a cap, 'cos I was all excited and stuff.

But As I took the packaging away from the seat tube - to my horror - I noticed a blue sticker. I can't remember that being there. What the fuck is it!?

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/5550/bikeme.jpg

Once I'd removed all the packaging, I proceeded to panic. As you do.

It was an old old sticker. 20 years old apparently. It was the bike shop who sold the frame to the original owner. They're called Bike It, they're still going:

http://www.bike-it.uk.com/

Anyway, it looked pretty steadfastly on there. And I'm not the handiest of hands, so I was scared of what damage I might do to the paintjob if I tried to remove it.

After dropping my panic bomb all over the 'Ask Any Question' thread, I had a few answers.

• Nail Varnish Remover
  
• Fire
  
• Grinder
  
• Hair Dryer
  
• WD40 Overnight Soak
  
  

I went with the WD40 and as usual everything looks better in the morning. It came off in about 2 minutes, just pushing gently with a plastic credit card kinda thingymebob.

Stickerless...

http://imageshack.us/a/img6/1024/bikeposters.jpg