Viking Allrounder Serial No. 120263

I'll strip the bike this evening and then take some more photos of the frame and parts...be good to then get suggestions on exactly what I can keep and what needs replacing...

Not sure if I'm going to keep a hub system or just have a freewheel...be lighter and easier...thoughts? before I order some wheels...

Give it to mario vaz for a budget-ish respray if you really want it looking cleaner (he may even have the decals too), but make sure you keep the contrasting panels!... then copy the build that hugo posted.

new alloy 27" rims, and s/s hubs (like formula etc), new stem with swept-back bars, brooks, shiny mudguards. I'd probably get new cranks too, so I could run a sealed bearing bottom bracket. Andel do some nice vintage-looking ones (hilary stone has them). The ones you have looks like a cheap williams rip-off to me, and are probably not worth saving.

This will all be practical, serviceable, and reliable (and, except the brooks, relatively cheap), but won't be running too hard against the overall vintage vibe of the frame.

l Always liked this one myself:


although the rear mudguard needs sorting.

Some of the feedback for Mario Vaz seems mixed...who else would people recommend for a nice respray and to put the decals back and clear coat etc...?

Few links that you may find useful - bit of light reading and potential inspiration....
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Viking/Viking.htm
&
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/avtviking.html
are 2 of the major sources of info on vintage bikes & bits
and there are at least 2 sites dedicated to Viking
http://classicvikingcycles.com/
http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/bicycles/Viking.htm

Photofeeds are also handy e.g. search function in flickr etc

That's beautiful.

Well done Sir.

From another "don't respray" post of mine ;0

Last para has an explanation of how I did it. Start by cleaning, I only used a light sanding block because the dirt was so ingrained which was also made worse by the light colour.

...
Here's my old Merican before and after:

Before:
https://static.lfgss.com/attachments/13990d1250855445-mercian1.jpg
https://static.lfgss.com/attachments/13991d1250855445-mercian2.jpg

**after:

**

The previous owner was adamant that it was too far gone and needed a respray. Luckily (IMO) he sold it to me. The frame had a sort of ingrained dirt/discolouration, and was much worse than yours. I sanded off the dirt with a worn down sanding sponge and loads of GT85. With yours it looks like just using gt85/oil and gently sanding the rust patchs with fine wirewool would do it. Because most of your frame is white/cream, I think you'll be fine using something strong like jenolite in small doses to protect.

Then just touch up if necessary.

I'd recommend waxing it afte you've used tcut. it makes a big difference and helps to protect it. Just any normal 'wax-on/wax-off' style will do.

Here is a bigger pic: http://www.lfgss.com/picture.php?albumid=698&pictureid=5464

The rust on this Viking frame isn't sitting on the surface is right through the paint and has several 50p sized areas...I'll give it a go later but I can't see it achieving the finish I'm after...I'm looking to do a quality restoration with the frame being the highlight...more than happy to pay £100 to £150 for a paint job and decals...

bob jackson's fairly cheap.
Mario's OK, but his lug-lining is shite.

if you are going to do it properly then i guess it is probably worth it
most resprays consist of painting it a non standard single colour all over with no decals so in effect the original frame is being lost
if you are going for a restore then it's much more acceptable

restoration vs respray

Well now I'm not going to convert it to a single speed lightweight commuter (this forum converted me) I'd now like to restore it to really nice condition i.e. no rust

So other than changing the bars to a slightly more comfortable fit and maybe make it single speed (not sure on hubs as know nothing about them) I'd like to keep it looking vintage and original but also usable.

Be good to find someone near to Berkshire that could do the respray if possible...

^ Good decision! Bikes are to be ridden so you certainly should not feel any pressure to be enslaved to impactical but period correct parts - but on the other hand if you get hold of something so right in the first place it would seem a shame not to keep as much of the spirit of the original bike as possible.

So as I've said the bike will be stripped tonight, I'll clean the parts and then I really need help (been great info so far) choosing the new components and also finding a suitable person to respray/coat the frame including the decals etc....

There's a guy on Vansittart estate (Windsor) who does (decent quality) stuff for me at work.
He's big into Vespas and vintage motorbikes. I think he quoted me £70-£80 for a single colour bike frame/forks (non-metallic).
Forget the guys name, but the business is http://www.swallowsprays.co.uk/ContactUs.html

Just spoke to a young lad there...he said they can shotblast/sand and repaint it for £35 then I'd have to apply the decals and gold paint around the lugs and then take it back to them for the clear coat...which costs another £35...would really like to find someone who can do all of it...as not sure I'd be any god at painting the gold.

Lug lining is a bit of a specialist art - you've basically got 3 options

1) send it to a frame builder/finisher - closest to you would probably be Chas Roberts in Croydon or Mario Vaz (though someone above said he's not so hot at lining).
2) Find someone with transferable skills!! e.g. a signwriter.
There's an old-school signwriter on St Leonards Road, Windsor.
3) DIY - I seem to recall there was someone on here who used some sort of paint pen to line his lugs - you could start somewhere inconspicuous and see how you get on before committing to the head & seattube lugs...

So other than changing the bars to a slightly more comfortable fit

Those levers don't seem to match the style of bars to me, so perhaps it used to have drops?

I reckon so - they look like pretty nice levers - I'm wondering if their GB's the calipers look like the old GB Hiduminum - all decent quality kit under that grime

According the catalogue the bars match the image and the brake levers do as well being GB alloys (they look quite nice but the rubber protective part has warn, can you get replacements?)

As for the calipers they are GB Sport Mk3's

I want to use some leather tape for the bar grips to match the leather seat...that needs a clean...but that job can wait as from looking at threads it looks tricky and troublesome.

I'd be surprised if you can find replacement GB hoods.
There are a few (mostly US) sources of NOS/repro hoods for Universal, CLB & Campag but they tend to be eyewateringly expensive ($40-80 a pair).
Do what you can to keep the ones you have - the only other option is the Cane Creek hoods on ebay (~£12) you may be able to tease into place they'll probably not look as good as the ones you've got.

According to this http://classicvikingcycles.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/1959-Viking-Catalogue-p07.jpg the geared hub was not originally on the bike...so now I'm definitely just going to go single speed.

If someone can let me know a good wheelset to go for and the tyres, be good to get black with white walls...I also want to get the BB, Crank, Chainset and pedals, brake pads, cables ordered.

Unless I'm badly mistaken that catalogue does not show those brake levers on the Allrounder picture - though they do look like the ones on the drops in the centre picture which also has a matching crankset. So, I'd still think this bike came with drops.

The Allrounder is listed as coming with a hub gear, but single freewheel does seem to be also period correct.

Weinmann on Airlites with Panaracer Pasellas.

Lose the cottered cranks - Stronglight or TA would be period correct, and you can get track or doubles. Track axles will be a pain though.

Brake pads - anything modern that fits - the fabric composite period ones are useless. Ditto modern cabling.

Also - repped for the website link.

I'm trying to date my Viking at the moment.

(Rather, I've not bothered for over 2 years, and that websit has made me look again.)