Over the last few days, I have put the finishing touches on the restoration of my old Sears Free Spirit bicycle. Upon finishing the last bit of assembly (mounting grips, levers, cables, etc) I took the bike out for its inaugural ride. While I had to make some minor adjustments, the test ride was successful. Everything works!
So... how much did this restoration cost in parts and materials? Well, let's have a look.
| Part(s) | Cost |
| Brake levers, brake cables, shifter cable | $75 |
| Sturmey Archer SU-SLS3N NIMBUS Shift Lever | $34 |
| Schwalbe Delta Cruiser Tires, ball bearings | $58 |
| Pedals | $21 |
| Chain | $18 |
| Misc. Fasteners | $10 |
| Paint and paint supplies | $268 |
| Rust cleaners | $15 |
| Grips | $45 |
| Bell | $3 |
| Total | $547 |
Ouch! I can safely say that the project ended up costing a lot more than I had anticipated. Having said that, if I were to try to buy a bike similar to this (with parts of similar quality, etc) I'd have to spend well over $700...
So, would I do this again? I think so. Chances are, I will be doing this again with Cess' bike. The only thing I might change is to see whether I can have the frame proffessionaly painted at a reasonable cost ($200-$300 maybe?). While I'm happy with the results I have, I know a proffessional paint job would have a more durable finish.
Now, for pictures!
Graffiti alley:
More graffiti alley:
Distillery District:
Bike's front end including handlebar, grips, tires, etc:
Grip and brake lever closeup:
Bell:
