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trailrunner

I'm cleaning up my 1972 TdF, that I bought new back then. Not long after buying it, I put a piece of tape on the rear chain stay to protect the paint directly under the chain. I've removed the tape, but the 35 year old adhesive is just not coming off. I've tried mineral spirits, mineral oil, WD-40, soap and water. Nothing seems to soften it. I don't want to scrape too hard, as I don't want to ruin the paint. The bike already has more than enough places needing touch-up paint. There are also spots, mostly around the BB, where the white paint seems to be stained brown. I'm guessing from grease. It doesn't want to clean up easily either. Any suggestions? A re-paint just isn't in the plans. Not right now anyway.

Also, I bought the bike in the spring of '73 at a bike shop in Buffalo, NY where I had a summer job. It could be a '73, but more likely it's a '72. Is there anyway to tell?

Dave B
Ft Worth, TX

mikkla

The last time I had a problem like that I used nailpolish remover.
It worked fine, and didn't leave a stain or damaged the paint.
Try it first on a little piece on the bottom or something like that to see how the old paint holds.

trailrunner

I considered nailpolish remover, but thought it would damage the paint. I'll try it in a spot that already needs touching up.

The other alternative is to put on another piece of white tape.

Dave B
Ft Worth, TX

Chaironea

Nailpolish remover will most probably only do harm if it is the usual acetone based kind (easily detected by the smell). It might not only mess up the varnish but also solve the paint and leave you with a nasty mix of adhesive and paint that is almost impossible to remove other than by sanding it down. If it is a more "modern" one it might go easier with the paint. But nonetheless it is not a good choice as it is made to remove a kind of paint/varnish, not just some adhesive.

You can try citrus adhesive remover or silicone remover. I would prefer the first one. We recently removed all the lines in a gym and cleaned up the floor with citrus based adhesive remover. Went very well and without any harm to the floor. Some other - luckily small - point had been tried with acetone by the janitor and it left an ugly smear of dissolved floor.

vanhelmont · Last edited by vanhelmont on Fri Aug 27, 2010 7:52 am; edited 1 time in total

sorry, double post

vanhelmont

I'm with Chaironea, don't use the nail polish remover. If you don't have the citrus adhesive remover etc., cooking oil may remove tape adhesive.

Frenchbuilt

Hi,

At work we usually removed stickers and tape with a heat gun/hair dryer
and then believe it of not, finished it off with industrial gasoline (called essence F here in France) And/or we use to use the equivalent of dry cleaning fluid and then changed to "white spirits" (paint thinner) but now all of this is really unhealthy.

On my last restoration project, I only used a light automobile polishing paste which cuts slightly into the paint surface and with patience removes traces of various sorts.

My favorite product for really cleaning up everything is: Meguiar's Deep Crystal System Carnauba Wax Step 3

This product has some sort of light or natural? solvent that cleans off stains and sticky stuff and also waxes very well. I find that it even works better than some of the so called polishing pastes. This is what I would use.

After all of this cleaning about, you will see just how poor the paint quailty was on Gitanes of this period. Most of the real defects are UNDER the paint.

Good luck

Dan

Gtane

Dave,

I use spray wax polish and a rag to remove most, as they also seem to contain a small amount of solvent which is really handy. Sometimes I leave it to rest on the sticky area for a while (having liberally sprayed it) then remove with either a rag or small piece of wood. I find wood (often a match) is excellent in that it appears not damage the painted surface underneath the substance, or mark, one is trying to remove.

Tim

verktyg

There is a citrus based product called Goo Gone that works well on hardened label adhesives and so on.

http://tinyurl.com/6k5azc

There is a similar product Goo Off Citrus that I've never tried.

http://www.goof-off.com/

You can try a cotton ball or gauze pad soaked in the Goo xxx stuff and leave it on a small area for 10-15 minutes to see how it will work.

Some of these Goo xxx product contain toluene or xylene paint thinner and will damage the paint so I'd stick with the citrus based stuff - but try it first on some unnoticeable area.

repairtec

Why not use a hair drier or hot air gun.

trois tubes

REPAINT?? - Never!!!
What I have discovered doing several restorations is that after a good cleaning and polishing/waxing you will acheive a "new" finish just by removing what is mostly grime. A little wear and tear maintains the bicycle's character and is expected with 25+ years of age.

Try GOO GONE I've had good results with it. Word of warning, it can eat away paint if left on for too long.

Mineral Spirits, Acetone and NP Remover are NOT recommended in areas where there is paint/decals.

trailrunner

Thanks for all the suggestions. I tried most of the suggestions here. I tried goo-gone and mineral spirits for about an hour each, with no effect. I haven't used heat because I'm afraid it will damage the paint. This adhesive has probably been on there for 20 years. Anyway, since my plans are to sell the bike, I'm just going to leave it alone and point it out to any potential buyers.

I'm going to try to get pictures and a description posted here in the next week or two. I've just been too busy to get some good pictures. I'll probably be pricing it at $350 as a starting point. I'd like the bike to get a good home.