Polishing the Bianchi Sport

Because the Bianchi Sport had lived a sheltered life, there wasn't all that much really wrong with it. What it needed was a deep clean, lube and adjustments. New parts on this one were limited to just the usual KMC chain, inexpensive brake and shifter cables, not-great brake padsand surprisingly nice cork handlebar tape.

All the parts were budget-priced but more than adequate except the brake pads. They had very shallow threads and one came stripped out already. I won't be buying them again and don't recommend them, even for a budget build.

The one thing it really needed but didn't get are some new tires. It's just so hard to get decent tires right now, thanks to COVID-disrupted supply lines. The original Bianchi tires are well past their prime but they hold air, and they'll have to do until we can find some half-decent replacements.

I did have to pick up another freewheel tool to handle the old two-prong SunTour freewheel, but the way I look at it those sorts of things are just investments in the next bike, and for 10 bucks it's not worth hassling with. Just get the right tool.

With the frame and fork polished and ready reassembly could commence in earnest.

As usual, I used Mother's polish on the shiny bits, but grease-wise I mixed things up a little bit. Instead of my usual Finish Line teflon grease I wanted to try out some other choices. So, for the bearings and other critical needs I used Finish Line Ceramic Grease, which is pricey but very, very nice. For less-critical applications I picked up some waterproof grease. The jury is still out on this stuff. The texture is kind of strange, and it seems to stick to everything except the thing you're trying to put it on, but it's certainly priced right, and will definitely work for utility needs like greasing a headstock tube so the stem doesn't seize. We'll see.

By the point most everything had been cleaned and it just required a bit of reassembly. The rear wheel, like the front, cleaned up without any concerns, so once it was on and the new chain was in place, it was just a matter of adjustment.

And just like that, it was done.

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See all the Bianchi Sport posts.

• Next on Re-Cycled: Revisiting the Principessa
• Previously on Re-Cycled: Yet another Bianchi