One of the most common emails that I receive is a request to provide some type of information or advice regarding the restoration of a Bertin. That is entirely understandable as one of the main purposes of the site is to provide information and links which will enable enthusiasts to undertake a restoration or refurbishment of their bicycle.
Because the process can be complex, a single post, even a long one, cannot possibly cover the intricacies and the detailed sequence of steps necessary to bring a bicycle back to a useable, perhaps even to an original state. A good overview of the process can be found in the post regarding the restoration of Tim M.’s Bertin C 35 found here.
When I restored my first Bertin C 37 the bicycle went from this:
To this:
It all happened in a blur and with a hemorrhaging chequing account. This time around it is my intention to create a series of posts which detail the steps and the costs of a Bertin C 37 restoration. It is intended to help people sort out exactly what it is they want and what it is they want to accomplish with their renewal/restoration.
Now, one of the side effects of Tim’s C 35 restoration, which I had mentioned above, was a surplus C 37. It currently looks like this:
He was gracious enough to sell it to me as a subject for this series which will also allow me to compare my 1960’s C 37 with the 1970’s version sold to me by Tim.
The postings will be intermittent during the restoration and will be mixed in with posts on other topics. The next one will be a visual inventory of where the frame stands cosmetically and structurally. By the end, I will have compiled a sequence of steps and guidelines which should allow enthusiasts to undertake a restoration better prepared and better informed. I hope you will both enjoy and profit from the series.
Bertin Classic Cycles 