This featured homework bike is a 1986 Schwinn Sierra and she needed a lot of love.
The paint had plenty of chips and wear but I found a surprisingly close match to the original Sebring Red with Rust-Oleum Sunrise Red. After touching up the frame, I cleaned it thoroughly, worked it over with rubbing compound and finished it with a clear coat. The result looked almost new again.
The brightwork was heavily oxidized, so I soaked it in vinegar, then wet-sanded and polished it to bring back the shine. I sanded the rusty spokes, treated them with naval jelly and then sprayed them with cold galvanizing compound for protection. Finally, the brake levers looked tired, so I repainted them gloss white for a crisp finish.
She turned out to be a real stunner, didn't she?
