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Cycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly
Sport
Pete van der Woude

I bought this old steel racer on eBay, and this is how much time and money it cost me to restore it

Images of Pete's vintage Ribble out on the road.

While top-tier models might set you back five figures, it's perfectly possible to get a great entry-level road bike – with an aluminum frame and disc brakes – for under £1,000/$1,500. Nobody needs to spend hours restoring an aged steel-frame machine to enjoy cycling on a budget. However, there's a lot to be said for the personal satisfaction that comes from breathing new life into something old.

That's why I chose to restore this Ribble – but how long did it take me, and how much did it cost? Finally, was it worth it? Let's dive in...

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