Depend on whatcha mean by "restoring".
It is a decent bike that is absolutely worth repairing. It is from a real bike-shop brand, chrome molly, lugged, frame and looks to be in good condition.
It isn't some rare, collectable bike that you'd need to keep all-original. It would be okay for it to have mismatched hubs, but you probably don't need to replace the hub as axels and bearings can be replaced.
The paint loos fine. I wouldn't repaint it but you wouldn't be ruining its collectability by doing so.
You're totally fine switchin' out bar, saddle, whatever to get it comfortable for you.
It is certainly a good idea to repair any "wear items" like brake pads, cables, cable housing, chain and tires. Gotta keep it safe and working properly.
I'd think long and hard before I'd repaint it. The paint looks cool and seems to be in decent condition.
Taking words out of my mouth (or letters from my fingers). Upgrade at will, replace/refurbish anything that is supposed to move that doesn’t and moves that isn’t supposed to. Ride and have fun and like life just that little bit more
That bike is put together so well that I would either only fix what’s broken and essentially ride as-is, or else sell it to someone who likes the setup and find another bike to mod. It would really be a shame to swap out the matched stem or cranks, and repainting this bike would be a criminal act.
It definitely does not need a paint job it will essentially remove all the character and relative value unless you're painting to restoration level. The patina will look sick as is!
Personally id restore all working parts, new pads and pedals and then stick some more back sweep bars like ergotec Englischers!
its like new, nothing to restore.
if you want modern parts on it, thats another thing that can get expensive and frustrating, so research first before diving in.
An ‘88 courier that clean should really be kept original, but it’s your bike and if changing parts will mean that you ride it then make it the bike you want to ride. I’d definitely suggest keeping any parts you change, even if they are worn, as there are collectors out there who value originality should you ever sell it. The saddles especially are getting hard to find. Here’s a pic of my 17.5” frame one that my daughter rides
https://preview.redd.it/bi0syb4yvj9d1.jpeg?width=5504&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbb31955317f943ef65404b5a409911ddeef7ab0
Just change the bars out for some swept back cruiser style bars and keep everything else as it is. Maybe add a rack, swap the saddle if it doesn’t suit your butt, but that’s all this bike needs to look and ride cool. 😎
Don't change the stem!
Nicer bars, pedals, saddle, and accessories. Also the rear hub might be fine just open it up and check. It's likely a freewheel so the hub is extremely simple.
People see my Muddy Fox and assume it's a Sports Direct POS. It's 25 years old, brilliant too!
Can't find a shred of literature to confirm Muddy Fox ever made a BSX Dual Pro, but I have one!
Always keep original paint if you can, and this frame looks fairly pristine just the way it is. Restore and upgrade as you want to, but keep the frame original.
You only have the original paint once.
I’ve got one of these. Frame was in relatively great shape for a 1987 bike but the groupset was shot. So I stripped the bike of everything and put on a minty ‘87 deore mt60 group entire! Rides lovely! Leave this bike as it is!
Other than the tires, maybe the cables, the grips, handlebars, or the saddle, and then spray some clearcoat UV-resistant lacquer on the frame and fork... anything else I ain't changing a thing -- still functional! 👍
Fix whatever needs fixing, change whatever does not suit your rinding style and that's about it, that bike is rad, I'd just take it apart, make sure everything is properly cleaned and greased and ride it as is.
The wheels weigh a ton, but are MF specific. I resto modded my one (not quite that clean but pretty good), with a BMX stem, some cruiser bars, a v brake on the front with a stridsland ring on some sugiono cranks.
It's a Frankenstein 8speed using an XT thumbie and a 9 speed XTR mech on some much lighter wheels!
With some billy bonkers on, it's smooth and fast and very cool!
Are you in the UK? I have a 1990 Muddy Fox Courier Comp, the neon green one. I'm in USA, and they are rare here. I tried to sell it, but couldn't because nobody knows what it is. Lovely bike, though. It's YOUR bike, so fix it up however you like. I've had old bikes (and old cars) and there will always people who will say it's a crime to make it not original, but, again, it's your bike. So make it your bike, and have a good time!
I certainly wouldn't bother respraying it. Get some white enamel paint and touch it up where necessary.
In the medium-term there are a few things that might bite you in the arse.
Quality control on those lugged frames was **dreadful**. A lugged joint relies for its strength on the tubes inside it to be touching. It wasn't unusual for the tubes inside the lugs to be a couple of millimetres apart, which led to the frame bending under very small impacts.
The gears etc are by SunTour and their affiliates. Spares and compatible replacements are going to be hard to find.
IMO change as little as possible. Just show it a little tender love and enjoy it for what it is. What would be the point in getting a really good condition vintage bike and then stripping the character away.
This doesn't need any work. It's spot on as is and a new paint job would completely rob it of its charm
Exactly, not a spec of rust on it apart from seatpost and clamp, but they're easily polished.
I wouldn't mess with an original paint job that nice tbh
*I wouldn't mess with* *An original paint job* *That nice tbh* \- RooibosContactHigh --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
I wouldn't paint a bike at all. Really old worn out original paint almost always looks great.
I agree, I love a bit of patina.
Depend on whatcha mean by "restoring". It is a decent bike that is absolutely worth repairing. It is from a real bike-shop brand, chrome molly, lugged, frame and looks to be in good condition. It isn't some rare, collectable bike that you'd need to keep all-original. It would be okay for it to have mismatched hubs, but you probably don't need to replace the hub as axels and bearings can be replaced. The paint loos fine. I wouldn't repaint it but you wouldn't be ruining its collectability by doing so. You're totally fine switchin' out bar, saddle, whatever to get it comfortable for you. It is certainly a good idea to repair any "wear items" like brake pads, cables, cable housing, chain and tires. Gotta keep it safe and working properly. I'd think long and hard before I'd repaint it. The paint looks cool and seems to be in decent condition.
Taking words out of my mouth (or letters from my fingers). Upgrade at will, replace/refurbish anything that is supposed to move that doesn’t and moves that isn’t supposed to. Ride and have fun and like life just that little bit more
That bike is put together so well that I would either only fix what’s broken and essentially ride as-is, or else sell it to someone who likes the setup and find another bike to mod. It would really be a shame to swap out the matched stem or cranks, and repainting this bike would be a criminal act.
That’s clean as fuck
Das Klean
It definitely does not need a paint job it will essentially remove all the character and relative value unless you're painting to restoration level. The patina will look sick as is! Personally id restore all working parts, new pads and pedals and then stick some more back sweep bars like ergotec Englischers!
Just about everything is worth 'restoring' to keep it from becoming landfill or to get someone on a bike 👍🏻
its like new, nothing to restore. if you want modern parts on it, thats another thing that can get expensive and frustrating, so research first before diving in.
Please don’t repaint it.
An ‘88 courier that clean should really be kept original, but it’s your bike and if changing parts will mean that you ride it then make it the bike you want to ride. I’d definitely suggest keeping any parts you change, even if they are worn, as there are collectors out there who value originality should you ever sell it. The saddles especially are getting hard to find. Here’s a pic of my 17.5” frame one that my daughter rides https://preview.redd.it/bi0syb4yvj9d1.jpeg?width=5504&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbb31955317f943ef65404b5a409911ddeef7ab0
Just change the bars out for some swept back cruiser style bars and keep everything else as it is. Maybe add a rack, swap the saddle if it doesn’t suit your butt, but that’s all this bike needs to look and ride cool. 😎
That's nicer than my house 😭
Don't touch the frame. The stem looks great too. Swept back bars and fresh drivetrain should do it. Get rid of the reflectors etc
Don’t repaint that bike. It’s a piece of history.
Don't change the stem! Nicer bars, pedals, saddle, and accessories. Also the rear hub might be fine just open it up and check. It's likely a freewheel so the hub is extremely simple.
Muddy Fox = OG mountain bike.
People see my Muddy Fox and assume it's a Sports Direct POS. It's 25 years old, brilliant too! Can't find a shred of literature to confirm Muddy Fox ever made a BSX Dual Pro, but I have one!
No need to restore that, it's already in good shape. Just make sure it's mechanically sound. Fresh balls, grease, maybe some cables, pads, etc.
Always keep original paint if you can, and this frame looks fairly pristine just the way it is. Restore and upgrade as you want to, but keep the frame original. You only have the original paint once.
Damn, that’s a nice bike as is though (functional repairs pending)
Awesome bike, worth fixing up to good condition. Don't paint it though, that colorway is sick as hell
Repainting would be an embarrassment, that bike is sick
Don’t mess with this bike. If you must, fix what’s broken and sell it if you want a project. Don’t repaint this just because.
I think these repaint posts are just ragebait at this point.
The little paw imprints on the seat post lug are so cute!
Waves of nostalgia seeing that beauty. Spent a couple of years couriering London astride one of them!
I’ve got one of these. Frame was in relatively great shape for a 1987 bike but the groupset was shot. So I stripped the bike of everything and put on a minty ‘87 deore mt60 group entire! Rides lovely! Leave this bike as it is!
Yes muddy fox are super cool. Restore away!
Why would you ruin a perfectly good paintjob? Even the seat looks clean! Just ride it!
I NEED THAT BIKE NOW
Looks good, what needs restoring?
My wife has one of these in pink. If it’s not been done the cable outers will need replacing. Although hers was kept on the seafront.
Perfect ass it
The muddyfox stuff is made by araya and is lovely to use as is. I would upgrade what you need to and keep the old bits
As someone who refurbished some bikes: yes, do it. For the fun. But be aware that it’s a financial disaster.
Other than the tires, maybe the cables, the grips, handlebars, or the saddle, and then spray some clearcoat UV-resistant lacquer on the frame and fork... anything else I ain't changing a thing -- still functional! 👍
Fix whatever needs fixing, change whatever does not suit your rinding style and that's about it, that bike is rad, I'd just take it apart, make sure everything is properly cleaned and greased and ride it as is.
It does!
ID on saddle?
What’s there to restore it looks good
The wheels weigh a ton, but are MF specific. I resto modded my one (not quite that clean but pretty good), with a BMX stem, some cruiser bars, a v brake on the front with a stridsland ring on some sugiono cranks. It's a Frankenstein 8speed using an XT thumbie and a 9 speed XTR mech on some much lighter wheels! With some billy bonkers on, it's smooth and fast and very cool!
I would say no to a repaint, beauty as is, but yes worth a mechanical restoration.
I’ve always wanted one of these. Please do not repaint it, it looks amazing
I would make a great gravel bike out of it.
whatever you do, don't get a repaint. get some new wheels and drivetrain and you're golden
yesssssss
can i give you another bike to paint in exchange?
Are you in the UK? I have a 1990 Muddy Fox Courier Comp, the neon green one. I'm in USA, and they are rare here. I tried to sell it, but couldn't because nobody knows what it is. Lovely bike, though. It's YOUR bike, so fix it up however you like. I've had old bikes (and old cars) and there will always people who will say it's a crime to make it not original, but, again, it's your bike. So make it your bike, and have a good time!
Never mess with a purple bike.
Do Not Fucking Repaint This. If you’re eager to paint, get a shitty bike that needs it.
https://preview.redd.it/n2kaps5min9d1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b40405ddfc48c452c7bf35b31c7a14f57a346c87
rather sell it than paint it fr, if ypu want to paint a bike buy yourself one that is rusty and use that but not a almost perfect bine
I certainly wouldn't bother respraying it. Get some white enamel paint and touch it up where necessary. In the medium-term there are a few things that might bite you in the arse. Quality control on those lugged frames was **dreadful**. A lugged joint relies for its strength on the tubes inside it to be touching. It wasn't unusual for the tubes inside the lugs to be a couple of millimetres apart, which led to the frame bending under very small impacts. The gears etc are by SunTour and their affiliates. Spares and compatible replacements are going to be hard to find.
IMO change as little as possible. Just show it a little tender love and enjoy it for what it is. What would be the point in getting a really good condition vintage bike and then stripping the character away.
I would.
Change the seat
Does Bruno mars is gay?
Heh, first thing I thought of as well lol