What to do about those pesky headbadges?

Advice for reinstalling riveted headbadges

The picture above says it all. Use crazy glue or the generic equivalent. Riveted headbadges, once removed, can be impossible to find screws or rivets for. That doesn't mean that they are junk by any means. There are very beautiful and valuable headbadges that once reattached to the bike can also add more value to that bicycle. Take for instance that red and silver Peugeot headbadge (top left of picture). That badge is so pretty you can put a wire through it on one side and sell it as an earring. But since I'm not in the jewelery business, I'll just stick that piece of bling back on the bicycle where it belongs.

Removing these headbadges requires the use of tiny drill bits, a slow drill setting, and a steady hand. As you drill the hole out of the rivet, use slightly larger bits until the rivet pops off. If there are any metal shavings left on the frame holes, these can come off with a Flathead screwdriver. Removing the headbadge is easy, the harder part is putting it back on.

The easiest and least headache inducing solution is using crazy glue. This is the one that I recommend, the solution over all others. Simply apply a thin layer of crazy glue on the backside of the headbadge. Line the holes on the headbadge to the holes on the frame, then press down hard and hold the badge in place for a few minutes. Make sure to stick the headbadge on a clean surface, hopefully a frame that has been powder coated. After that, you're done. The badge should stay one the frame for the remainder of it's life (or until you decide to pry it off with a crowbar, whichever one comes first).

There are other ways you can go about reinstalling a riveted headbadge if you are one of those anal-retentive types. Schwinn headbadges use 2mm x 4mm sheet metal screws. Double sided tape is another alternative I have heard even restoration services will use on their headbadges. And if you are one of those "purest" bicycle restorers, you could buy a rivet gun and even some 2mm rivets online. Crazy glue works just as well if not better than the aforementioned alternatives.

So there it is, how to remove and reinstall riveted headbadges. Here is just another tool to add to your arsenal of knowledge. Instead of selling those beauties on eBay or wearing them as earrings, you now can use them for what they were originally intended for. Bicycle emblems. Subscribe and stay tuned for more how to articles and restoration tips. Feel free to leave your questions and I will do my best to answer them.