Classic & Vintage - Raleigh Superbe questions

I just got myself a Superbe. Took some time but the price tag was free. sadly the frame is to big but I can still ride it alright.

Some questions are.

The rear lightbulb, where do I get a replacement? mines burnt.

Another question is, I think theres a key broken in the fork, how do I remove it? and can I get a new key?

This question also, Should I seek replacement parts, mainly rear fender and rack, they both have rust on them, rack is worst, or should I just wipe it down with some oil and ignore the rust? lol

I think it's a 1973. the rear hub wasn't stamped, it just has two dots, but front hub has date stamp. kinda weird seeing it having a pully system like that for gears, most 70's Raleigh i've seen didn't have one.

Is it right to pillage a Nice Raleigh sports for parts? lol

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/100_2214.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/100_2220.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/100_2219.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/100_2218.jpg

Free? Luckeeee!

You should clean off the rust and touch it up. What are you, made of money?

Oil the lock, or wd-40 it, and try to poke out the key bit with a sharp skinny hooky tool.

As I looked at the pic I think if I use two very small screwdrivers I can pull that key out. Moneys not really an issue for buying replacement parts, thats why I sell used bikes to fund my own bike building lol

This bike had been sitting in a uncle`s garage for some time now and I never knew about it lol mine now!

Raleigh Sports main reason for being is to provide parts for Superbe's. :D

Is it right to pillage a Nice Raleigh sports for parts? lol

Nice catch; wish I had an uncle.

To answer your question, NO! I'm sure you could find a "not so nice" Raleigh Sports to pilage, leave the Nice ones alone!!

You don't see a lot of those racks around though--I'd take some steel wool and some oil or BikeLust and see if you can clean up the rust. I would love a green rack for my '69 Sports! I did get a great NOS Steco chrome rack from The Old Bicycle Showroom but the painted ones look great on the old Raleighs.

I'm pretty sure you can find the light bulbs for the rear dynamo at any hardware store, in the tiny lightbulb section. And I think the Sheldon Brown site has info on the keys for the Superbes--think they are findable/replaceable.

http://www.reflectalite.com/lightmodel.html has some bulbs. I think someone on the forum has experimented with bulbs that are readily available at hardware stores in his lights; maybe he has suggestions. IIRC, it's a very low current bulb--.6a or something like that.

Nice catch; wish I had an uncle....

Me too. I'd rather have him around than the Superbe I inherited from him. :(

They racks are around here. I see em in a few diff colors stuck to lots of Raleigh 3 speeds. I plan on keeping this one on, but if I did come across another in better shape i`d replace it, the bulb aint the screw in type, it`s a plug in one, I bought a replacement but when I opened box they stuck a bloody screw in lightbulb in there lol, I`d never violate a good condition Sports, I have one with good chrome but rusty frame. it`s my parts bike, it`s already fixed many other sports. lol

I was picking at the keyhole and i don`t think theres a key broke in there, can somewone post a pick if their superbe`s keyhole lol

There are a few websites that discuss the key question and seem to have resources to find keys http://www.portlandize.com/2010/04/raleigh-locking-fork.html and http://oldroads.com/arch/ENG2005_3_258_18_40_PM.html

and juuuuusst fyi--there's a pair of green Superbe fenders on ebay! just in case you want backup...

Thanks for the key info. as for the fenders, I used steel wool on them and they look pretty good now. I also have to lace another Raleigh rim onto the front hub when I have time, it looks okay in pics but it`s pitted

Nice catch, you can't beat free! Did you see the $90 one on CL the other day? I was going to pounce as it's a great deal but I just don't have the room or the time. There's one that's listed for $500 right now, I think that one may be listed for a while :rolleyes:

Yeah I seen it, but it was also missing alot of important parts, I wanted to trade him mine for his, it was smaller, but I didn`t message in time. mines a very quiet riding bike. anymore else use the kenda tires on Raleighs that canadian tire sells? I find they don`t sit right on the rims, it takes alot of work to get it on the rim proper.

Yeah I seen it, but it was also missing alot of important parts, I wanted to trade him mine for his, it was smaller, but I didn`t message in time. mines a very quiet riding bike. anymore else use the kenda tires on Raleighs that canadian tire sells? I find they don`t sit right on the rims, it takes alot of work to get it on the rim proper.

Yeah I have a set of those, the 27" ones, they are a bear to get on and off, they seem to be okay once they are on there. If you take them off and put them back on a few times they get better at installing :D

I find the 27`ones not to bad. never an isue with them, the ones they sell for most 3 speeds seem to give me issues on only Raleighs. maybe because the Raiegh have larger rims then other 3 speeds. When I ride the Superbe it hops lol

Here's a 'live' exploded drawing of a fork lock.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21499296@N08/2206096805/in/set-72157603516916417/
The key is a Leyland and hard to find on this side of the pond. I figured out that the key from my 70s-ish Craftsman tool box would slide into the lock, so with that info, my local locksmith was able to make some keys.

You don't see a lot of those racks around though--I'd take some steel wool and some oil or BikeLust and see if you can clean up the rust. I would love a green rack for my '69 Sports! I did get a great NOS Steco chrome rack from The Old Bicycle Showroom but the painted ones look great on the old Raleighs.
I used one of these racks (http://www.theoldbicycleshowroom.co.uk/rear-carrier-for-vintage-bicycles---black---for-26-inch-wheels-448-p.asp) on my wife's Sports. Not green, but black goes with anything and stylistically it fits. And at £9.99 it's quite reasonably priced:
http://www.theoldbicycleshowroom.co.uk/ekmps/shops/theoldbicycle/images/rear-carrier-for-vintage-bicycles-black-for-26-inch-wheels-%5B2%5D-448-p%5Bekm%5D93x125%5Bekm%5D.jpg

John--did you have trouble finding the bits that were incomplete? The only reason I didn't go for the black was for worrying that I'd never be able to find the missing bits--otherwise it's great buy! Even with the shipping, my chrome rack cost less than most of what I've seen locally and I love the way it looks.
I used one of these racks (http://www.theoldbicycleshowroom.co.uk/rear-carrier-for-vintage-bicycles---black---for-26-inch-wheels-448-p.asp) on my wife's Sports. Not green, but black goes with anything and stylistically it fits. And at £9.99 it's quite reasonably priced:
http://www.theoldbicycleshowroom.co.uk/ekmps/shops/theoldbicycle/images/rear-carrier-for-vintage-bicycles-black-for-26-inch-wheels-%5B2%5D-448-p%5Bekm%5D93x125%5Bekm%5D.jpg

John--did you have trouble finding the bits that were incomplete? The only reason I didn't go for the black was for worrying that I'd never be able to find the missing bits--otherwise it's great buy!
I just used some large washers to mount the legs on the fender mounting bolts and p-clamps to attach it to the seat stays:
http://www.os2.dhs.org/~john/rack-mount-1.jpg
http://www.os2.dhs.org/~john/rack-mount-2.jpg

I just used some large washers to mount the legs on the fender mounting bolts and p-clamps to attach it to the seat stays:
http://www.os2.dhs.org/%7Ejohn/rack-mount-1.jpg
http://www.os2.dhs.org/%7Ejohn/rack-mount-2.jpg


John~

I was eying that rear rack and pardon my ignorance but does your wifes bike have the same size wheels as a DL-1? I'm wondering if the rack would work on my DL-1...I like the Chrome Steco one too but I think black would go better on my bike

TIA

I think it's a 1973. the rear hub wasn't stamped, it just has two dots, but front hub has date stamp. kinda weird seeing it having a pully system like that for gears, most 70's Raleigh i've seen didn't have one.

Your Superbe has self adjusting brakes, which according to the Retro Raleigh web site first came out in 1973. I would say that you are correct believing your bike is a '73 or later model year. As far as pulley system, my '74 Sports is set up exactly like your Superbe. I'm thinking Raleigh went away from using a pully in the late '70's, at which time they began running a fully housed cable along the down tube to the chain stay.

Your Superbe has self adjusting brakes, which according to the Retro Raleigh web site first came out in 1973. I would say that you are correct believing your bike is a '73 or later model year. As far as pulley system, my '74 Sports is set up exactly like your Superbe. I'm thinking Raleigh went away from using a pully in the late '70's, at which time they began running a fully housed cable along the down tube to the chain stay.

As late as 1979 they were still using the pulley, but they had moved it to the bottom of the seat tube just above the BB, the same routing they used on the step through frames earlier. I have never seen a Sports/Superbe without a pulley, but the newest I recall having seen was a 1980 model and it was still using the pulley. Bikes with the twist grip shift did utilize the full length cable for some reason.

Aaron :)

I looked on the front hub, it`s a 1973 I was doing some digging in my shed and found something. My Superbe now has a front Dymo wheel and a rear one lol. and some extra lights! Just gotta add a bell and a Speedometer and it`s good to go, best part is the rear hub is stamped 73.

Ragarding those racks, I had one like that before, they are pretty nice, but to me on my old bicycles, it must be correct rack or old. I have a gray rack just like the one on the superbe, well it was blue but I heard there was this year or so when they tried a new type of painting and the result was flaking paint. so the whole rack is now gray. just what I needed for gray sports

Heres pics of how it is right now, I need to get matching lights or make some still. atleast it makes 12V now lol

Oh and I love the Doom License plate lol

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/100_2225.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/100_2223.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/100_2224.jpg

John~

I was eying that rear rack and pardon my ignorance but does your wifes bike have the same size wheels as a DL-1? I'm wondering if the rack would work on my DL-1...I like the Chrome Steco one too but I think black would go better on my bike

TIA
The Sports has 26" wheels; IIRC, the DL-1 has 28" wheels.