Classic & Vintage - Raleigh Sports Conversion

Some of you have been following the story of the problems I have been having on this project. I really appreciate all the help, advice and encouragement. If you missed it, look here.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?664604-Problems-Installing-Alloy-Wheels-on-Raleigh-Sports
The saga is over. My 1969 Raleigh Sports is now a single speed/fixie. The last problem arose with the Dia Compe long reach brake calipers I picked up. Since they were actually BMX brakes, the cable for the front brake was supposed to be fed through the steerer tube and come in from the bottom. Luckily, the good people at University Cyclery provided the fix. Unfortunately it involved more grinding, but only a rivet on the caliper. The final touch was the MKS Sylvan Touring pedals. They probably saved another pound. It is amazing how heavy those slick old rubber pedals are.
The goal was accomplished. My 20 year old loves it. She is going to have to arm wrestle me for it, however. I think I can take her.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z227/msiefken/DSCF1397.jpg

That's awesome, man! Delta Cruisers? Post some photos sans finger.:lol:

Hey, looks like the finger is holding the bike up.
Neat ride, looks real "vintage authentic". I bet it is a blast to ride.
My daughter lives in Austin, maybe next time we come up, we could take a little ride.

Yes those are Delta Cruisers. The picture of them on the Harris Cyclery website was kind of my inspiration. It is kind of fun to ride, I hate to admit. I have been getting some really strange looks.
BTW, that's not my finger:innocent:

CardiacKid that bike is awesome! It's inspiring since i have a 73 raleigh that i wanted to do the same thing with.

It looks nice. I like the black brake calipers you used on it.

No toe clips?

I have very big feet and I hate cages. I might try some Power Grips, but this bike is really just a short haul/commuter bike, so that is kind of overkill.

I think of myself as kind of a fuddy-duddy purist when it comes to these old Raleighs, but I love the way this looks! The combo, I think of the cork grips, the fenderless Delta Schwalbes and the Brooks give it a great "new classic" look. Well done!

very cool




maybe I'll bump into you around town when I'm on my Raleigh


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4829242198_104bb43046_b.jpg

So much for cork bar grips. My daughter tipped over the bike yesterday and the cork cracked into 3 pieces. I put it back together with Shoe Goo, but I don't know if it will last.

Hm.


I guess if I do see you out I'll ignore you, too.





Or laugh out loud at your silly shoe gooed handlebar grips.








Ha ha ha ha look at Corky!

I had to do the same thing only thing i ended up using gorilla glue... and it held up pretty decent.

that gorilla glue is a PITA to use though.

I really like that one....!!!!!



very cool




maybe I'll bump into you around town when I'm on my Raleigh


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4829242198_104bb43046_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4829242198_104bb43046_b.jpg

JJPistols, is that a Coaster brake with no hand brake or a fixed rear with tarck braking?

I really like that one....!!!!!


thanks, so do I :)



JJPistols, is that a Coaster brake with no hand brake or a fixed rear with tarck braking?



coaster brake

Nice job. I'd put the chain guard and mud guards back on it, though.

The goal was to reduce the weight to appease my children and get them to ride it. It worked. I just found my fishing scale. It came in at right at 28 pounds. They are riding the heck out of it. They aren't going to ride in the rain anyway.

So much for cork bar grips. My daughter tipped over the bike yesterday and the cork cracked into 3 pieces. I put it back together with Shoe Goo, but I don't know if it will last.

I did the same to the cork grips on the Raleigh Sports I used to own. Having shellac on my grips made them even more shatterable. I did glue them back together, but they never felt the same; eventually I just got new ones.

Delta Cruisers are my favourite tires; have them on my DL-1 in 28" and my Sports used to have them in 26".

How does this bicycle ride as a fixed gear, specifically on hills? We recently converted a vintage mixte to fixed gear for me, and it's great (and I ride mine without clips as well). Now my husband is thinking of doing the same for himself with an old Raleigh Sports, but I thought it would be too heavy. Yours looks great and I am curious about the ride quality.

It handles and climbs much better than it did before, however, it is a Raleigh Sports. I am running an 18t cog in fixed, as opposed to the 17t it had in 3 speed mode. With the weight savings, I feel it is easier to climb than it was in the old low gear. My daughter took it out yesterday, using the freewheel side, which is 20t, and complained it was too big.

28 pounds is pretty good for a Sports! I wonder what it would weigh if you went crazy and put on aluminum stem, handlebars, seatpost, and crank and a lighter saddle. And are the rims steel or aluminum?

The rims are aluminum. I have thought about your question and may well take up the challenge some day, but we are now looking at the law of diminishing returns.
The battery died on my calipers so I don't know the diameter of the stem and seat post, but I am assuming it is non-standard.

You are definitely approaching the point of diminishing returns. That's why I used the term "go crazy." Probably the biggest way to save weight is in the crank, but it would be a lot of trouble and might also be less durable.

Battery died in your caliper? Thank you for helping me answer the question of whether to get a digital one. Mine is 30 years old and doesn't even have a dial. I do crave that, now that my eyes don't like to look at small things.

The rims are aluminum. I have thought about your question and may well take up the challenge some day, but we are now looking at the law of diminishing returns.
The battery died on my calipers so I don't know the diameter of the stem and seat post, but I am assuming it is no-standard.

They are standard... seat post is 25.4 on all Raleigh three speeds save for the Twenty which has a 1 1/8 seat tube and uses a 28.6 post which is a common and available mtb size.

The 1 inch stem is 22.2 mm.