Trouser press

Hi all, hoping someone can help identify this vintage Raleigh frame that was given to me by my next door neighbours family (the old man is now very sick and in a home, the family are clearing the house- they didn't really know anything about it other than it had been in his garage for many years). As you can see it was re-painted in his club colours: Devonport cycle club, so I'm not sure that the Reynolds sticker is correct one for the frame or a later version. From my google research it looks a bit like a Rakeigh Lenton?, but the cable guides around the bottom bracket might be wrong. Lugs are very plain and dull. The seriel number looks like 624214 and then could be an O or a C Thans for any help you can offer.

oddjob2

Nice Reynolds 531 tubeset. A photo of the entire bike frame would be helpful too.

USAZorro

I don't see online catalogues for the time period, but I think that would be a Lenton, from somewhere between 1963 - 1966. As far as variations in things like lugs and braze-ons, I have to constantly remind myself that, "with Raleigh, all things are possible".

NormanF

The Club Special thread I posted shows a period correct Raleigh bicycle.

Sold only as far as I know, in Japan.

Trouser press

Thank you for all your help. Here's a pic of the frame, I also have some bits to go with it, but unfortunately the son in-law had already thrown the stem and bars, half the chainset and various other bits away!

NormanF

A Raleigh Lenton!

Back in the day, it was a classic club bicycle.

As I mentioned, the photo on my thread should show you how to restore it!

Trouser press

I might not be allowed to keep it. Too many bikes according to the wife. What would be the value of a frame set lke this?

NormanF

You're better off posing the question in C&V Appraisals forum. Someone there can give you an estimate of what its roughly worth.

3speedslow

Not if you keep leaving it on the couch ! Ha.

appraisal forum is a good place to post this. Good luck. Hope you do get to keep it.

Sad, glory days for the old guy wrapped up in that frame. Power to those pedals while the wind blows through his hair...

Brian Mc

I have a very rough Lenton Tourist with all main bits. It's too small for me. Either you need my bits (alloy stem, flat mustache bars, stem, rims.... or I need to relieve you of that perfect fitting (for me) frame. Biketrailrider at the yahoo!

Trouser press

Well, I said to the family that I would try to re-build it and take it into the home for him to see, I might have to store it at work away from the wife though. So I guess I might need some of your bits...

Brian Mc

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...ugh-shape.html

Trouser press

These are all the bits I have 2 sets of wheels, 2 sets of mudguards, half of two different chainsets and his old tool roll.

Brian Mc

I'd guess that your frame was a Lenton Sports. My parts are for the more rare Lenton Tourist. If so, the bike you take to him with my parts won't look like the bike he had.

Brian Mc

Ah! Mudguards! Between the two of us we have the makings of an interesting bike.

Trouser press

I see. Not sure which bit's belong with his bike as there was also a late 70's early 80's Raleigh Olympus frame in the garage. Will any of your parts be the same? Stem, left crank arms...!!! rims? Saddle? I still might be interested in your parts, the issue is going to be shipping as I'm in the UK.

Brian Mc

Yes, that is problematic for shipping. My saddle is shot. My crank doesn't look like either of the pictured cranks. My rear rim is a three speed and the front rim is questionable as to truing. My bike is from 1951, so who knows if any of it is correct.

While I am a noob and there are TONS more knowledgeable folks here, I'd guess yours to be a five speed version of this:

1960's RALEIGH LENTON SPORTS 23" Benelux Made In England All original paint

Brian Mc

Please do contact me at the yahoo email I posted, I haven't the post count for private massages here.

Trouser press

Except the frame I have has double shifter braze-ons on the down-tube and the cable guides suggest front and rear mechs. Thanks for the link though.

Brian Mc

Yes, i see that now that you pointed it out, thank you.

cb400bill

Moved from C&V to C&V Appraisals.

rhm

There is no way to estimate the value if you don't know what it is, and so far there's no sign any of us knows what it is.

The cable guides can't be original. The lugs are not the ones you'd find on a mid 60's Lenton Sports. If it's really 531 tubing, it's a 1950's model I'm not familiar with.

Those of you who suggest its a "Lenton," please be more specific. I'm not familiar with a model called the Lenton. Lenton Grand Prix, Lenton Sports, Super Lenton, Lenton Tourist, etc, yes. But what's a Lenton?

If it's a 1950's Raleigh, the seat post size is probably 25.4 regardless what the tube set was; so the seat post size will probably not help identify the frame. To know whether it's 531, you may have to weigh it.

If you do weigh it, remove everything. All cups, bolts, etc, and give separate measurements for the frame and fork.

Trouser press

Thanks for your thoughts. I can weigh it tomorrow, but subjectively it feels fairly light for a steel frame.

BigChief 

I'm following this thread because I really don't know what model this is. Always fun to learn new things. Any of the Lentons I've seen have different lugs than this bike. Never saw one with a brazed on cable guide either. They used a bit of cable casing between two brazed on stops.

lostarchitect 

Are you talking about the one you just posted? That's a modern bike and totally different from this. It doesn't apply at all. The only period it's correct to is the one we're living in now.