HSean

I was riding to work today and passed a garbage pile, there was a old ten speed, and this, I could only have one though, I choose this, I really wanted both but I was on a bike, hope someone picked it up.

colo. 3spd man

You choose wisely grasshopper, So... whats the date on the rear hub? It needs some work and a brooks B-66 saddle. But a nice find all the way around.

nlerner

Nice Superbe! I'd guess it's a 1974 given the style of lettering on the decals and the brake levers with Raleigh's not-so-self-adjusting levers. Both the rear hub and the front dynohub should have date codes. It's also a tall frame (23"?), which can be hard to find.

Neal

wahoonc

Dayum!!!

Why can't I ever find something like that in the trash

BTW it will clean up very nicely. Also check the lock number on the fork, keys are sort of still available. I have a couple of different ones, and I think I know someone that has the codes.

Aaron

HSean

The lock I think is 35, frame is 20-30, hubs is unknown right now becuase it's dark out, the best part about this bike is that front hub works very well, front light works good to, bake is broken though, the bike also really wants to turn one way, something might be bent, that or rim is in crucked, , all breaks and gears work well to.

HSean

The question is,what to do with this bike, I like it, but I aint sure what I should do to it. any ideas?

nlerner

Three possibilities:

Keep it.
Sell it.
Give it away.

Neal

HSean

I mean to make it look better, should I repaint? also any ideas why it really wants to pull to the left? I think this one will be painted yellow and blue to match my work if I paint it lol

cudak888 

No reason to - the original paint is in fine shape. Take a trip down to your Advance Auto tomorrow and get a tube of Meguiars Scratch X. Polish the frame with it, and be careful around the decals. Voilà, showroom condition.

As for it wanting to pull left - do the forks have a bit of a bend to them? Alternately, it might be as easy as the stem simply being off alignment, but I dare say you no doubt already checked that.

EDIT: Pic #4 shows that the right blade might be a tad forward of the left blade. Stand over the bike as you would at a stop sign, center the fork crown, then check the blades to see if they are parallel with each other.

-Kurt

g-funk

if after checking the fork you determine it's bent a good shop, not store, should be willing to straighten in for free/very cheap. we always did things for free on cool old bikes

edit: that smiley is very lame, it's now my favorite SWOON!!


you could also luck out and the wheel just isn't centered in the drops.

cudak888 

+1 - the Raleigh forks are very receptive to a Park fork jig and frame straightener. No risk involved - they were meant to be re-set if necessary.

-Kurt

HSean

Thanks, i'll have a look at it tomorow, so do they need to be off the bike if bent or leave em on? if they are off I could also easly see the bent to, as for the paint, theres some good places where oaints scratched off, how would I put it back on? and this is worth fixing right? I worked hard to get it lol, driving for a hour holding it as I drove my bike, then after work the same thing, looks pretty cool, alsoI know the handle bars are bent abit, theres a pit like thing on one side and not the other.

HSean

SoI was looking at the bi,ke today while cleaning it, looks like it got smoked by a car or something lol, a rear bar is bent abit, and fork arm on same side, is it still worth fixing?

wahoonc

As long as the bend is gradual there is a very good chance the frame can be straightened. I have done it on a couple of mine. One big advantage to the old steel...IMHO.

Perhaps someone on here has a link to frame alignment? I do minor straightening on my own frames, but the bad stuff I take to the LBS.

Aaron

Sirrus Rider

I wish I could find something like this in the trash and in my Size! In my lifetime and in my neck of the woods English 3 speeds are 21 inch and greater and I'd need something around 47cm/17inch.

HSean

thanks, this is truely a nice bike to me, the rim has a dent to in the front but I can repair that, the rear of frame isn't bad, just forks, I cleaned the bike up yesterday, she looks very nice, well it apears to be a he lol
but I have a question, whats the easyest way to cleans hubs, spokes are a pain lol