Raleigh Sprite Rides Again!
 

I'm sure the regulars remember when I bought this Raleigh Sprite:
http://gallery.mac.com/bbattle/100083/100_0385/web.jpg



It was my first eBay purchase and what got me addicted to the C & V forum. The bike turned out not to be a mid-60's model but one of around 1970 vintage. Plenty of pics HERE.

I stripped all the parts off the bike and they went to good homes where they were used to fix up more old bikes for people to ride. Brook down at Bikes Etc. builds up bikes and gives them away so he got most of the stuff.

Here's what it looks like now:


http://gallery.mac.com/bbattle/100187/100_1121/web.jpg
http://gallery.mac.com/bbattle/100187/100_1122/web.jpg
http://gallery.mac.com/bbattle/100187/100_1124/web.jpg
http://gallery.mac.com/bbattle/100187/100_1130/web.jpg
http://gallery.mac.com/bbattle/100187/100_1131/web.jpg

A few more pics Here

Yes, those are the same North Road bars that were on my wife's Pink Peugeot Mixte. She's got some Porteur bars now. Likes them more because they are wider.

Sun rims to Harris hubs. Sugino RD crankset (48-44), Surly Dingle 17-20 cogset, Shimano 18t freewheel cog on the other side of the hub. Selle San Marcos Concor Light saddle, Kalloy seatpost, Cinelli stem, Panaracer Pasela 27" x 1" tires.

I didn't remove any braze-ons in this build up. I have some Rivendell 'Silver' brakes on order to be used with some Dia Compe brake levers.

I rode the bike up and down the street to check out the ride with the freewheel cog and used my foot as a brake. I forgot to get a lockring so I haven't ridden the fixed side yet. Lockring will be installed tomorrow. Brakes next week.

I plan to use this bike primarily as a cruise around town bike. No bottle cages, no lights, no seatpost bag, no extra stuff. Just like when I was a kid. Kind of makes this a hipster bike except it WILL have brakes and I prefer SPD pedals over straps and/or clips.


In other news, I've decided to build up the gold Paramount as a mid-range Campy road bike and the Gardin as another ss/fg bike. I believe the Dave Tesch John Howard frame gets the high end Shimano route. Dr. Deltron has my Pinarello frame and my instructions to Wow me. It will be getting high end, relatively new Campy gear with the exception that it will have downtube friction shifters.

Any ideas on what I should do after all this? :roflmao2:

Call Specialized and show them next years model (for a small fee) comes to mind.
That's beautiful, very nice work.

Decals! It needs decals!

But then, I'm biased. ;)