Beginners help..
11-08-09, 05:24 AM
#1
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Beginners help..
Morning guys/girls, I'm hoping that someone on this forum will be able to take
a bit of time to educate a beginner on the basics of a restoration. I've recently
just finished a 1960's motorbike restoration, so I'm not too bad at the basics,
but I don't really know anything about bikes. Basically I've decided to restore
my Dads old race/road bike for christmas, the only sticker/decal that is left
is 'sirocco' which is an old raleigh bike I think, although there doesn't seem to
be too much info on the web about them. On the front it has a 'sun workshop' badge
but I can't find anything on that. It's blue and white, with the bottom half of the
forks being chromed, but I think this might have been a re-paint considering that
I can't find any similar paint schemes and the chrome on the forks continues past
the paint (it comes through where the paints flaked off). So...does anyone know of
a shop that would sell new parts for this bike (original or upgrade), any information
on what this bike might have been and any advice to a complete beginner i.e how
do you get the forks/head stem out of the frame? haha Cheers for any help
Tim
(photos could be provided if that would be any help, also if more info is needed just
let me know what you need to know and I'll try to find it out.)
a bit of time to educate a beginner on the basics of a restoration. I've recently
just finished a 1960's motorbike restoration, so I'm not too bad at the basics,
but I don't really know anything about bikes. Basically I've decided to restore
my Dads old race/road bike for christmas, the only sticker/decal that is left
is 'sirocco' which is an old raleigh bike I think, although there doesn't seem to
be too much info on the web about them. On the front it has a 'sun workshop' badge
but I can't find anything on that. It's blue and white, with the bottom half of the
forks being chromed, but I think this might have been a re-paint considering that
I can't find any similar paint schemes and the chrome on the forks continues past
the paint (it comes through where the paints flaked off). So...does anyone know of
a shop that would sell new parts for this bike (original or upgrade), any information
on what this bike might have been and any advice to a complete beginner i.e how
do you get the forks/head stem out of the frame? haha Cheers for any help
Tim
(photos could be provided if that would be any help, also if more info is needed just
let me know what you need to know and I'll try to find it out.)
11-08-09, 05:57 AM
#2
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B.F. Thread on the '84 Raleigh Sirocco (link to catalog photos in one of the postings)
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/352695-raleigh-sirocco.html
https://velospace.org/node/6121
Quite a bit of information and photos out there on the internet when you Google it. Looks like a nice bike.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/352695-raleigh-sirocco.html
https://velospace.org/node/6121
Quite a bit of information and photos out there on the internet when you Google it. Looks like a nice bike.
11-08-09, 07:03 AM
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Bikes with some chrome showing were usually fully chromed; the chrome under the paint was not polished so the paint would stick better. In your case, the entire fork was chromed but only half painted.
If the components are still on the bike, you should be able to clean them up and reuse them. If some are broken, I'd look on eBay for a replacement. We can help you with identifying parts and give suggestions on repairs.
It would be of great help if you'd take lots of good quality pictures of the bike and the components and post them here.
If the components are still on the bike, you should be able to clean them up and reuse them. If some are broken, I'd look on eBay for a replacement. We can help you with identifying parts and give suggestions on repairs.
It would be of great help if you'd take lots of good quality pictures of the bike and the components and post them here.
11-10-09, 12:35 PM
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Heres a few photos of the bike. As shown, the badge is 'sun workshop' but it has sirocco transfers on and raleigh bolts? I'm sure alot of these bikes looked similar to an untrained eye, but isn't it a 'raleigh record' that looked fairly similar to this bike? (plus the head stock says record, but I have no idea if thats a make or a model haha) The bikes in pieces now, well apart from the forks and the pedals seemed to be rusted on!
Sorry for the quality, rushed the photos and haven't had time to edit them...
Sorry for the quality, rushed the photos and haven't had time to edit them...
11-10-09, 12:51 PM
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To do it right, you will need to strip this bike down to the bare frame, replace all bearings, tires, brake pads, cables, housings, etc, true the wheels, new bar tape and lever hoods.
This requires some bicycle specific tools, or an occasional trip to your favorite bike shop for some disassembly (which is not a bad option). Much like working on a motorbike, you can damage vintage parts if you use the wrong tool for the job.
Removing pedals is best done with a pedal wrench, or just have the shop do it for you.
Use the search function on this forum, be sure to check the box sort by relevance. And search youtube and the parktool web site. Lots of info out there.
This requires some bicycle specific tools, or an occasional trip to your favorite bike shop for some disassembly (which is not a bad option). Much like working on a motorbike, you can damage vintage parts if you use the wrong tool for the job.
Removing pedals is best done with a pedal wrench, or just have the shop do it for you.
Use the search function on this forum, be sure to check the box sort by relevance. And search youtube and the parktool web site. Lots of info out there.
11-10-09, 12:54 PM
#6
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Worksop, not workshop. It's not exactly a Raleigh; both Sun and Raleigh had by this time been bought out by TI, and the whole bicycle business was put under Raleigh's control, but the Suns were apparently made at the Carlton plant, in Worksop, rather than at the Raleigh plant in Nottingham. If that's the case, the headset and BB probably have standard threading, rather than proprietary Raleigh threading, so you got lucky there.
I'd guess it's mid 60's, but that's really a guess.
It looks like it has potential. I especially like the head badge.
I'd guess it's mid 60's, but that's really a guess.
It looks like it has potential. I especially like the head badge.
11-10-09, 12:57 PM
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Heres a few photos of the bike. As shown, the badge is 'sun workshop' but it has sirocco transfers on and raleigh bolts? I'm sure alot of these bikes looked similar to an untrained eye, but isn't it a 'raleigh record' that looked fairly similar to this bike? (plus the head stock says record, but I have no idea if thats a make or a model haha) The bikes in pieces now, well apart from the forks and the pedals seemed to be rusted on!
Sorry for the quality, rushed the photos and haven't had time to edit them...
Sorry for the quality, rushed the photos and haven't had time to edit them...
11-10-09, 12:59 PM
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**edit** rhm beat me to the punch..
Here's some info from ClassicRendevouz about Sun bikes
So your bike is technically a "Sun" made bike, although they were owned by Raleigh at the time.
Most likely a gas pipe frame, fairly heavy, but would clean up nice to ride around town.
Here's some info from ClassicRendevouz about Sun bikes
"Sun first began the production of cycle parts in 1885 and by 1906 were producing a range of machines. Their main period of fame was from the middle 20s through to the 50s. The Wasp was a popular almost budget priced lightweight aimed at the Clubman. Tandems represented quite a large part of their output. In 1940 they launched a new version of the Manx TT model which did not enter manufacture until 1945/6. It featured a seat tube joining the down tube about 2/3s the way down with a couple of extra struts from the bottom bracket to the seat tube. All this was done to make a short wheelbase which was seen as desirable then."
"Frames from the late 30s right into the 50s were also marketed under the Parkes name. In 1959 they became part of the British Cycle Corporation which was absorbed by Raleigh in 1960. From 1963 Sun machines bore the badge with Worksop rather than their original Birmingham. The name finally died under Raleigh in 1986. There a few good quality Team Replica bikes from the Sun/Truewel Racing Team made in the late 60s."
"Peter Cowan, the Veteran-Cycle Club¹s Marque Enthusiast has written an excellent potted history of Sun on which this account of mine is based. It is available from him at The Old Forge, Lyonshall, Herefordshire HR5 4DL Great Britain."
"Frames from the late 30s right into the 50s were also marketed under the Parkes name. In 1959 they became part of the British Cycle Corporation which was absorbed by Raleigh in 1960. From 1963 Sun machines bore the badge with Worksop rather than their original Birmingham. The name finally died under Raleigh in 1986. There a few good quality Team Replica bikes from the Sun/Truewel Racing Team made in the late 60s."
"Peter Cowan, the Veteran-Cycle Club¹s Marque Enthusiast has written an excellent potted history of Sun on which this account of mine is based. It is available from him at The Old Forge, Lyonshall, Herefordshire HR5 4DL Great Britain."
Most likely a gas pipe frame, fairly heavy, but would clean up nice to ride around town.
11-10-09, 01:11 PM
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I've just found a raleigh serial number guide, I found a number on the bottom bracket (4751280), but can't make out any letters just a seven digit number. If I'm correct then the 4 should stand for 1964/74/84 and so on, should the letter markings be printed directly before the digits?
Ha well I guess the raleigh serial number guide might not apply to it if it was still semi-control of sun.
I really should have double checked workshop and worksop...
Cheers for the help guys, you've started me on my way, I doubt theres any decent bike shops round here, so I guess I'll get
a lot of use out of this forum. Thanks again,
TIm
Ha well I guess the raleigh serial number guide might not apply to it if it was still semi-control of sun.
I really should have double checked workshop and worksop...
Cheers for the help guys, you've started me on my way, I doubt theres any decent bike shops round here, so I guess I'll get
a lot of use out of this forum. Thanks again,
TIm
Last edited by newman_zero; 11-10-09 at 01:15 PM.
11-10-09, 01:27 PM
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for the stem, to remove it back the bolt on the top out about 1/2 an inch and give it a wack with a mallet. Stem will come loose.
11-10-09, 01:42 PM
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That's definitely not 531 tubing - not with those lugs. Looks pretty neat for a knocking about bike though.
Raleigh didn't start the numbering scheme you are referring to until 1973, and I doubt your bike is that young. Pretty sure it's a 60's model.
Raleigh didn't start the numbering scheme you are referring to until 1973, and I doubt your bike is that young. Pretty sure it's a 60's model.
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11-10-09, 02:54 PM
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Cheers for the additional info USAzorro, yeah with what my Dad can remember, it probably is a 60's model. Yeah, I'm not really restoring for a full on road/race bike, just so that its better than sat rusting in the garage, but I obviously want to do a fairly decent job. CravenMoarhead, just to clarify, the bolt on top that should be fairly long when fully withdrawn? Didn't realise that was how it was attached, Cheers for the advice!
11-10-09, 03:08 PM
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yep thats the bolt, but if you've removed it completely you will want to thread it back in.
Some fenders and northroads bars and that would be a nice cruiser.
Some fenders and northroads bars and that would be a nice cruiser.
