djkashuba 

Not NOS but very nice. The bike was very greasy/dirty and then polished up really well. The bell is huge but has such a great DING DONG that I have kept it mounted and it with the other chrome bits is a great reflector at night.
This is one of my city bikes and a good bell helps to navigate ped and bike traffic in a pleasant manner.

-D

Quiet Mike

Hello! New here so just looking around and finding my feet ...

I've got a couple of old 3-speeds here. This one was a bit of a bitza when I got it about 10 years ago -


Raleigh Sports Model by zombikombi1959, on Flickr


Raleigh Sports Model 1934 by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

But I fitted an old set of North Road style 'bars, and gave it an oily rag resto. We used it occasionally for a couple of years, and had a variety of kiddie seats fitted to it along the way -


Windsor Great Park 2003 by zombikombi1959, on Flickr


Windsor Great Park 2004 by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

But since then it has spent too long hung up in the garage while I rode lighter and newer machines. Overdue an overhaul!
It is a 1934 Raleigh Sports Model, with a K type Hub. I've got it running again, but badly, it still needs work. Think one of the pedals is bent, and the worn chain wheel doesn't like the new chain. I've just fitted new tyres and tubes, and a front wheel with less rusty spokes. Getting there.


time to resurrect the old Raleigh by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

w1gfh

Crikey! Is that an oil lantern?

Velognome 

Welcome to the C&V, those are some jems. An oily rag and fresh air in the tires seems to suite them just fine!!

jedge76

I might have to see how those handlebar grips would look on a green Superbe. You mentioned that the components fit fairly tightly with the Cardiffs on there, does that make it more difficult for you to reach the shifter or hand brakes?

BTW, good to see another Central Valley 3-speed lover.

Quiet Mike

Yeah, this old bike has some lovely patina. It hasn't been 'restored' before, so still wears its original paint. I'm all for preserving originality where possible, not keen on the factory fresh look. (but I am a bit of a beatnick, if I ride a nice shiny bike people think I've nicked it ...)

A 1910's Lucas Silverking in one shot, a 1928 Lucas carbide lamp in the other. I've used both extensively before, on my commute from work, but not for a while as I tend to ride 40's and 50's bikes now. I assume there'll be a vintage lamp thread on here somewhere?

djkashuba 

No problems with reach. Index finger shifts and first three fingers brake easy.
The valley is a great place for three speeds. We need to get a Left Coast Lake Pepin Tour happening (https://www.3speedtour.com/).

-D

Velognome 

Sadly, not really. A few bits and starts but nothing really. I've got a Lucas Carbide waiting to go on a 1923 24" Rudge loop frame Getting to the age where I've deemed it easier to step through than over the bar when making short trips about town. Still gathering parts for a build which I'm thinking will become an old frame with new running gear and a few vintage hang-on's like the lamp....we'll see how many parts show up this summer.

wahoonc

Not really but feel free to start one!

I don't have too many vintage lamps, most of mine are 70's OEM stuff. I have a couple of JOS, a Spanninga and some Millers.

Aaron

jitterymonkey

Changing the tires on an old Sports that hung upside down in a garage for at least 20-30 years.
As you can see in the pictures the heat really blistered the tires & even melted them to the rims.

Anyway... I noticed there was a difference between the front & rear rims.
The front is rounded & smooth like a normal rim, but the rear is flat with a grove/grid on the side.

Sorry the photos aren't the greatest, but can Ya'all tell me if these look like the stock rims
for a 1974 (date on hub) Sports?
Front....

Rear...

Quiet Mike

Maybe I'll start a vintage lamp thread ...

In the meantime, here's another faithful three speed -

This was not long after I acquired it. A steal at a cycle jumble about 10 years ago. No one else wanted it so I haggled for it as everyone was packing up and got it for £20 I think. Had a sticky 3-speed though that cost £60 to sort.

1948 Humber Sports, 'The Aristocrat of Bicycles' by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

I use it as my winter hack, mainly because of the sedate handling, and super SA hub dynamo. I love this bike!
Shame it doesn't have the distinctive Humber double forks, but I love the 'circle of life' dancing children on the chainwheel.

Winter work hack by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

auchencrow

Wow Quiet Mike - What a rare beauty that Humber is!

Velognome 

Ohhh, would be fun. My carbides are doing mostly shelf duty but this "little" ole Miller gets out on occasion

Sixty Fiver

Tut tut... it looks like rain.

Will be a nice night to take out the Raleigh...

mkeller234

Ok, so this bike doesn't technically belong here, seeing that it is not English. The hubs are English though... the rest is Belgian.


DSC06193 by mkeller234, on Flickr


DSC06210 by mkeller234, on Flickr


DSC06219 by mkeller234, on Flickr


DSC06222 by mkeller234, on Flickr


DSC06228 by mkeller234, on Flickr


DSC06232 by mkeller234, on Flickr

auchencrow

We'll let you slide on that Anglo thing mkeller234 - but ONLY because that bike is so frigging kewl!

jedge76

Cool. Think I'll order a set, they're priced pretty nicely, too.

I would love to see a Pepin-style ride in the area. That's a great idea as there isn't anything in the central California area like that, at least that I know of.

jedge76

Sixty Fiver...I'm really enjoying your blog. I've just begun to peruse, but my interest is peaked.

Sixty Fiver

Thanks for the feedback... I am probably the world's worst blogger as I sometimes get so busy with other things that I do not have the time to write about them and joke that my real blog is called bikeforums.net.

Sixty Fiver

Only saw a few drops of rain and this is probably because I took out a proper British bicycle with mudguards and a 3 speed hub... had I taken out something that had no mudguards there is a certain guarantee it would have poured buckets.

Went out tonight to meet my friend's parents who came all the way from Minnesota as the University was bestowing a posthumous master's degree on their son, and my friend Ian who passed away last year.

We shared a love of bicycles and martial arts and general geekery when it came to many things... he had a particular fondness for these old British 3 speeds and was quite flattered when his parents said he spoke of me well and told me I was his mentor when it came to bicycles.

I always thought I was just a bad influence.

gna

I thought there was a three speed group in California: https://www.threespeedtouringclub.com/

It's southern California, not central, but maybe you could be an outpost.

jedge76

jedge76

Thanks for the lead. I hadn't heard of this group before so I will definitely be looking into it

slowtostart

Since no one has responded, I'll take a stab at it. Yesterday, I traded a '74 Sports for the exact amount I paid for it. While pumping the tires and giving it a quick go over I did notice the rims were a bit different from an earlier Sports. They had the "grove/grid" you noticed on your wheel. Let's see if the experts here will jump in with more information for you.

wahoonc

It serves two purposes, supposedly to improve braking, and possibly when the grooves disappear it is time for new rims. Though I don't know of anybody that has really ever worn a steel rim out from braking.



Aaron