flammenwurfer

Yes they are totally twins!

I've contemplated going to a 5 speed before but I just don't feel like I need the extra gears enough to justify the higher price. If I ever come across one at a large discount I'll be all over it.

Allvit54

...wow...what a thread!...kinda makes me wish I still had that '67 Phillips with the Sturmey Archer 5-speed 'twinshift' hub...although something tells me that that would be very difficult to restore...those dual shift levers are probably next to impossible to find now...
...now, I read some posts back that SA is making 5-speed hubs again...how do you shift those? Do the new hubs use a similar dual cable setup as that old 'twinshift'?...

noglider 

You could shift an old five speed hub with two 3speed trigger shifters.

Andrew F

The new 5 speed SA's shift with a single cable and shifter, bar end, trigger and I think a twist grip.

stevevw

Probably too many gears for this thread but thought you may like to see this. I picked it up last week from the original owner who bought it in 1950 in London so he could visit his girlfriend at the weekends. She lived in Bath 90 miles away She is now his wife and both are still going strong.





I am planning on a complete restoration over the winter ready to ride next spring. I have promised to take it back to see the old chap when it is done.

flammenwurfer

LUCKY! That is very cool. And a sweet story to go along with it. Any idea what the model name is?

noglider 

stevevw, I love that story! Plus an FM hub! You are in Sturmey Archer heaven!

Is the original owner still cycling? Why did he sell that bike at all?

Andrew F

3, 4, 5 who's counting? I think it's more about the particular English style and IGH's. Great Bike Stevevw!

mkeller234

Wow, I don't think I have seen an alloy hub around here yet. Very cool, make sure to post your progress on that one.

Andrew F

[QUOTEWow, I don't think I have seen an alloy hub around here yet][/QUOTE]

That and the chainring make you kinda think its a Supersport or a Clubman?

mkeller234

Yeah, probably. I don't know much about either of those models but stevevw's bike is obviously more performance oriented. The handlebars on that bike are beautiful.

Andrew F

Didn't notice the wingnuts earlier...sweet! +1000000 on the bars!

On another topic, I picked up a '72 Raleigh Sport, the down tube is marked LTD-3. Is there anything specia about it? It's the 23" male frame.

wahoonc

The LTD was a slightly downscale model from the regular Sports, no pump pegs and usually no head light bracket, also came with the vinyl mattress saddle. Raleigh was trying to meet a lower price point to compete. Other than that they are the same bike as the Sports.

Aaron

tatfiend 

I have a NOS S5-2 Alloy hub that I recently built into a rim and now have installed in a Kona Humu cruiser. Definitely not an English style bike though.

Andrew F

Thanks for the info. Didn't notice the lack of pump pegs!

Sixty Fiver

A 1958 Mercury "Courier" arrived at the co-op today and my dating guess stems from it having a Hercules branded SA hub with a 1958 date code and what is most interesting is that the hub is an SW that seems to be in good working condition

The bike looks like it has been stored since day one as well.

Will have to snap a pic or two.

Sixty Fiver

A few quick pictures...









There is also a Woodward sticker on the seat tube which makes me think this was sold through that old department store chain as a house brand.

stevevw

Quote:

Originally Posted by noglider

stevevw, I love that story! Plus an FM hub! You are in Sturmey Archer heaven!

Is the original owner still cycling? Why did he sell that bike at all?

The original owner only ever had this bike and stopped riding it 2 years ago due to ill health up until then he rode regularly so the old Raleigh had 58 years of constant use. I do not think he wanted it to go as he had a tear in his eye when I was loading it in the car. He was glad to see that I had brought some cardboard to protect the bike while in the car for the journey home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flammenwurfer

LUCKY! That is very cool. And a sweet story to go along with it. Any idea what the model name is?

The model is No.28 Raleigh Lenton Sports in Special Super-chromatic Lenton Green. The colour was only used in 1949 and 1950. The 1949 version has white lining (Which mine has?) but the lining is not listed for 1950 very odd. perhaps the frame was made towards the end of 1949 and the bike built early in 1950.

I think the wheel wing nuts are very cool and also extremely useful for fast wheel removal. On the gear change cable there is a quick release made from spring steel is this normal? I have not had a Sturmey Archer since I was a young lad and can not remember what they had then.

Over the weekend I started to give the bike a good clean and to my complete surprise every nut or bolt came loose the stem moved freely up and down as did the seat tube, this bike is going to be a pleasure to work on and own I can see and feel the love that had been lavished on it over the years and intend to continue in the same way.

I think that I will be renovating every part rather than replacing, not cost effective but who cares this is part of history and must be preserved. The bill from the chromers may be a bit of a shock though.

noglider 

Sixty Fiver, that bike looks brand new, except for the seat.

stevew, sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for the story.

cyclistbrian

Picked up the Rudge for $25.00. It's going to be a resto/update project. Picked up the Robin Hood out of the trash free for parts. Been a long time since I've seen a 3 speed on trash day.

The Courier two posts above is sweet!

noglider 

I recently sold a Robin Hood of the same color. The buyer was a 23 year old woman, and she was immensely delighted with its æsthetics, especially the color. What's wrong with this one that you see it as only a parts donor bike?

I love the Rudge, and it's a rare large size.

cyclistbrian

The Robin Hood could be brought back but it has parts I need for other bikes. The saddle is a double wire with the appropriate clamp and that'll find it's way to my Phillips which probably had a similar saddle to begin with. That frees up a beautiful Brooks for my Cykel 3. The headset on the Phillips has issues and I may need to scavenge that as well. The lighting system will find it's way to the Rudge. In the back of my mind sooner or later I'm going to need the shifter and hub components for some future project. Ditto for the fenders which are rusty but not dented up. I live in a rural area. I was flat out amazed to find it by the side of the road in the trash. On the one hand I hate to break it apart but on the other you have to break eggs to make an omlet.

I was very happy indeed to find a large size Rudge!

greengage

I know this kinda belongs in one of the "looking for one of these?" threads, but there's one of those crazy gold Raleighs in someone's basement if you're in the Boston area...
https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/bik/1901399674.html

cyclistbrian

The clubman several posts above is just awesome. What a find and what a story to go with it! I once had a "Camel" , a lower priced Raleigh brand, that was a cheap immitation of this bike. It got lost in the scrum of moving during a divorce. Wish I still had that bike!

robertjohnkay

new to me my dads old bsa star rider 1961