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-   -   For the love of English 3 speeds... (https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/623699-love-english-3-speeds.html)

curbtender 07-18-15 07:15 AM


Originally Posted by nlerner (Post 17978961)
Those John Bull grips are uber rare. If you can, I'd try to work a thin-bladed screw-driver under the open end, spray some WD-40 in there, and then try to rotate them while pulling them off. Perhaps there's a way to repair them.

or rubbing alcohol.

gster 07-18-15 05:31 PM


Originally Posted by 3speedslow (Post 17989828)
I vote for the last one ! One drawback from moving to this coastal area is no vintage bike events.

Looks like fun.

Just start your own. That's what I did. You might be surprised how many people are interested in (old) bicycles.

michaelz28 07-18-15 10:07 PM

Raleigh Superbe 3 Speed 1974 | eBay... nice looking cycle . looks very similar to mine . i haven't purchased tires yet but the white looks kinda good ..

HSean 07-19-15 12:21 AM

I have a brown superbe aswell. Ive actualy never really seen a brown one till i got mine. ive mostly seen green ones and a orange one and black.

Mine had key too! lol

Did brown come with racks? every one i see has no rack. I just put a green on mine for now since I have a bunch of them due to all the girls superbe ive taken appart to fix mens bikes.

If there was no racks does anyone know the paint code or whatever it may be called?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ps5b41dcf7.jpg

michaelz28 07-19-15 10:49 AM

i think it depends on the year . nice looking bike there . what year ? i don't see the self adjusting brakes on the ebay bike ??

browngw 07-19-15 11:06 AM


Originally Posted by michaelz28 (Post 17993868)
i think it depends on the year . nice looking bike there . what year ? i don't see the self adjusting brakes on the ebay bike ??

The Ebay bike has newer after-market brake levers. I've also changed them on several bikes. I sold some self adjusting levers last week but I do not endorse or like them.

michaelz28 07-19-15 01:14 PM


Originally Posted by browngw (Post 17993923)
The Ebay bike has newer after-market brake levers. I've also changed them on several bikes. I sold some self adjusting levers last week but I do not endorse or like them.

for 900 dollars , i'd want that thing as original as possible . i have them on my 74 and it stops for me . i don't really ride it a lot but they seem to work fine . i would imagine that bike is going to be a fair weather bike from now on so i believe the self adjusters would do ..what seems to be the problem with them ?

BigChief 07-19-15 02:10 PM

Looky what I found:
2 Vintage Sturmey Archer Trigger Springs K738 Raleigh Rudge Humber etc MG5 | eBay

HSean 07-19-15 02:21 PM

Is there a way to fix a loose lug? I got a raleigh sports where the top tube is loose in the lug. just wondering if anyones fixed it before without ruining paint much.

3speedslow 07-19-15 02:27 PM


Originally Posted by HSean (Post 17994417)
Is there a way to fix a loose lug? I got a raleigh sports where the top tube is loose in the lug. just wondering if anyones fixed it before without ruining paint much.

That is going to be a torch job so paint is gonna be lost. Might have ways of limiting the blistering down the tubes but the whole area will get burned.

is this a head tube joint or seat tube ?

HSean 07-19-15 07:57 PM

Its head tube. I guess its okay if paint gets ruined. I mean its got some rough areas but its decent still.

Velocivixen 07-19-15 09:22 PM


Originally Posted by BigChief (Post 17994392)

You bought them, right??? Please post with photos how you reassembled. Those two plates are held by rivets, no? How do you get them back together? I ask because my original SA 3 speed shifter for my Raleigh Twenty has a loose lever due to plates being pulled apart or something. I would like to figure out how to get apart, fixed & reassembled. Nice sleuthing on your part.

BigChief 07-20-15 05:44 AM


Originally Posted by Velocivixen (Post 17995500)
You bought them, right??? Please post with photos how you reassembled. Those two plates are held by rivets, no? How do you get them back together? I ask because my original SA 3 speed shifter for my Raleigh Twenty has a loose lever due to plates being pulled apart or something. I would like to figure out how to get apart, fixed & reassembled. Nice sleuthing on your part.

No. dweenk was looking for one. I posted the link for him. I have never had to rebuild a trigger. Been saving 3 speed parts for years and have a good collection of GC3Bs to choose from. I do now have a GC2 that my wife found soaking in Evapo-Rust right now. I'll report here about how the rebuild goes. I actually enjoy the challenge of building my own replacement parts. I'm equipped for that sort of thing.

browngw 07-20-15 06:03 AM


Originally Posted by michaelz28 (Post 17994251)
for 900 dollars , i'd want that thing as original as possible . i have them on my 74 and it stops for me . i don't really ride it a lot but they seem to work fine . i would imagine that bike is going to be a fair weather bike from now on so i believe the self adjusters would do ..what seems to be the problem with them ?

Nothing horrible but often they would snap and click when moderate pressure was applied and it just did not feel like solid braking power. Two bikes that I did leave them on were a pair of 10 speed Sprites from 1975. The bikes were original and I wanted them left that way.



http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...6&d=1349712313

Gasbag 07-20-15 01:13 PM


Originally Posted by Velocivixen (Post 17995500)
You bought them, right??? Please post with photos how you reassembled. Those two plates are held by rivets, no? How do you get them back together? I ask because my original SA 3 speed shifter for my Raleigh Twenty has a loose lever due to plates being pulled apart or something. I would like to figure out how to get apart, fixed & reassembled. Nice sleuthing on your part.

They are a bit fiddly to rebuild. You need to place the non-peened end of the rivet over the gapped jaws of a bench vice and tap out the rivet. Clean and repair what needs to be done. Insert the rear most rivet into the assembly. The front most rivet is the challenge as you need to hold the spring into the assembly and use a drift through the rivet hole to hold it together. Then being oh-so careful use the drift to align the holes while the rivet is pushed back through. It required a few attempts and strong language on mine. After it is together the peened end of the rivet needs to be center punched just right to avoid compressing the assembly too much. After it is together I use a teflon based lube applied with a pin oiler. The one I rebuilt for my Rudge is the smoothest in my fleet. Not bragging, just got lucky with it.

Velocivixen 07-20-15 01:58 PM

@Gasbag - my lever fell out. I put it back in then took pliers and squeezed the front/rear plates together best I could. The lever was still jiggling along as I rode. Bought a new black one which shifts great and doesn't make noise. Not as pretty though. Thanks for the explanation.

Sixty Fiver 07-20-15 02:05 PM

Hey all... my wife has a friend in Toronto who is looking for a Raleigh 3 speed (step through or 20).

She has some serious health issues and not a lot of money and am sure we could help out.

gster 07-20-15 03:49 PM

1 Attachment(s)

Originally Posted by Sixty Fiver (Post 17997568)
Hey all... my wife has a friend in Toronto who is looking for a Raleigh 3 speed (step through or 20).

She has some serious health issues and not a lot of money and am sure we could help out.

Send him down to The Bike Show this weekend. A lot of reasonable priced bikes change hands.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465766

BigChief 07-20-15 05:13 PM

1 Attachment(s)

Originally Posted by Velocivixen (Post 17997540)
@Gasbag - my lever fell out. I put it back in then took pliers and squeezed the front/rear plates together best I could. The lever was still jiggling along as I rode. Bought a new black one which shifts great and doesn't make noise. Not as pretty though. Thanks for the explanation.

When I replaced the TT mounted stick shifters with a trigger on my '69 Sprite, I used a late 50s early 60s style GC3B trigger instead of the 67 to 74 (or so) trigger with the clear plastic cover. I just never liked the plastic covers or the later versions as well as the vintage types. Purely a looks thing.
I even dug up an old steel cable pulley from my collection for the seat tube. Not correct for 1969, but I just like the older
styles better. I did use a more modern SunTour friction handle bar shifter for the left side
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=465801

Velocivixen 07-20-15 05:25 PM

@BigChief - Oh yeah...that looks good. Maybe I'll do that. One of the coops in Portland has drawers of individual SA AW hub parts including shifters. I have no spares. The plastic on mine is just slightly cloudy, but otherwise fine.

Danbianchi881 07-21-15 08:35 AM

11 Attachment(s)
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I finally pick up my first 3 speed and it a 1962 Raleigh sport all original, ever the tires are Raleigh brand.

dweenk 07-21-15 10:40 AM

Big Chief, VV, & Gasbag

I just bought the springs (thanks BC). I think I have the tools, skill, and vocabulary to repair the trigger. If not, I'll contact GB and request the most effective curses.

Gasbag 07-21-15 12:20 PM

I've been a union truck mechanic for 35 years; strong convincing language I have aplenty :crash:

After looking at the shifter I rebuilt on my Rudge, it occurred to me that it is the later mousetrap style spring and it was pure evil getting it aligned with the rivet bore. I hope yours go together easier. I shouldn't rely on my memory so much, too many years in the game without wearing a helmet.

Gasbag 07-21-15 12:29 PM

Nice and nicely optioned. While I enjoy a restoration challenge, bikes like this make it so much easier.

Velocivixen 07-21-15 01:14 PM

@dweenk - what I want to know is about the rivets connecting the front/rear outer plates. I'm waiting with eagerness to see the tools, with photo outcomes.


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