60s Triumph Woman's Bike -- Compared to Raleigh Lady Sports? Good deal?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 6
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
60s Triumph Woman's Bike -- Compared to Raleigh Lady Sports? Good deal?
Hi there,
Long time lurker, first time poster. Thanks to all for the awesome advice I've been able to find since starting to ride a little over a year ago.
Taking a look at this https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/2624030971.html for a "good-looking" alternative for city commuting to my Rockhopper with Hybrid Tires
Has anyone seen a comparison of this to the Lady Sports I've read quite a bit about?
Thoughts on the price ($180)? They did quite a bit of replacement, so not sure what I would really need to upgrade -- looks ready to ride. I did join our local Bike Kitchen as I'm planning on becoming very handy.
Thanks much.
Long time lurker, first time poster. Thanks to all for the awesome advice I've been able to find since starting to ride a little over a year ago.
Taking a look at this https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/2624030971.html for a "good-looking" alternative for city commuting to my Rockhopper with Hybrid Tires
Has anyone seen a comparison of this to the Lady Sports I've read quite a bit about?
Thoughts on the price ($180)? They did quite a bit of replacement, so not sure what I would really need to upgrade -- looks ready to ride. I did join our local Bike Kitchen as I'm planning on becoming very handy.
Thanks much.
#2
Membership Not Required
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: On the road-USA
Posts: 16,855
Bikes: Giant Excursion, Raleigh Sports, Raleigh R.S.W. Compact, Motobecane? and about 20 more! OMG
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
14 Posts
Triumph was considered second tier to the Raleighs, however the ones I have seen are certainly comparable in quality. Pricing is whatever you feel you are willing to pay. I know some areas of the country command higher prices than others.
Overall it looks like a clean bike.
Aaron
Overall it looks like a clean bike.
Aaron
__________________
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 6
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks Aaron! I went an test rode this morning and it was crazy fun. There are some things I'll want to tune up, but that's part of the fun, right?? Let's hope!
#4
rain dog
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Northern PA
Posts: 772
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
6 Posts
It looks like the ad is down now, you should post some pictures!
I just picked up a 70s Triumph 3-speed earlier this month:
English three speeds make excellent commuter bikes, but they don't seem very well suited to hilly areas.
I just picked up a 70s Triumph 3-speed earlier this month:
English three speeds make excellent commuter bikes, but they don't seem very well suited to hilly areas.
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 6
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I managed to get up early and buy the bike before work this morning, but will post some pictures when I am home this evening. Here's the picture from the original craigslist post.
"they don't seem very well suited to hilly areas" -- That's my concern in SF, but my commute to/from work is actually fairly flat. I test rode on some hills and it was work but fun. I find myself always in the hardest gears because I can't stand pedalling to nowhere.
I'd also read this post which suggests lowering the gearing. I'm going to ride around on it more before I decide to do it, but it seems like a decent idea. Thoughts on that?
"they don't seem very well suited to hilly areas" -- That's my concern in SF, but my commute to/from work is actually fairly flat. I test rode on some hills and it was work but fun. I find myself always in the hardest gears because I can't stand pedalling to nowhere.
I'd also read this post which suggests lowering the gearing. I'm going to ride around on it more before I decide to do it, but it seems like a decent idea. Thoughts on that?
#6
Phyllo-buster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,847
Bikes: roadsters, club bikes, fixed and classic
Mentioned: 133 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2298 Post(s)
Liked 2,054 Times
in
1,254 Posts
22 tooth cog is the way to go.
#7
Ride heavy metal.
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Teenage Wasteland, USA
Posts: 1,538
Bikes: '74 Raleigh LTD-3, '76 Motobecane Grand Jubile, '83 Fuji TSIII (customized commuter), '10 Mercier Kilo WT (fixed obsession), '83 Bianchi Alloro, '92 Bridgestone MB-1 (project), '83 Specialized Expedition (project), '79 Peugeot UO-8 (sold)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I know a lot of people go to a 22 tooth cog in the back in hilly areas such as Boston. I don't know about San Fran, but it is a cheap (<$20) thing to try out. You just pop out the old cog and slide the new one on. Any bike shop should be able to do it for you in 2 minutes.
#8
multimodal commuter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,808
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times
in
339 Posts
Raleigh's second tier bikes like Triumph* (and Phillips*, Hercules*, Armstrong*, Robin Hood, Norman*, Popular Special, et cetera ad infinitum) were essentially the same frame as a Sports (but sometimes without the pump pegs) and with cheaper components. That's good in the case of the rims, the cheaper ones on the second tier bikes are lighter and in many ways nicer than the Raleigh pattern ones on Sports. It's not so good in the case of the seat; he sports came with a leather Brooks saddle, while the second tier bikes came with a Brooks mattress saddle; not as nice, but you can change this. Similarly, the shift cable on the sports ran to a fulcrum on the top tube or down tube and a pulley wheel on the seat tube, which is much better than the fully enclosed cable running to a fulcrum on the seat stay on the second tier bikes (at least the later ones). Again, you can change this.
Bottom line, a second tier bike was cheaper and lighter and can be upgraded to be just as nice as a Sports. Now that they're 30 to 50 years old, the most important criterium is condition of paint &c, so I wouldn't worry much about whether a given bike is a Raleigh or second tier bike.
*Pre-Raleigh (pre-1960 or so) bikes are a different animal (and, in my opinion, preferable to a Sports).
22T makes sense in any terrain. I ride my 3-sp on Long Island, where there are essentially no hills at all.
Bottom line, a second tier bike was cheaper and lighter and can be upgraded to be just as nice as a Sports. Now that they're 30 to 50 years old, the most important criterium is condition of paint &c, so I wouldn't worry much about whether a given bike is a Raleigh or second tier bike.
*Pre-Raleigh (pre-1960 or so) bikes are a different animal (and, in my opinion, preferable to a Sports).
22T makes sense in any terrain. I ride my 3-sp on Long Island, where there are essentially no hills at all.
#9
incazzare.
I agree, get a larger cog for lower gearing and you'll be good to go.
__________________
1964 JRJ (Bob Jackson), 1973 Wes Mason, 1974 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1986 Schwinn High Sierra, 2000ish Colian (Colin Laing), 2011 Dick Chafe, 2013 Velo Orange Pass Hunter
1964 JRJ (Bob Jackson), 1973 Wes Mason, 1974 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1986 Schwinn High Sierra, 2000ish Colian (Colin Laing), 2011 Dick Chafe, 2013 Velo Orange Pass Hunter
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 179
Bikes: Devinci Tosca S
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Nice! I tried to click on the craigslist link and it was gone. I had almost found one for my girlfriend and it was snapped up before I got there. So you're lucky!
It looks great. Riding a 3 speed on hills is fine. I find I just adapt to what I have. On a few hills I've had to push my Sports up for a bit but it's no big deal.
Congratulations!
It looks great. Riding a 3 speed on hills is fine. I find I just adapt to what I have. On a few hills I've had to push my Sports up for a bit but it's no big deal.
Congratulations!
Last edited by P_M; 09-30-11 at 02:02 PM.
#11
Count Orlok Member
I know a lot of people go to a 22 tooth cog in the back in hilly areas such as Boston. I don't know about San Fran, but it is a cheap (<$20) thing to try out. You just pop out the old cog and slide the new one on. Any bike shop should be able to do it for you in 2 minutes.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Giant Doofus
General Cycling Discussion
12
03-31-15 10:23 AM
archaehologist
Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals.
4
06-22-10 02:58 PM