Sir Tony

Hey Everyone,

Just thought I would share my recent Goodwill score of the year. I picked up what I believe is a 1955 Raleigh Superbe for $50, boom shaka laka! When I came back to pick it up to my disbelief the original keys were in the fork. All the parts apear to be original, the dynamo lights work flawlessly. This is going to be my winter project, I have never worked on a bike of this age so it should be "fun". Am I correct that this is a 1955 Superbe? The Sturmey Archer hub is stamped "55", the serial number on the seat tube is "70443 CG".

I appreciate anyones input, I am always craving for knowledge!

Thanks!

Tony

Here are some pics of how it came from the store.

Velognome 

Congratulations on a great score! My only suggestion......ride it!

JJPistols

Gorgeous machine, but the fork looks tweaked to me.

SirMike1983 

Find of the month, if not year, in terms of what I've seen. That is not a terribly common bike here in the US, given that combination of age, color, and features. My money is on an old guy who never rode it but kept it, then passed on or had to move into care and the kids just gave the bike away. You just don't find them like that at Goodwill etc, at least in any normal universe. Very, very nice.

The fork does look bent a bit, but you can fix that.

seedsbelize 

Yes, I thought the fork looked off as well. I hope I'm wrong. Boom shaka laka indeed!

Bianchigirll 

Great looking Raleigh

noglider 

"Score" doesn't begin to describe this.

Even if the fork is tweaked, it's worth untweaking.

OTS 

Nice, very nice.......Congrats

Reynolds 

Great score, looks totally original to me. Even has a cyclometer!

PedalTraveler

Fantastic, what a find! Love the green/gold paint scheme.

Sir Tony

Thanks for the replies! I did notice that the fork seemed a little off, it's not much, it seems to ride ok. Is straitening a fork a expensive/difficult procedure? Is it risky?

noglider 

It's sometimes one of the trickiest bike repairs. Bending steel tends to elongate it, and the blades have to be the same length. There are three parameters to maintain: length, fore-aft, and left-right. Left-right is the easiest.

Bike shops that are willing to do this have become rare.

Doohickie

I've straightened a fork by taking the wheels of a bike (but leave the fork attached), then inserting the ends of the fork between the steps of a paint ladder, then pull down on the back end of the frame to straighten the fork. By leaving the fork on the frame, you can get a lot of leverage on the force you're applying which makes it easier to control how much you're bending the fork.

Juggler2

Here's a shop you might look at for the fork repair. I have no experience with this shop whatsoever, I've just been keeping the site address in case I find a $50.00 jewel!

https://rebrit.com/

sailorbenjamin

My size even! Did they still have stainless spokes in '55? I like the stainless spokes. They polish up really nice.
Maybe go back tomorrow and see if his wife had the mate to it.

Sir Tony

Well I have been going crazy checking back there, luckily it is right up the road from my work. There are two Raleigh keys on the key ring it came with. One fits, the other one doesn't. She is out there somewhere...

gna

Wow, very nice.

I've seen worse forks than that--I think Bikamper's Superbe has a bent fork, and he still rides it.

due ruote 

That's outstanding. I'm glad it was found by someone who appreciates it.

conradpdx

And I was pretty proud of my 2 70's Sports for a bill today, seems fairly blah now.

Nice grab, beautiful bike, and enjoy the hell out of it.

dedhed

Seriously which Goodwill was that in? I gave up on them long ago as all I ever found was Magnas and Huffys - all overpriced!

adventurepdx

Were those the two Sports listed for sale in Sellwood? (That CL ad is still up.)


To the OP: NICE!

puchfinnland

bent forks---
can you ride it and take your hands off the bars?
if it balances and you still go straight I wouldent worry about it at all.
is the paint chipped on the fork from the possible bend?

I google picture searched raleigh superbe and have seen countless bikes with forks simmilar in geometry to yours. I would think twice about them being bent.
randyjawa's sight even has one.

that is a great find, nice color-its a keeper for sure!

Tulok

If it rides straight no hands, dont touch the fork!
Great looking bike and what a find!

treebound 

Milwaukee Goodwill********** Must be one not on my route.

Bikes in thrift shops are always a hit or miss deal, nice score and congratulations on being in the right place at the right time.

Sir Tony

I found it at the New Berlin Goodwill on Moorland. I am there everyday when they open, on my lunch break, and on my way home. Called me obsessed, but these kind of finds are what keep me going. When I walked into the store when the opened I noticed an unusual amount of bikes in the back. My heart got pumping, trying to make it back there as quickly as I could without looking like a complete idiot. I first saw the usual Goodwill junk; Murry, Huffy, Ross, etc. Then I saw this gem all the way in the back, I couldn't tear the tag off of it quick enough. My normal "competition" came by almost immediately after me, I watched him drool over it while I was paying for it at the register, victory!

My name is Tony and I'm a Goodwill addict.