25" Raleigh Superbe?!?
04-11-11, 05:00 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Rhode Island (an obscure suburb of Connecticut)
Posts: 5,630
Bikes: one of each
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times
in
12 Posts
25" Raleigh Superbe?!?
https://cgi.ebay.com/Raleigh-Superbe-...c#ht_764wt_905
Is that right? It does look pretty tall.
Is that right? It does look pretty tall.
04-11-11, 05:11 PM
#2
PanGalacticGargleBlaster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Smugglers Notch, Vermont
Posts: 7,531
Bikes: Upright and Recumbent....too many to list, mostly Vintage.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
Possibly a 24" measured wrong.
__________________
--Don't Panic.
--Don't Panic.
04-11-11, 05:12 PM
#3
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 think it's a 23" frame. There was a 25", but that doesn't look it to me.
04-11-11, 06:15 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,156
Mentioned: 481 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3810 Post(s)
Liked 6,689 Times
in
2,610 Posts
That's a 23" seat tube, c-t.
Neal
Neal
04-11-11, 07:44 PM
#6
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 15,944
Bikes: Two wheeled ones
Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times
in
174 Posts
$550 for a Raleigh 3 speed? Without even a Brooks? FROM 1971?
Size is the least of the issues here.
Size is the least of the issues here.
04-11-11, 08:23 PM
#8
You gonna eat that?
Looks like a 25" to me.
__________________
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi 
"However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
04-11-11, 10:18 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Ashland, VA
Posts: 4,420
Bikes: The keepers: 1958 Raleigh Lenton Grand Prix, 1968 Ranger, 1969 Magneet Sprint, 1971 Gitane Tour de France, 1973 Raleigh Tourist, 3 - 1986 Rossins, and a '77 PX-10 frame in process.
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 221 Post(s)
Liked 237 Times
in
129 Posts
Looks like a 23-1/2" frame to me. Reminds me of the ivory Sports I used to ride back then.
Raleigh cataloged a 25-1/2" frame to the dealers, but we never saw one. If we had a really tall customer who wanted a Sturmey Archer bike, Merle (the owner) would really push a DL-1 (Tourist) on them. Or, a Sprint 5 or 10, if the customer was willing to go with a derailleur. And in all the years I worked there we never got a Superbe in the shop, except as a service job.
Raleigh cataloged a 25-1/2" frame to the dealers, but we never saw one. If we had a really tall customer who wanted a Sturmey Archer bike, Merle (the owner) would really push a DL-1 (Tourist) on them. Or, a Sprint 5 or 10, if the customer was willing to go with a derailleur. And in all the years I worked there we never got a Superbe in the shop, except as a service job.
__________________
Syke
“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
H.L. Mencken, (1926)
Syke
“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
H.L. Mencken, (1926)
04-11-11, 11:04 PM
#10
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,513
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,391 Times
in
2,092 Posts
Closest thing to a 25" Sports that was noted in the US catalog was the 1977, 3-speed incarnation of the Sprite; which was available as a 25" frame.
That's a post-1982/3, UK model. The frame differs immensely from the earlier models; they basically engineered a new Sports/Superbe frame for these. FYI, fork is slightly tweaked; it's seen a minor front ender.
-Kurt
That's a post-1982/3, UK model. The frame differs immensely from the earlier models; they basically engineered a new Sports/Superbe frame for these. FYI, fork is slightly tweaked; it's seen a minor front ender.
-Kurt
__________________
Last edited by cudak888; 01-29-22 at 09:14 PM.
04-11-11, 11:31 PM
#11
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
It looks like a 23 and we have a 23 inch Superbe down at the co-op... it is complete save for wheels.
$550.00 is a really steep price... a really nice and completely serviced example here would sell for $350.00 - $400.00 which is not a bad deal when you consider you can't get a new bike as nice as this for that kind of change.
$550.00 is a really steep price... a really nice and completely serviced example here would sell for $350.00 - $400.00 which is not a bad deal when you consider you can't get a new bike as nice as this for that kind of change.
04-12-11, 12:18 AM
#12
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,513
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,391 Times
in
2,092 Posts
Steep starting price, but I've seen Superbes fetch more with proper pictures. Sheldon and the OldRoads.com forum created a demand for the Superbes after talking them up so much. In reality, they're no better than any run-of-the-mill Sports with a few extra trimmings - and a S5 hub to drive you nuts.
A more worthy object to collect are pre-1965 Sports; especially pre-1960. Now those are well-built, respectable machines. They're still quite a few around, but not nearly as many in active circulation as the slap-dash '70s models.
-Kurt
A more worthy object to collect are pre-1965 Sports; especially pre-1960. Now those are well-built, respectable machines. They're still quite a few around, but not nearly as many in active circulation as the slap-dash '70s models.
-Kurt
__________________
04-12-11, 05:07 AM
#13
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 15,944
Bikes: Two wheeled ones
Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times
in
174 Posts
I don't know if it's because the area I'm in has tons of them, but you will not get over $250 for a Raleigh 3 speed here...you won't break $150 unless it has the Brooks on it.
04-12-11, 08:09 AM
#14
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,513
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,391 Times
in
2,092 Posts
I've seen a mint 1976 Coffee Superbe pull $700+ about three/four years ago. Not that I believe for a minute that it was worth it.
-Kurt
-Kurt
__________________
04-12-11, 08:15 AM
#15
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 15,944
Bikes: Two wheeled ones
Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times
in
174 Posts
Kurt - I had a 1954 Raleigh Sports, my Dad's Bar Mitzvah gift from 40 years ago, in good condition, with generator hub and original lights...and I couldn't get $200 for it. It pained me to sell it, but my dad wanted it gone, I didn't have the space at the time and it didn't fit. I also just don't like that style of bike.
Of all the bikes I've ridden and sold...that's the only one I really regret selling.
Of all the bikes I've ridden and sold...that's the only one I really regret selling.
04-12-11, 08:46 AM
#16
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,513
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,391 Times
in
2,092 Posts
Kurt - I had a 1954 Raleigh Sports, my Dad's Bar Mitzvah gift from 40 years ago, in good condition, with generator hub and original lights...and I couldn't get $200 for it. It pained me to sell it, but my dad wanted it gone, I didn't have the space at the time and it didn't fit. I also just don't like that style of bike.
Of all the bikes I've ridden and sold...that's the only one I really regret selling.
Of all the bikes I've ridden and sold...that's the only one I really regret selling.
-Kurt
__________________
Last edited by cudak888; 01-29-22 at 09:15 PM.
04-12-11, 08:51 AM
#17
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 15,944
Bikes: Two wheeled ones
Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times
in
174 Posts
As memory serves, I offered it here at $150 and no one bit (probably the shipping). Not even an offer. I'm telling you, I had to WORK to sell it for $150. They just aren't worth much in my experience. They also seem to usually run large...I have a gut feeling that folks rode larger bikes back then.
04-12-11, 08:55 AM
#18
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,513
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,391 Times
in
2,092 Posts
As memory serves, I offered it here at $150 and no one bit (probably the shipping). Not even an offer. I'm telling you, I had to WORK to sell it for $150. They just aren't worth much in my experience. They also seem to usually run large...I have a gut feeling that folks rode larger bikes back then.
-Kurt
__________________
04-12-11, 12:17 PM
#20
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Rhode Island (an obscure suburb of Connecticut)
Posts: 5,630
Bikes: one of each
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times
in
12 Posts
+1. The earlier bikes were so well put together. They're way nicer to work on. The nuts and bolts are polished a little more, the spokes are stainless, the chrome is a little better, the paint is better. I could go on. Trouble is, that kind of thing doesn't show in an Ebay picture. You can see a Brooks and a rack no matter how cheap the seller's camera phone is.
04-12-11, 12:49 PM
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Southwest Michigan
Posts: 1,554
Bikes: Fuji Monterey, Schwinn Traveler, Fuji Special Road Racer, Gitane Interclub, Sun EZ-1, Schwinn Frontier, Puch Cavalier, Vista Cavalier, Armstrong, Raleigh Sports, Schwinn Stingray
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I just want on old 25" Sports, it doesn't have to be really old. The ones I already have are too small for me.
04-12-11, 03:24 PM
#23
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,513
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,391 Times
in
2,092 Posts
Then get a 25" 1977 Raleigh Sprite 3-speed. It's as close as you'll ever get. Pretty much a Sports frame made for 27" wheels in the size you need.
-Kurt
-Kurt
__________________
04-12-11, 08:33 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Lawrence, Kansas
Posts: 155
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
