Originally Posted by arex

I'm not sure if this is where this post should go, but it seemed best.

I won an auction for a 1974 Raleigh Sports frame and fork, along with the bottom bracket and headset. No wheels or crank. I don't intend to restore it or anything, I plan on simply turning it into a fun and good bike to ride, using modern components where necessary or easier.

I have no experience with these British bikes, though. I've learned a lot from reading Sheldon Brown and the "For the Love of English 3-speeds" thread. I think I have a handle on a lot of this stuff, but I have some questions and I'd like some ideas and opinions on this project.

1. WHEELS - I'd like to go with a more modern wheel size, either 700C or a "proper" 26" rim. It's unclear to me which size is closer to the original 26x1-3/8 wheels. As I'll explain later, I may or may not go with a simple coaster brake, so wheel size may be irrelevant. However, if I do go with caliper brakes, are 26" rims only going to cause me problems with reaching the braking surfaces? Brown seems to indicate so, but I'm not sure. And, if I go with 700C, is the tire going to be so far up into the fork that I can't fit a reasonably chunky tire (1.75")? Is there a compelling reason to go with the original wheel size, outside of "correctness"?

700c has no problem fitting, neither do 27" wheels. Youll have to ditch the raleigh fenders with 27's.

2. BRAKES - I'd LIKE to go with a coaster brake for simplicity's sake and to eliminate cables. However, it's hilly around here and I'm kind of a fat bastard, so I'm a little worried about fade or overheating. I haven't been on a coaster-brake bike since I was a scrawny kid, so I don't have any recent experience with riding a coaster bike to know what it's like for me now. I haven't worked with caliper brakes in quite a while (only cantilever), so I'm hoping someone can recommend some decent-yet-economical calipers that should work with 700C rims and tires on this sort of frame. If I go with a 26" rim, I'm probably just going to go coaster.

Weinmann 750's work fine, as do any of the longer reach old centerpulls that were on schwinns and such along with sidepulls. Or Tektro dual pivots.

3. REAR HUB - I've already eliminated the SA 2-speed kickback hub...too many people seem to have serious problems with them. I'd LIKE to go with the SRAM 2-speed hub (with or without a coaster brake; again, to eliminate another cable), but I worry about having a sufficient range of gearing with just two speeds (hills, fat), unless I use a big rear cog and bring the whole range down. The SA AW 3-speed hub has attractive gear ranges, but again, I'm trying to go simple. Also, if I get a SA 3-speed hub, should I go with a new unit (I'm having trouble finding one with an OLD under 130mm), or should I get an old one and clean it up? The reliability of the old ones sounds awesome, but it seems like a crapshoot buying an old one. The new AW hub kits are priced attractively, but I don't know what their reliability is like.

I'd say the newer ones are more reliable then the old ones...but rebuilding the old ones are cake. So its a draw.

4. CRANK - I've also bought a spiffy old Crane Head crankset to match the cottered BB. I do have experience with cottered cranks, so I'm not too worried by that. Gearing is my concern, since there's limits on the size of the rear cog. Would I be better off in the long run replacing the BB and crank with something that has a replaceable variety of chainrings? The flexibility would be cool, but I could see that getting pretty pricey.

I went down to the co-op, found an mtb (73mm) spindle, used standard sized loose ball bearings in the raleigh cups, and mounted a standard square taper (in this case, it was a sakae sx) crank on the bike.

...or am I overthinking all of this? Please let me know.