I know all of you are probably waiting for the Raleigh Pro pics. Well...here they aren't Fact is, I need to get the "extras" of this lot serviced and sold so I can have room here again (I already have too many unremarkable flipper machines taking up space), so that means the Robin Hood - the most complete bike of the lot - gets a trip to the Park stand first.



This thing wouldn't be that remarkable if it wasn't for the fact that this appears to be its first substantial service since 1969. I took off the rear wheel, and found that the Sturmey SC's washers have made their imprint on the dropouts exactly once. That's it.

Today was the first time in 50 years that the rear wheel came off - since it was new.



Also evident of this were the tires, and what was in them: Matching Dunlop Champions with the original tubes and cloth rim strip. What really shocked me was how the cloth is kept together - with a chromed buckle at the valve stem. Despite all the English 3-speeds I've worked on, I've never come across one original enough to have this thing still in place. Given that it also latches into the threaded valve stem, it seems wholly unnecessary and difficult - I'm surprised the tube isn't more prone to puncture over it (I do realize, of course, that the sharpest edges are pointing towards the rim, not the tube. Still, surprising).






Apparently, the Dunlop Champion on the back decided that it'd had enough of darkeness, and decided to open the blinds up for a better view of the world. This didn't end well for the tube.



The rest of the bike is cleaning up nicely. Lugwork leaves a lot to be desired; it's gappy as heck. Typical Raleigh high-ten ("High Carbon Steel!") construction of the late '60s into the '80s - what else is new? Still, it presents nice. A shame about the rear fender.






-Kurt