Old Raleigh Restoration
 

Hey all, I came home from school a few days ago and went into my attic and was suprised to find an old Raleigh Sprite 27. This bike looks like it was really nice in the 70s and with a little TLC could be nice again. The frame and the fenders are a bit rusty, and the tires are flat and worn.

I would like to put drop handlebars on it, but I took it to a local bike shop (which I don't really trust) and they told me that the I wouldn't want to do that. It looks like it would work fine with drop bars to me and I was wondering if anyone had any comments on that. I have a link to a picture of the bike with some specs.

Also, I was wondering if there was a good resource for all the things I should check and repair, I'm a bit of a newbie, but i know the end of a wrench.
I know the bike needs new paint because of the rust, and the chain needs to be cleaned.

Any help is greatly appreciated

http://retroraleighs.com/catalogs/19...sprite-27.html

I have to agree with the guys in your LBS. You have a classic in your hands and I think you should recover the bicycle just like it is whith the original components and original spirit. Tires and tubes you will have to change. Chrome you may clean with steel wool (very thin one) and car wax. Paint try to clean with a first layer of WD40 and after well rubbed with a cloth, just aply wax on the paint. Check mechanisms and regrease them and you are going to get your self a classic machine that everyone on the street will look at it. If you want a drop bar bicycle there are much more advanced machines now-a-days. Save some money and buy one.

Yeah -- don't put drop bars on it. The Sprite was meant to be the 'townie' 10-speed, as opposed to the Record and Grand Prix models, which were designed more as pure road bikes. Besides, you'd have to come up with a different set of brake levers -- the Weinmann upright-style levers won't work with drops. The brake cables use different end slugs too, and would need to be swapped out.

If you really want to lower the bar height, consider an old trick from back in the day, and flip the bars upside-down; it's called 'Clubman' style, and you can still use the same levers and grips.

Sprites are cool old bikes -- lots of style -- but it would be a mistake to try to turn it into something it's not. If you have your heart set on a roadie, you won't have much trouble finding a new home for the Sprite; sell it and use the cash to buy an old Grand Prix (and no, I'm not just saying that because I have one for sale ;) ).

I've restored a bunch of old Raleighs; if you want, e-mail or PM me and I'd be glad to give you whatever help I can.