My Raleigh all steel, I think it call Lady Sport or Dutch style what the previous owner said. I have search on Google there is chassis number but it does not match on my chassis number. My investigation for the date has come end, I could not find anything that is why I want to ask for your help before I am start to restoration project. The chassis I.D. number near saddles it print 60618 AC the alloy rear is Sturmey-Archer 3 speed gear made in England 85-5 with plastic label on the lever but the print on alloy said it made in Holland I am confused now.

The number under the frame near the pedals I can't read out the first letter looks like P, B or R with H25 6NG 1 is this relation to postcode? on other side look like human error erase the numbers see my photo tell me what you think

sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/dating.html on section 1955-1966 AC is missing
Regards

You might try dating the Sturmey Archer hub, to get in the ballpark. I don't know the particulars of that but somebody here does.

Edit: The components might also have date stamps on them.

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I think the rear alloy spoke is not the original because it mark 'Made in Holland' should it be 40 spoke but this is 36 86-5 no other numbers

Yes, agree bike seems older than May 1985 hub date, likely a replacement. Look in "For love of English 3 speed" thread for more info, but it will take you weeks to get through the huge number of replies. Don

Lots of Dutch parts on this bike. The fenders, rear carrier and chainguard look to be Gazelle.

Thanks for the update, It looks like 'Gazelle'

It seem between AB 1957 and 1958 AD my is AC should be in the late 1957s well it enough to know approximate year. Thanks!

From the fabulous fifties.

The nipple rear reflector dates it between 1957-1960. Very nice bike I always liked the nicer preacher framed large step though's and thought they were very under appreciated in the US

1940s im guessing

My aim is to reuse the same parts as possible during the restoration, but the saddle cover is missing I can buy new leather cover from Ebay but the issue is I do not know which firm make? Brooks it can't be because it does not have spring on top it has to be Lycett or Wrights? I have notice two hole at the rear where it holds the leather box is missing or is supposed be like that?

You may want to ask [MENTION=73614]rhm[/MENTION] about the saddle... he does some work re-covering old saddles and has probably seen more than most.

Thanks appreciate for the link

Your saddle is (or was) what's called a "mattress saddle." They were made by Brooks, Wrights, Middlemores, and others. Could be Raleigh made them in house and branded them with one of those names. What's missing is a layer of padding (sometimes made of horse hair) with a fabric (often fake leather) on top.

Replacement saddle covers were commonly sold in bike shops. Here in the US the common brand was Mesinger, and Mesinger saddle covers still turn up on eBay occasionally.

Looking on eBay now, I don't see any. There was a blue one on a while back; here are its photos so you can see what I'm talking about:





Mesinger was an American company, and their saddle covers look great on a Schwinn. I am sure some UK manufacturer made something similar, and I'm sure you can still find them in the right old bike shop. That's your best bet. Good luck!

It is also possible to recover them yourself. You'll need to do a little bit of sewing. I haven't tried putting real leather on one, but I've thought about it. It's a crazy idea (I like it!). In fact I think I'll try it, just to see what becomes of it. If I do, I'll start a thread about it.

Here's a link to the closed listing on eBay|
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-Vintage-Mesinger-Bicycle-Blue-Seat-Cover-Schwinn-Middleweight-Monark-Higgins-/311929692444?hash=item48a075611c%3Ag%3AVy8AAOxyhotSNhxt&nma=true&si=%252FcQ1GYjF5q10hsFbKQBll7AWbE8% 253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557"]

I really appreciate it, I will try my best

I just realized: the place you are most likely to find one of these is on an old saddle. So again looking at eBay, I found a couple, such as this:

Vintage Black Mesinger Bike Saddle Cruiser Bicycle Seat-Coil Springs | eBay

That's clearly some piece of junk saddle with a Mesinger cover over it. It's overpriced by $20 or so, so I'm not recommending it, but maybe it'll give you an idea what to be looking for.

Now my brain start to picture up idea of saddles
thanks!

Two weeks still I could not find any saddle cover will fit to my because of narrow width also I am still haven't find who make them for, but I saw one on eBay I fell love the colour then I purchase it is called Wright Imperial label on back with Made in England (Wright Saddle Co. Ltd.) the width is wider than the original saddle on my bike it have 11 coil spring but the Wright is 8 coil spring with chrome frame the condition of saddle leather is fair, but it was very dirty and some snitch start to worn and peel separate but the horse hairs is in perfect condition so I washing with my hands it coming out lovely clear and it is ready for sewing up.

The width of saddle is something do with male and female for comfort? How old is this? the Brooks saddle company was take over the Wright and The Leatheries in what year?

At the width of these saddles, there's no width difference between men's and women's. On narrower saddles, women's saddles tend to be a little wider, but obviously both men and women fit a range of saddles with a great deal of overlap between them.

Women's saddles are also shorter in the nose, so they're easier to ride in a skirt. This is partly cosmetic, so women aren't embarrassed by the nose of the saddle sticking out in front... uh... you know.


I'm not sure when Brooks took over Wrights; must have been in the 50's sometime.

Thanks for more info.