Try to find out the story of this Raleigh bicycle.
 

Cannot post photos due to being a new user😁, But the details of the bicycle is as follows. All steel 28" dark green color, 3 speed SA rear hub + brooks B73 seat, Miller dynamo and lamps, rear hub dated to 1956 but not sure about the frame. In the seat post serial mentioned as DL61931. Front fork has a key and Raleigh logo sticker.

Welcome!! You can post a picture to your album in your user profile and someone will post it up into this thread until you get 10 post.

Similar description to a Superbe or Tourist.

thank you 🙏🙏🙏 i have uploaded some pics 👍

in the chain guard it mentioned only RALEIGH in yellow then under that ALL STEEL. can you see my album photos?

Let's see if this works... Pic assist?

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e73fa1c9f8.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...662f619be5.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b60f64aa02.jpg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...282d0fe9da.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...580c1c5598.jpg

Paging cudak888 our early Raleigh Sports wunderkind! :D

That is a roadster/DL1 model. Trying to figure out why it has front and rear dynohubs.

It has sturmey archer 3 speed rear hub dated to 1956. What can be the manufacturing year of this frame?

It has sturmey archer 3 speed rear hub dated to 1956. What can be the manufacturing year of this frame?

I have a 52 sports with a BE serial number. 56 sounds about right for a DL serial. The front hub should be dated also.

There is a website to match serial numbers to the year.

The indicator chain is a replacement so I'm thinking the rear wheel might be wrong. Post a pic of the shift trigger and refer to this page to narrow the date.

For a time, Raleigh used the letters to indicate either production facility or market. The Sports models of the 50's and 60's used RC, RA and RB for Canada, USA and the UK respectively. Maybe this was also true for DL's.

I'm thinking it's a '61 based on serial number and condition. Also, check the cantle plate under the Brooks saddle for a date stamp.

I texted cudak888 last evening and he is aware of this thread. He said he has a busy Saturday and will give this thread a close look on Sunday. He did take a quick look at the pictures on his phone and responded, "Very lovely!"

I know Brooks saddles are typically tilted nose up, but that is extreme.

Nice looking DL1 btw.

Interesting bike.
the detail shots of the frame show quite distressed paint.
the overall appeared better off.

the saddle is definitely adjusted to gelding territory.

interesting the Dynamo rear hub.
should have big light possible

When I worked in a Raleigh dealership in the mid-'70s, all of the Raleigh bike boxes were labeled with one or two letters followed by (if I remember correctly) three numerals, that being the model designation - except the DL1 bikes, whose boxes were labeled simply "DL1." Building one of the DL1 bikes always made me feel that I was in some small way part of Raleigh's lengthy history.

Nice looking bike. Not my style but a cool ride for farmers market ride with a couple of baskets. Yea... fix the seat , just looking st it makes me feel weak!

A big thank for all of you who comment on my post. As a newbie 😁 im getting obsesse with bicycles 🤣🤣. I have given the bicycle to a experienced person for the restoration and he mentioned this one have a quite a few odd things 🤣🤣🤣 the chain wheel arm is Raleigh ( stamped) but the chainwheel is humber ( 5 people holding hand type). According to him this bicycle came to sri lanka back in 1950-1960 😁.

thank you so much🙏🙏 im getting this restored and will take few weeks to get it done. Another odd thing has been came to light with this, the chainwheel is humber ( 5 people holding hand ) and the arm is stamped with Raleigh marking 🤣 even the bike repair person told that this is the first time he see some like this in his 40year career 😁.

Thank you 🙏 given it for the restoration and will fix it 😁.

In our humid climate its very easy to get that type paint damage if not stored nicely. Actually the brown parts in the pic is not rust, its a primer 😁 at first glance i thought the same. Currently im working in Doha Qatar and this bicycle is in Sri Lanka and its getting restore by a friend of mine. Will update once done.

Wow 😮 nice to meet you 🙏 so what is your take on the 5 digit serial on this bicycle?