Hi
 

I'm new here and recently thought about getting a vintage English bike, probably a Raleigh. I could restore it but don't want to ruin it.

Like I said, I'm new here so give me time to read the past threads but wanted you to know I'm interested in what you folks are :)

Thanks Folks!

Welcome to Bike Forums and that project sounds really sweet.

I am a big fan of vintage Raleighs and have a few three speeds (among others) and really learned a lot from none other than Sheldon Brown, god rest him.

Not new to Bike Forums but new to C & V

What part of New Hampshire are you in? I'm just over the border in South Berwick, ME.
Ben

Hi! Raleighs are OK. :rolleyes: Schwinns are better! :D Just kidding! ;)

All the bikes shown in C&V are great and you've come to the best place to ask your questions. Probably the best bet is to find the bike you want, buy it (or have someone give you one, or find it at the dump, etc.), take great pictures to post, and then start asking us questions. 100% satisfaction gaurenteed! :D

BTW, where in NH? I'm up in the deep snow around Mt. Kearsarge and Lake Sunapee.

Hey Sailor, I don't really like the way that sounds.

I'm in Claremont but will be moving this summer to Lebanon or W Leb. Closer to work. This town just doesn't get a any better.

Thanks Pastor!

Oh heck I used to hike Kearsage multiple times / yr. we'll have to get together.

Gosh, we're in each other's backyards. Are you certain you don't want a Schwinn? ;) You'll need the gears because it's all up hill from there to here! :p Even in Lebanon there are too many hills :eek: for a 3 speed.

Eric! Go for the Schwinn as well :D . If you are nice to Pastor Bob, he could find you a gem at the Stump Dump!

He'll show you his beautiful Schwinn collection, as well.

East Hill

Hmmm....the only Schwinn I remember is a Continental. Ohhhhh! Probably the expensive one!

Thanks for chiming in Lanky Lass :) hey I don't have my star yet! lol

Alright now I'm giddy,

What is the Stump Dump?

Send an e-mail to Brian, with a cut and paste copy of your Paypal receipt. The expensive Schwinns are the Paramounts. If you are nice, Pastor Bob will put up photos of his herd.

Pastor Bob is a good shepherd to both his human and bicycle flock.

The Stump Dump is where people cruelly abandon beautiful old bicycles, and Pastor Bob has made it his secondary mission in life to rescue bicycles from the Stump Dump and repurpose them for a better, brighter future.

East Hill

Bob, I'm asking nicely, can you please post your herd?

Somewhere I saw a page where folks all wore tweed and period clothing AND Raleighs or other English bikes.....I wish I remembered the page.....

Pastor Bob has gone to tend to his flock...

He will be back later, though.

East Hill

what's brian's email, just found my paypal rec't

lol

Here's what you want -- 3-speeds only, no lycra allowed (already full for 2008):
http://www.3speedtour.com/

I can understand people being in love with Schwinns, but I have to admit that I'm partial to Raleighs, as a mass-produced bike type. (Peugeot is a whistle I apparently cannot hear). If you do intend to pursue an interest in Raleighs, I will be honest up front: one of the most difficult (though not totally insuperable) problems, especially with the Raleigh-built 3-speed and low-end road models like Grand Prix, right up through the 70s, is the "dreaded 26 TPI threading disease". For reasons not altogether understandable from this remove, Raleigh chose to equip many of these bikes with 26 threads-per-inch bottom brackets ( BBs of non-standard width, too) and steerer tubes (headset). This makes upgrading either difficult or very expensive (as in Phil Wood), and simple parts replacement a hair-pulling experience for many. It's weird, because Raleigh built most of their more expensive models using BSC threading standards -- 24 TPI for large-diameter items, which (thanks to the Japanese adoption of these, and the subsequent popularity of Japanese bikes and components) are now (for the most part) the ISO standards, now the most popular threading standard for bikes.

I was off conducting a funeral.

I'll put up tomorrow or later tonight the picture I took last April when it was "Schwinngtime in NH." :D

Got to go to the reception now.

Schwinn... heresy !

:)

I suffer from being in a place where there is an abundance of old Raleigh and Raleigh's captive brands like Phillip's and a shortage of Schwinn's... I have never seen a Paramount in real life but have seen many of Raleigh's Carlton built offerings.

Because of this the 26 tpi issue is really not the issue it is in the US where English made Raleighs tend to be rarer birds.

My little herd of Raleighs... this will surely inspire Pastor Bob to post much "better" looking bikes but they still won't be Raleighs.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/lentonshop4.JPG
1955 Lenton Sports, Reg Harris road model, double stepped fixed gear. Can you say 'holy grail" ?

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...arltonside.jpg
1973 Raleigh Carlton Gran Sport - when you just have the need for speed.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/phillips20b.jpg
1972 Phillips 20 folder - modified

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/78Superbe2.jpg
1978 Raleigh Superbe - my jewel.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...ighsports5.jpg
1954 Raleigh Sports 3 speed road bike - original

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/Forrest2.jpg
My other Phillip's 20 - modified

And you have to start them early...my daughter's 1971 3 speed which I am quite sure is a Raleigh.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...exnewride1.jpg

http://www.bikeforums.net/sendmessag...member&u=21542

He must be off enjoying the Utah sun :) .

East Hill

:o:o:o:o:o:o

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...nBikeswide.jpg

Nice herd.

Those Raleigh's tend to follow me home just as your Schwinn's follow you.

I love Raleigh's

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...f/100_0032.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...0/DSCN1832.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...f/DSCN2075.jpg

Two more Grand Prix's, and a 60's Raleigh built BSA keep them company.

C&V bikes just seem to capture the imagination.

Pastor Bob must have hanging on the wall adjacent to where the bikes are kept the advert slogan from yesteryear:

Boy I Like My Schwinn Bike, Schwinn is the Finest BIKE!

With apologies to Capt. Kangaroo

And I will confess I do own a Schwinn now, and a tandem at that.

The others were sold decades ago to buy various Campagnolo bits