EraserGirl

The person who posted their images is asking for information on their new bike.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/3472541...7621891512800/

noglider 

Thanks. I posted a comment.

nlerner

The 1939 Raleigh catalog is on the RetroRaleighs site:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroral...1939/index.htm

I do wonder if that Raleigh shown is from 1937. The downtube lettering doesn't look right, but I can't make out the markings on the hub.

Neal

kbjack

^Agreed. 1973 is probably closer to the truth.

David Newton

Tom, you should wear your beret' around here too, looks cool.

EraserGirl

perhaps if we ask for more images?

cudak888 

Not entirely. Stainless rims probably date from the '50s, while the serial would suggest late '40s (though I have nothing quite like it in my serial chart). I'd like to see the dropouts on this thing to be absolutely sure.

-Kurt

rhm

The trigger shifter appears to be a 60's model. When did they stop making 4-speed shifters? Did they still make the FG hub that late? I'm thinking this bike has been worked on a lot over the years, and many parts have been replaced. Someone could have added 1970's decals to an earlier frame.

cycleheimer

On Flickr, check outthe 480 photos and catalog pages currently posted by grubb 1937. They are both interesting and informative.

cycleheimer

This DL-1 is currently on NY CL.

Vintage Raleigh, Rod brakes, Dyno Hub - $350 (Katonah, 10536)

Date: 2009-07-29, 7:50AM EDT

Reply to: sale-pjgec-1294741718@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

https://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/bik/1294741718.html


vintage Raleigh, 1950's with rod brakes and full chain guard. dyno hub with orig lights. I bought this bike from the original owner in 1974, and have had it on display on my wall for the last 11 years. $350, 914 xxx xxxx

• Location: Katonah, 10536
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 1294741718

cudak888 

^
Craigslist bike is a Raleigh Dawn.

-Kurt

nlerner

Fwiw, the 1935 Raleigh catalog is now up on Mark Bulgier's site. Some great images (photos?) of period bikes:

https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/Retro-Raleighs/

Neal

fellow_iyke

Hi guys and gals,

I'm the owner of the bike in question. I should start by saying thank you so much EraserGirl for pointing me to this and starting this thread, and everyone for there input and I’ll work my way through the information... probably asking questions as i go.

As far as the age of the bicycle, the person I got it off was in his mid 80's and he said it was his late cousins who as far as he knew had it from new and said it was circs 1930's.

I did do a bit of hunting on the web before posting on flickr and came across Sheldon Browns website which pointed out looking at the rear hub in order to date it. The Sturmey Archer Dyno-Four Hub has the letters FG 6 12 on it as well as all the patent stuff. Which as far as i can tell the single number means 1930 the 6 for 1936 and the 12 is the month meaning December. I also looked for the frame no. but to no avail.

There are three colours of paint in the bike. Red which seems to be the bottom layer, unsure if this is like a primer/base coat or if its a top coat. The main colour is the one you see in the photos a dark British Racing Green and the other is also a green which seams to have just been dotted around as a patch up paint for rust spots and scratches, etc. The decals i have no idea about as well as pretty much everything else on the bike.

I have started to take the bike apart cleaning, degreasing, etc as i go. The bike rides very well considering its condition and hopefully will make a very nice weekend rider.

I'll put more detailed pictures up on flickr later today, including the dropouts for cudak888.

Thank you so much again for you input everybody, its much appreciated.

Keep it coming

nlerner

According to the timeline on the Sturmey Archer heritage site, the FG hub didn't appear until 1948.

Neal

fellow_iyke

New pictures up here https://www.flickr.com/photos/34725412@N05/ with links to larger size. I have also added links to larger sizes on the previous images.

Pictures of dropouts for cudak888 included.

nlerner your right the linked picture states 1947 -1960. heres a link to a picture of the hub on the bike, see what you think https://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?i...828&size=large. Looking closer at the 6 it could actually be an 8.

As for the red paint it does seam to be glossy so could it possibly have been a posties bike?

Cheers everyone

fellow_iyke

I think you maybe right. From pictures i've seen on my travels they seem to look more like a tradesman/butchers bike with a front carrying rack.

I just can't see why somebody would want to paint it red.

EraserGirl

Can someone tell me how the lock on the fork works?
i have never seen one of these in real life.

fellow_iyke

The lock on the forks locks the wheels straight so you can't turn the handlebars. Making it harder for a thief to run of with it. Unfortunatey i dont have the key.

fellow_iyke

So from the information/pictures so far, would the conclusion be that this is a December 1948 model even though its a single 8 instead of 48.

Would people recommend that I restore it or just recondition it? Would taking it back to bear metal and repainting it black be a sin, seen as though its obviously been done a few times before. Any information to what’s the best paint for the job and anywhere that do decals etc, would be a great help.

Image of the hub below:

noglider 

I recall a conversation I had with John S Allen in 1981. (Yes, really.) He told me that the FG hub is a four-speed hub, and it's really a five-speed hub with one gear defeated. I don't remember if it's the top or the bottom ratio. In theory, you could get the fifth gear from it, but I don't remember if you can do it in practice.

He knows a heck of a lot about Sturmey Archer hubs.