For the love of English 3 speeds...
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On the road
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We're in the middle of winter here. I'm doing some routine maintenance and adding retro LED lights to my three speeds. Here is a 1960s Schwinn Racer and a 1950 Schwinn Superior in for routine cleaning and to get the LED lights installed.
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Classic American and British Roadsters, Utility Bikes, and Sporting Bikes (1935-1979):
https://bikeshedva.blogspot.com/
Classic American and British Roadsters, Utility Bikes, and Sporting Bikes (1935-1979):
https://bikeshedva.blogspot.com/
Bikes are okay, I guess.
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Isn't Savoy a Japanese brand? That looks like a Shimano rear hub, I see a black left dust cover.
I seem to remember Savoy being somehow related to the Royce Union brand bikes in the 70's?
I had one years ago that I trash picked, I should have left it where I found it. Super heavy, cheap looking unilug headtube, Shimano 333 rear hub, off brand brakes that bent the first time I used them, and rims and chrome bits that rusted in minutes in the rain.
I seem to remember Savoy being somehow related to the Royce Union brand bikes in the 70's?
I had one years ago that I trash picked, I should have left it where I found it. Super heavy, cheap looking unilug headtube, Shimano 333 rear hub, off brand brakes that bent the first time I used them, and rims and chrome bits that rusted in minutes in the rain.
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That’s alotta hubs! Nice!
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While this is none of my f'n business, having had to unfortunately deal with 4 estates in the past 2 years, I hope all of the folks that have amassed such amazing collections of parts have a *written* plan for what to do with them in the event of their passing on. I can tell you through personal experience it is not easy as the executor who may not be involved in a hobby/vocation as deeply as the deceased to do justice to distributing years of collected treasures. And when dealing with the grief of losing a loved one decisions such as "toss it all out" are far too common.
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Bikes are okay, I guess.
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Raleigh Clubman 23" for $100 in VA. I see wingnuts and chrome socks and...
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...14189133177902
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...14189133177902

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While this is none of my f'n business, having had to unfortunately deal with 4 estates in the past 2 years, I hope all of the folks that have amassed such amazing collections of parts have a *written* plan for what to do with them in the event of their passing on. I can tell you through personal experience it is not easy as the executor who may not be involved in a hobby/vocation as deeply as the deceased to do justice to distributing years of collected treasures. And when dealing with the grief of losing a loved one decisions such as "toss it all out" are far too common.
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"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
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Raleigh Clubman 23" for $100 in VA. I see wingnuts and chrome socks and...
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...14189133177902

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...14189133177902

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While this is none of my f'n business, having had to unfortunately deal with 4 estates in the past 2 years, I hope all of the folks that have amassed such amazing collections of parts have a *written* plan for what to do with them in the event of their passing on. I can tell you through personal experience it is not easy as the executor who may not be involved in a hobby/vocation as deeply as the deceased to do justice to distributing years of collected treasures. And when dealing with the grief of losing a loved one decisions such as "toss it all out" are far too common.
The old guy was an avid woodworker, former mechanic and machinist, and retired Korean war vet.
They threw every last item the old guy had in the trash, luckily I saw it and got to it before the scrappers did. The old guy had a full wood shop, plus a metal lathe, tools boxes, welders, and tons of tooling.
He had 11 old bikes, most were 50's and 60's balloon and middleweights, and a ton of 50's Chevy parts.
All they saw was a big payday from selling the house.
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Here's final update on my 1940 Raleigh Sports Light Roadster project. It's now rideable! I took it around the block and was very happy with how it felt. I like these Schwalbe tires a lot. Gears and brakes worked fine (though gearing is a bit higher than I'm used to for a Sports). Thanks to @cudak888 for the tips on manufacturing a double-ended rear brake cable, to @BigChief for the period-correct stem, and to @clubman for being a bad influence.
Once again, the as-found pic:

And the as-of-this-morning pics:




Note the black housing on the reflector.

That's the original chain!

Twee saddle bag from my stash and original saddle.

Front, stem-mounted lamp bracket is particular to this era.

Original grips, I believe.

Hard to tell it's not the original cable end!
Once again, the as-found pic:

And the as-of-this-morning pics:




Note the black housing on the reflector.

That's the original chain!

Twee saddle bag from my stash and original saddle.

Front, stem-mounted lamp bracket is particular to this era.

Original grips, I believe.

Hard to tell it's not the original cable end!
www.theheadbadge.com
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That is in better shape than my '51. Just outstanding.
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Glad to be of service.

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Here's final update on my 1940 Raleigh Sports Light Roadster project. It's now rideable! I took it around the block and was very happy with how it felt. I like these Schwalbe tires a lot. Gears and brakes worked fine (though gearing is a bit higher than I'm used to for a Sports). Thanks to @cudak888 for the tips on manufacturing a double-ended rear brake cable, to @BigChief for the period-correct stem, and to @clubman for being a bad influence.
Note the black housing on the reflector.
That's the original chain!
Twee saddle bag from my stash and original saddle.
Front, stem-mounted lamp bracket is particular to this era.
Original grips, I believe.
Hard to tell it's not the original cable end!
Note the black housing on the reflector.
That's the original chain!
Twee saddle bag from my stash and original saddle.
Front, stem-mounted lamp bracket is particular to this era.
Original grips, I believe.
Hard to tell it's not the original cable end!
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Here's final update on my 1940 Raleigh Sports Light Roadster project. It's now rideable! I took it around the block and was very happy with how it felt. I like these Schwalbe tires a lot. Gears and brakes worked fine (though gearing is a bit higher than I'm used to for a Sports). Thanks to @cudak888 for the tips on manufacturing a double-ended rear brake cable, to @BigChief for the period-correct stem, and to @clubman for being a bad influence.
Once again, the as-found pic:
And the as-of-this-morning pics:

Note the black housing on the reflector.
That's the original chain!
Twee saddle bag from my stash and original saddle.
Front, stem-mounted lamp bracket is particular to this era.
Original grips, I believe.
Hard to tell it's not the original cable end!
Once again, the as-found pic:
And the as-of-this-morning pics:

Note the black housing on the reflector.
That's the original chain!
Twee saddle bag from my stash and original saddle.
Front, stem-mounted lamp bracket is particular to this era.
Original grips, I believe.
Hard to tell it's not the original cable end!

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Inflate Hard
Inflate Hard
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Here's final update on my 1940 Raleigh Sports Light Roadster project. It's now rideable! I took it around the block and was very happy with how it felt. I like these Schwalbe tires a lot. Gears and brakes worked fine (though gearing is a bit higher than I'm used to for a Sports). Thanks to @cudak888 for the tips on manufacturing a double-ended rear brake cable, to @BigChief for the period-correct stem, and to @clubman for being a bad influence.
Once again, the as-found pic:

And the as-of-this-morning pics:




Note the black housing on the reflector.

That's the original chain!

Twee saddle bag from my stash and original saddle.

Front, stem-mounted lamp bracket is particular to this era.

Original grips, I believe.

Hard to tell it's not the original cable end!
Once again, the as-found pic:

And the as-of-this-morning pics:




Note the black housing on the reflector.

That's the original chain!

Twee saddle bag from my stash and original saddle.

Front, stem-mounted lamp bracket is particular to this era.

Original grips, I believe.

Hard to tell it's not the original cable end!
Full Member
Soldered end brake cable
Is there a tutorial somewhere how to make a cable with two soldered ends for these old English bikes.
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TigerTom
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—You just need to create a soldered end on the caliper side of the cable, so I clipped off the barrel I didn’t need from that Clark’s cable and sized it with the old cable (which isn’t as easy as it sounds; I made it too long my first try).
—I put the cable stop in my vise and used a small binder clip to hold the cable in place while I soldered.
—I lightly sanded the cable end, cleaned it off with an alcohol pad, slipped on a motorcycle throttle cable nipple ( https://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTORCYCLE-...-/132337628007) with the wide end just about flush with the cable end, and then fluxed the heck out of the cable and nipple.
—I heated the whole thing up with my soldering iron until the flux was smoking and sizzling and than applied a small amount of solder to the cable just above the nipple and then a bit more at the wide side of the nipple to form a dome. I practiced this technique first on some scrap cable to get a feel for how much solder was needed (you don’t need much).
—I cleaned up the new barrel end with a few strokes of a file to make it uniform.
I’ll recreate with some pics over the weekend.
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I've always used silver brazing wire to make up custom cables. This goes back to my vintage motorcycle days. You must use the proper flux. Lead solder flux won't do. Except for Sturmey Archer shifter cables. Lately, I have used 3/32" brass tubing fixed with JB Weld and a slight cinch in the tube for those.
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nlerner 's instructions are bang on.....a couple of other hacks that I tried (successfully) were: I used a cut down brass spoke nipple for the end (it fit in the brake arm perfectly and I have plenty of them lying around), and after inserting the cable but before soldering I "peened" over the cable end (more like spread it a bit) to form a slightly larger diameter that then took on solder. This is also an old motorcycle trick to help ensure a strong connection for brakes. I have no idea if true but I like to think the threads inside the nipple took on a bit more solder and created an even stronger wedge.