GordoTrek

the rod brakes are part of the reason i love the bike, no way am i going to take those out... plus i want to keep it as original as possible

NormanF

They do stop! A 50 lb bike does have a plush Cadillac ride. A Raleigh roadster will never go fast but when you get up to speed, you enjoy the slow ride so much you forget the bike is built like a limousine.

NormanF

Ok. Drum brakes are also period correct and provide superb stopping power in wet weather. They are the same as those used in cars and would stop a heavy bicycle like a DL-1 instantly.

Salubrious

I get that... I think I ride my Superbe the most, despite most of my other bikes being faster.

GordoTrek

im not concerned at all with the weight of the bike, if i was i would probably have never even thought about owning a 3 speed, im comfortable with the stopping power, im used to it, and i never ride too fast to require immediate stopping power. i usually ride my sports on the weekend with my dad to go get a cup of coffee. good times..

FrankHudson

I finally got my Raleigh Sports (the SA hub says it's from 1951) back on the road. It had been damaged after a theft in in the '80s (I've owned it since 1977). I own bikes that go faster and farther with less effort. I own another bike that is a comfortable on short jaunts. But once you swing your leg over and start to ride it you're back in the mid 20th century and you feel like a gentleman on a ride. You're more upright than most any "upright" modern bike and those slack angles are smooth. I considered another sprung Brooks saddle, but I never bonded with the one it once had, thus the suspension seatpost. I keep looking for short (sub 5 mile) rides to places in "Raleigh distance" to go to.

I need to replace the handlebar grips next. And the pedal blocks are worn out. I see Harris has replacement rubber block pedals, but I have big wide feet and am considering a set of wide platforms. Are the pedal threads on Raleighs of this vintage the modern standard?

arex

Yeah, 9/16", 20tpi. A lot of pedals will fit.

[edit] Oh, wait..."of this vintage." Might not be.

SirMike1983 

They ride differently, which you mentioned. The DL-1's frame angle cannot be overlooked. It gives a different feel to the ride than the Sports has. I actually notice less difference in the wheel size and more in the frame angles of the DL-1 versus the Sports. I have examples of both types and like them each for what they are. I will admit I find the Sports more comfortable because I like a bike that is a little closer together than a DL-1. I don't look on the DL-1 as higher quality or higher luxury than the Sports, just different. Some people really like the open angles more, some don't.

GordoTrek

i understand your thoughts.. when i rode my dl-1 it felt like i was riding on a cloud, plus the look of it was really something that spoke to me. to each is own

JohnDThompson 

Yes, pedal threads are standard -- one of the few things that are on those old Raleighs.

You're in Minnesota; you should consider the next "Lake Pepin 3-Speed Tour" on that bike!

FrankHudson

That tour looks like a great event. Now if I can winter cycle enough next winter (heck, this year spring cycling was still winter cycling) maybe I can be in good enough shape for next May.

FrankHudson

Well I think I'm going to try and I'll be gentle in case the treading doesn't match. The pedal bearings are still smooth turning, but the metal ends are now way above worn rubber blocks.

JohnDThompson 

You don't need to be "in shape" for Lake Pepin. Seriously, that would be the antithesis of what that ride is all about...

ascherer 

On my '66, I was planning to do the same, but the new pedals (well, maybe they were NOS Union pedals, I don't recall) weren't built as well so I disassembled both and just used the blocks on the original pedal body.

hillikus

Been looking for a Raleigh Sports for both my wife and I for a few months, and low and behold one night while perusing craigslist I found these two gems that were listed for only $75 each! I immediately emailed the owner to ask if they were still for sale that that I would take them just from looking at the one fairly grainy photograph on the ad. I actually offered him more than he was asking in the hopes that he would hold them for me for a week until I could make the 4 hour one way trip to get them and as it turns out he was willing.

We picked them up yesterday and they appear to be 100% original down to the included documentation(which he said was never even removed from the bags on saddles) and even the "Calypso Coffee" touch up paint! The owners were an older couple that had bought them in the early 70s(hubs show 72 and 73 so I'm guessing model year 73s) and ridden them a handful of times total. They have been in their temperature/humidity controlled basement for over 20 years! Not even in their beautiful garage, but the basement. The Brooks B72s are in pristine condition, all of the chrome is beautiful with no pitting, not a spec of rust, and the paint only has a few dings here and there.

I haven't had a chance to clean them up, but they really don't need much of a cleaning! Original tires need to be replaced and the ladies bike is missing a tube, but I aired up the men's 23" and took it for a few miles this morning! Love them and hopefully this will be my wife's gateway drug to (vintage) bikes! I'll do a full post on the pair when I get them cleaned up and refurbed a bit, but for now I wanted to show off my score!
-H

auchencrow

Whoa, @hillikus, what a nice score! It looks like you snagged the larger frame for yourself too - Probably 8 out of 10 are the smaller size.

(PS - Make sure you re-grease all those bearings before riding- 40 years in even in a humidity controlled basement doesn't do anything to help the lubrication along).

autoteacher

Great advice and don't forget oil in the rear hub!

Excellent score!

hillikus

Thanks and yes I did score a 23" frame and being 6'1" that's what I was hoping for. The plan for now is to repack and regrease everything and right now I'm trying to figure out the best oil for the AW3. Heard 30 weight, ATF and a few other suggestions but haven't narrowed it down yet.

arex

I wouldn't use ATF. Sure, it lubricates an auto transmission just fine, but it's meant to be doing so while pressurized...something you won't see on a bike. It's relatively thin, and I'd worry about it washing the grease out of the bearings.

Nice bikes, btw.

Bandera

Very nice pair. You will enjoy them.

Sheldon Brown on IGH lubrication:

"Use machine oil, not a spray lube or other thin oil. Unless a hub has sealed bearings, also use grease, to form a seal at the bearings and help keep the oil in."

Internal-Gear Hubs

I use Phil Tenacious oil after the outboard bearings have been lubricated with a good quality grease.
A 30WT non-detergent oil works fine, like lawn mower oil.
Good excuse to get an old fashioned hand pump oiler w/ a long flexible neck to add the few drops of oil every so often and avoid making a mess.

Find a proper old school LBS that has a cotter pin press to remove them to service the BB, those OEM cotters are excellent quality and are getting rare & expensive.

-Bandera

crank_addict

+1
Although the rims on my Raleigh Tourist are badly corroded, I'm open to alternatives. Re-chrome cost is out of the question. Do you think it would be odd to take the rims off, strip and just paint them?

The bike is black so I was thinking of a splash of color, perhaps dark green, or burgundy and then pin stripe the edge. Of course the area where the pads contact is of no real concern.

GordoTrek

yellowjersey sells replacement rims.. price isn't terrible, considering i don't know anywhere else to find parts for these things.
https://www.yellowjersey.org/eastbits.html

kickstart

I have a 1935 sports light roadster, its the best of both worlds, the size of a 26" sport and the geometry of a 28" roadster. Speed and comfort.

FrankHudson

Hmmm. That's a thought. I have wide feet though. There's some comfort in a wide platform like I run on my other bikes.

ascherer 

13, bro. I hears ya.