Totoro

Sounds like a bargain, if it is in good condition. Vintage bikes seem much cheaper in Europe.

Stadjer

Could be, but this one hasn't vintage status yet. Seller initially wanted 175 euro's for it a couple of months ago, and I didn't think that was unreasonable just for the quality of the bike as a means of transport, but rarity makes the price and after no one made a bid for 2 months he realized it was much too young for that price. If I walk out my front door there are about a 100 bikes parked in a stretch of 100 yards in front of the student housing next door, and about 20 of them are of the same generation, and even one is the same brand in the same seventies colour. In far worse conditon and without the rod brakes, but still a very usuable bike, and in the underground parking lot of my own appartment block there's a brown seventies bike from a different brand.

Even if you have 30's bike in good condition that will last another 50 years and is relatively rare because a lot of bikes went to Germany during the war you're not going to get 400 euro's for it, because a serious collector knows that after the Wall Street Crash of '29 manufacterers started cutting corners... I'd really like to say that the Dutch bike industry did a lot of excting innovations, and they did have a lot of different truss frames and came up with different technical solutions in the drive train, but I'm afraid most innovation and advertisement until the 70's was about paint jobs and quality of alloys, "guaranteed rustfree" and stuff like that, durability was the selling point. The truss frames, suspension frames, bakers bikes with original wooden crate, 3-speed kick back gearboxes, cycloid ball bearing bikes are collectible, but the ordinary diamond frame roadster or 'oma' was just too durable to get rare within a century.

I'm very happy with my bike, but it's not like it has attracted any attention at all. I told my friends I rode it 30 km's home, and they asked how my injured ankle did hold up, not about the bike. It's got a flat on the rear now, the old rubber of the tube appearantly cracked at the edge of the valve stem. The rear wheel has never been out and I'm going to change the inner tube without taking it out also, because the drive train is better left alone unless it's really necessary. I'm never going to get it back in as good as it is now, these drivetrains are made to maintain, taking apart shouldn't be necessary unless it has been run over by a truck or something.

tpadul 

Very cool Totoro!!!!!! Yeah, I wouldn't clean it up too much so they don't steal it, very nice!!!! You really found that in the garbage?? Wow.. I thought someone would have tried to at least sell it for a couple of dollars

tpadul 

We just picked up a 1976 Raleigh Sports yesterday for only $50.. It's in pretty decent shape, we will be taking it in for a Tune up soon and it will probably need new brakes. But not bad for $50. I noticed it doesn't have any back brakes and I think all these models had both front and back brakes. I had to take off the front light and the back light that ran with a generator as they were broken, but we won't be doing any riding at night so I think we can keep the lights off the bike. This 1976 model had the vinyl Brooks Saddle and it would be nice to replace it with a leather one. The 3 speeds still work well and it rides pretty nice.

1976 Raleigh Sports 3 speed by Michelle Padula, on Flickr

DaytonaMike

This may be old news but I discovered that a 58mm/62mm Hook Spanner works perfectly on an AW ball ring. I have always used the punch and hammer method but recently had the punch slip and gouge a spoke. Did not break but it really bothered me. I paid $10 for this one on e bay, used and ugly. A bit of steel wool and an oil rub down and it works perfectly. If you own one 3 speed and will only take it apart once, if ever, not really worth it but for someone building a fleet, worth the hunt. Will need a strap wrench or chain whip if the hub is not in the wheel. I never liked taking a hammer to the hub anyway.

thumpism

Looks like you might have the coaster brake 3-speed rear hub, the 3SC. I think I spy a coaster brake strap on the left chainstay.

tpadul 

Is this what you are referring to? Ok, then can you tell me if those rear coaster brakes are any good or should or can we add the hand brakes to the rear? I had no idea that this model came with rear coaster brakes, but I was wondering what they thing was in the back, I thought it had something to do with the 3 speed gear shift.

0828161648a by Michelle Padula, on Flickr

thumpism

The left chainstay; your military left, as they used to say in Basic Training. Photo below shows the coaster brake arm on the left side of the hub that is held to the left chainstay by a CB strap that wraps around the stay. Your pic shows the gear cable and indicator chain on the right side that does indeed work the shifting.


I personally don't like coaster brakes but they work. Absolutely no need to add a rear handbrake if your CB works and you are happy with it. Good price for the bike. They usually go for about twice that, or more.

BigChief 

Nice bike! I always liked this silver color.
It would be simple to add a rear hand brake to this bike if you're more used to riding that way. I am. Then, you'd have 3 brakes.

tpadul 

We just might add the rear brakes if it doesn't cost too much, which I don't think it will. The rear coaster brake actually works, I just checked it out. Pretty cool though.

Brynley

Out for a spin on my last day of summer vacation

BigChief 

Wow! What a beauty. My very first 3 speed was a Rudge, which I stupidly sold. I'll always have a soft spot for them. I do have this one. Still on the hunt for a fork and fenders.

DQRider 

That's a great shot of a fine bicycle. Well done!

Where was that taken?

arex

DETAILS, MAN.

arex

Hunh...okay. Cool...I've never paid much attention to Pashley.

Totoro

I was surprised too. Usually discarded bikes go into a "take it or leave it" area, but this was thrown in the metal pile for scrap. It did have a lot of caked on grime, paint splashes, etc. So it looked even worse before I washed it up. It would have been a shame for her get crushed and melted down.

clubman 

Absolutely uncommon across the pond.

Fat Tire Trader 

Hello,
I just got a Raleigh Sports with fluted cranks. I don't remember seeing fluted cranks on a Sports before. Were they on bikes during certain years, or?
Thanks,
Chris

BigChief 

I don't think fluted cranks ever came standard on any DL-22 Sports models. Those would be from a more upscale model like a Lenton. Are those alloy rims I see?

Fat Tire Trader 

Since, almost everything else on this bike has been changed, it may be that the cranks came from a different model. Yes, the rims are aluminum, the bike came to me with 700c rims, Sturmey SR5w and mafac 2000 brakes, French bars, Japanese stem, Avocet saddle. and a bent steerer tube. The serial number is on the seat tube. I was not able to find it in any of the charts.

clubman 

I've had a couple of Sports with fluted cranks from the mid 50's, no detachable ring. Still have a set in good condition but no, they are not seen often.

tbo

The rear brakes are often quite weak anyway. You might stick with the coaster brake if it operates correctly and upgrade the front brake.

Level 1: Replace pads with KoolStop Salmon.
Level 2: Replace front wheel steel rim with a CR-18 aluminium rim. That's a combination of work and /or money.
Level 3: Replace front brake with Tektro R559. It's a straight, bolt-on replacement. That, along with the aluminium rim, turns this into a bike with a vintage ride and modern braking.

If you are keeping the rear coaster brake, changing out the rear rim for aluminium doesn't get you anywhere except that it is lighter than the steel and it matches the front (if you did that already.)

BigChief 

What tbo says is true, but personally, I don't change the brakes or rims on my Raleighs. Salmon Kool Stops do work very well, but they're expensive. I'm perfectly happy with the old fashioned steel brakes and rims on my bikes even with the cheaper grey pads.The trick to getting good braking from these bikes is to have a good cable adjustment, fresh pads, true wheels and a very clean surface on the rims for the pads to grip.

RobbieTunes

Mine's a '59, same color, definitely not fluted cranks.

RobbieTunes

i.e.: good maintenance.

who'da thunk it?