BigChief 

I don't like parting out either. It's just that I'd love an S5 hub for my roadster. I put a bid on one once. Quit at $75. It sold for somewhere over 150 and that was without the bell crank. So yeah, it would end up back on CL with an AW hub asking 80. In any case, that should be a 200+ dollar bike.

3speedslow

I wouldn't part it out either, just liberate the rack. Plus take that kickstand off, maybe replace it with a friendlier one and get those Schwinn grips off for some black ones. Then clean up and send it out.

dweenk 

I have a friend in Richmond - the city of old 3 (and 5) speed Raleighs. He has bought a bike for me before, and I just gave his wife a pristine Peugeot mixte. I don't need another bike, but I am tempted.

Update - I just called my friend and asked him to buy it for me if it is still for sale.

3speedslow

I think this is the winter I am going to switch the steel rims on the 3 speed for some aluminium ones. The original wheels look brand new so I will reuse the spokes and just move them and hubs over to the CR-18 36 hole ones offered by QBP... fun project.

BigChief 

I hope the deal comes through for you. A couple years ago I bought a 21" S5 Sprite for 250. A bit under the usual price since it was missing it's Brooks saddle and rear rack. Once I had the shifters worked out, I fell in love with the S5. It solves every complaint I have about the AW. Great hub and this bike looks to be in pretty good shape. Only missing the saddle and hand grips as far as I can see from the picture.

dweenk 

Well, the ad was taken down when I had a chance to check this afternoon. That means my friend was either a)able to get the bike or b)too late. I'll know later when he calls.

thumpism

Good luck. I got no response to my email after BigChief shamed me into giving it a try.

SirMike1983 

Warm dry weather this fall here in Virginia. Today was nice. I took a ride down to the local nature area. The leaves really are turning now.

Dsprok

The Canadian department store was Eatons.
They were huge in Canada for around a century.
Went bankrupt a couple decades ago.

dweenk 

Wow. My friend bought the bike for less than the asking price. He said that the paint is in very good shape except for the head tube (maybe a basket brace abraded it there). He will bring it to me in December when he visits his parents if I am unable to get to Richmond before then.

I am looking forward to working with an S5 hub, and I have a Velo Orange Model 5 sprung saddle and original Raleigh black grips waiting for it.

BigChief 

Excellent! Congrats. You got a super deal there. Now, this is just me. I see others here use the original top tube shifters, but I couldn't get reliable or easy shifting from them. I found that a regular 3 speed handlebar shifter works perfectly for the right side. I used the normal short cable casing to the front of the top tube fulcrum clip and bare cable over a pulley to the indicator chain. For the left side, I used a handlebar mounted SunTour power shifter and long cable casing all the way to a chainstay mounted cable stop that the bike had originally to the bell crank. The only shift that's tricky and needs some finesse is going from medium ratio mode (bell crank disengaged) to extra wide ratio mode ( bell crank engaged). all the other shifts are smooth and easy.

3speedslow

My lucky day!

Thumpism was able to swing by the co-op and pick up the brown 23"Raleigh frame for me. Also found the rear fender in the shop as well. That leaves a front fender to locate. Should be able to move everything over from my 21" Sport.

Big Thanks go out to BF Thumpism for helping me. Good bikey karma coming his way.

Could trade a front/ rear set in blue for a brown front fender.

thumpism

Sportses!

Here's my brown 23" Sports bike and the brown 23" Sports frame I got for 3speedslow. Interesting to see the differences. His has DT-mounted pump pegs and mine does not. Decals are different on frames and chainguards. Mine has the serial number stamped on the back of the seat tube just below the seat cluster and his has it stamped on top of the seat lug; you could read it while sitting on the seat. And his has the tape bands, of course. His paint is in better shape than mine. I think he'll be happy with it.
Sportses!.jpg

thumpism

And, of course, while digging around in the co-op's dark and dusty back room while getting the Sports frame I spotted something I might have to go back and get for myself. What got my attention was the glimpse of an indicator chain and the glint of a Sturmey rear hub shell. Time for a closer look.

The decals for Garage Meier AG on the rear and front fenders indicate that it sold in a Euro shop; the name of the town on the sticker is Nussbaumen, which is in Switzerland. Bike looks German, like the old Jaguars with green-white fade paint jobs that turned up occasionally in the '70s, but the thing was buried and I did not have time to dig it out. Hub date 78, really nice alloy full chainguard, probably stainless full fenders perforated for skirtguard lacing and, this is the clincher for me, alloy 700C wheels. It's missing the handlebars and grips that are probably serving duty on some hipster's fixie.

Too bad it's not a men's 23" frame but it would make a killer 'hood ride for my wife or just something nice to hang up. If this is the "bikey karma" mentioned by 3speedslow that's okay, but it'll help if the frame tubes are full of gold dust or something.

Velo Meier is still in business: https://www.velo-meier.ch/

Meier1.JPG

Meier2.jpg

Meier3.jpg

Meier4.jpg

erileykc

Visited a friend, who makes a bit of his income on estate sales, riding my 79 Tourist today and he was surprised to see my Raleigh. "Is that a 27 inch he asked, wish I'd known you were a fan" He had just bought and resold an assortment of 1960s roadsters in mint condition. Teeth grinding moment.

wahoonc

Different years. Yours may be a Sports Standard. Does it happen to have a small sticker at the bottom of the seat tube saying it was made in Malaysia?

Aaron

thumpism

Malaysia? MALAYSIA?!? Them's fightin' words, boy. Nope, "Made in England" is what it says on the chipped little decal.

Different years was already discussed on the previous page after the discovery of the frameset was reported.

wahoonc

Raleigh bikes were made in a LOT of different countries, sometimes under license other times Raleigh owned the plant. Places like Africa, Ireland, India and Malaysia, as well as the USA.

I have a 1970 Raleigh Sport Standard that was made in Malaysia. The two most notable differences are the lack of pump pegs and the fact it used the Endrick pattern rims rather than the Westricks. Mine has been ridden hard for a lot of years and it is still a good solid bike. Mine has somewhere over 50,000 miles on it.

Aaron

BigChief 

This bike also has standard forks, not the thimble Raleigh style. Not all Nottingham Raleighs had pump lugs. My 69 Sprite doesn't. Now that I can see the chainwheel, I can say that it was made somewhere near the end of the 69 style transfers since the new chainwheel without brackets was introduced sometime in 73. I'm going to say that it's a Nottingham frame from late 72 or early 73. Lots of good bike karma here recently. A cheap but good 23" frame, a ultra cheap S5 Sprite and I'll count my $35 dollar DL-1. All and all, a good summer.

wahoonc

$35 for DL-1? Unless it was totally trashed that was a good deal. I paid about 5 times that for mine. What year is yours? Got Pics/

Aaron

thumpism

I found a men's DL1 abandoned next to a building in my old 'hood, partially disassembled and missing parts, but had no space for it so walked away.

Sorry, guys.

3speedslow

Hey Thumpism,

Quite so! I am simply thrilled to be getting this frame and I thank you again for making it possible. This Raleigh will be given a steady job of errand and coffee runs down here in coastal Flatlandia. Long casual rides in the country will be it's other occupation.

I am in concurrence with the age estimate of 72 or so. Wish I could look at a 70-71 year catalog.

Cheers

thumpism

Have a look a this. You should find something helpful.

Raleigh Catalog Database Archive

3speedslow

Thanks, I checked those but 70 never got placed and 71 was for the lightweights only.

Mystery will be solved in by n' by. Whichever, I like the frame.

thumpism

Call Moore's in Rocky Mount, an old timey Raleigh dealer and lock shop. Ask for Dee and mention my name. They might have the catalogs on file but have moved within the last few decades so might have jettisoned what they considered to be old crap.