For the love of English 3 speeds...
04-06-17, 01:33 PM
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Looks like B'ham style brakes, too
04-06-17, 01:35 PM
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A good way about the cottered cranks is to get a decent cotter press and otherwise make sure your crank is in decent shape. If you have a cotter press you will find they are easier to work on than most alloy cranks.
The roadsters have 170mm cranks but the other bikes are 165mm.
The roadsters have 170mm cranks but the other bikes are 165mm.
04-06-17, 05:47 PM
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Yeah, that was my thought too. Oddly, it just says "Made in England" on it, but not Nottingham or Birmingham or anything else.
The seller says he got it through an estate sale, seems to me it was either never ridden or just barely. When I got it, there wasn't a speck of road grime anywhere, even the hubs.
Some other pics
It looks to me like the second digit of the year on the hub wasn't stamped fully. Maybe a '61? (It also has the 'upside-down' Sturmey logo on the shifter)
The seller says he got it through an estate sale, seems to me it was either never ridden or just barely. When I got it, there wasn't a speck of road grime anywhere, even the hubs.
Some other pics
It looks to me like the second digit of the year on the hub wasn't stamped fully. Maybe a '61? (It also has the 'upside-down' Sturmey logo on the shifter)
Light strike on the second year digit is a 1 - November 1961. The bike itself would then be 1961-62 model overall. It appears to have Nottingham Raleigh-style lugs from that era too. It's a transitional bike - Nottingham-built with some leftover Birmingham parts from the merger. It's in nice shape and should ride well for you.
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Classic American and British Roadsters, Utility Bikes, and Sporting Bikes (1935-1979):
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Classic American and British Roadsters, Utility Bikes, and Sporting Bikes (1935-1979):
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04-06-17, 05:50 PM
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Slipped a ride in last evening on this 1958 Sports Four Speed.
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04-06-17, 07:11 PM
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04-08-17, 06:57 AM
Bikes are okay, I guess.
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Not your average garden variety Hercules three-speed.
https://richmond.craigslist.org/bik/6078358390.html
Hercules Motorized Bike - $300 (N.Chesterfield)
condition: good
This is an old bike and old motor ...It was made in Nottingham,England by the Hercules Co...It would not take a lot to get it running...Motor turns over...Very rare item....$300....No Text...No Text...No Text...804-920-628six....
https://richmond.craigslist.org/bik/6078358390.html
Hercules Motorized Bike - $300 (N.Chesterfield)
condition: good
This is an old bike and old motor ...It was made in Nottingham,England by the Hercules Co...It would not take a lot to get it running...Motor turns over...Very rare item....$300....No Text...No Text...No Text...804-920-628six....
04-08-17, 07:12 PM
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Spring Cleaning: 1958 Raleigh Sports and 1946 Hercules Model C
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Classic American and British Roadsters, Utility Bikes, and Sporting Bikes (1935-1979):
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04-08-17, 07:18 PM
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If anyone is looking for a matched pair, we just don't have the room for them, but I'm willing to take a look for you if really interested. If $200 for both bikes, it's not a bad deal at all. Also note these are Florida bikes (bad thing) but garaged the whole time (good thing).
Matched pair of 1970's Raleigh 3 speed bikes - $200 (Merritt Island)
https://spacecoast.craigslist.org/bik/6074609500.html
Matched pair of 1970's Raleigh 3 speed bikes - $200 (Merritt Island)
https://spacecoast.craigslist.org/bik/6074609500.html
04-08-17, 07:57 PM
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I built up a new wheelset on my (new to me) sports this spring. Brand new cr-18s with new tires and tubes. I got them tensioned properly.
I got it all back together and then notice the indicator chain wouldnt budge. I was 100% sure it worked last fall. I picked up the bike and had gone over it, cleaned it and put it away for the winter. I never road it but i was certain i had tested the shifting.
Anyway...i took the hub apart today and found their was a tiny bit of surface rust on the "top hat" piece that sits in the axle next to the sun gear. The tolerance is so small there that it rusted/froze. I cleaned the lubed everything in there real good. The planetary gears were filthy. I am betting some moisture had gotten in there when i was washing an cleaning it. The wheels were so caked with old oil it was sad. It then sat all winter and thats how i ended frozen.
It was really neat to take one apart and see how they worked. I have always wanted to do it. I want to know how they had such great machining and ingenuity before computers? Amazing feat to have created something so intricate but so durable......well until you and idiot and get water in there like i did.
I got it all back together and then notice the indicator chain wouldnt budge. I was 100% sure it worked last fall. I picked up the bike and had gone over it, cleaned it and put it away for the winter. I never road it but i was certain i had tested the shifting.
Anyway...i took the hub apart today and found their was a tiny bit of surface rust on the "top hat" piece that sits in the axle next to the sun gear. The tolerance is so small there that it rusted/froze. I cleaned the lubed everything in there real good. The planetary gears were filthy. I am betting some moisture had gotten in there when i was washing an cleaning it. The wheels were so caked with old oil it was sad. It then sat all winter and thats how i ended frozen.
It was really neat to take one apart and see how they worked. I have always wanted to do it. I want to know how they had such great machining and ingenuity before computers? Amazing feat to have created something so intricate but so durable......well until you and idiot and get water in there like i did.
04-08-17, 08:19 PM
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I built up a new wheelset on my (new to me) sports this spring. Brand new cr-18s with new tires and tubes. I got them tensioned properly.
I got it all back together and then notice the indicator chain wouldnt budge. I was 100% sure it worked last fall. I picked up the bike and had gone over it, cleaned it and put it away for the winter. I never road it but i was certain i had tested the shifting.
Anyway...i took the hub apart today and found their was a tiny bit of surface rust on the "top hat" piece that sits in the axle next to the sun gear. The tolerance is so small there that it rusted/froze. I cleaned the lubed everything in there real good. The planetary gears were filthy. I am betting some moisture had gotten in there when i was washing an cleaning it. The wheels were so caked with old oil it was sad. It then sat all winter and thats how i ended frozen.
It was really neat to take one apart and see how they worked. I have always wanted to do it. I want to know how they had such great machining and ingenuity before computers? Amazing feat to have created something so intricate but so durable......well until you and idiot and get water in there like i did.
I got it all back together and then notice the indicator chain wouldnt budge. I was 100% sure it worked last fall. I picked up the bike and had gone over it, cleaned it and put it away for the winter. I never road it but i was certain i had tested the shifting.
Anyway...i took the hub apart today and found their was a tiny bit of surface rust on the "top hat" piece that sits in the axle next to the sun gear. The tolerance is so small there that it rusted/froze. I cleaned the lubed everything in there real good. The planetary gears were filthy. I am betting some moisture had gotten in there when i was washing an cleaning it. The wheels were so caked with old oil it was sad. It then sat all winter and thats how i ended frozen.
It was really neat to take one apart and see how they worked. I have always wanted to do it. I want to know how they had such great machining and ingenuity before computers? Amazing feat to have created something so intricate but so durable......well until you and idiot and get water in there like i did.
I have the same rims because I actually like to stop when I squeeze the brake levers. I also added a Tektro R559 to the front. It does go around the front fender just fine. Not cheap, but stops like a real bike now.
I couldn't get a rear R559 to clear that fender properly.
04-08-17, 09:12 PM
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04-09-17, 06:23 AM
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Did it go back together properly? It sounds as if it did, but just checking.
I have the same rims because I actually like to stop when I squeeze the brake levers. I also added a Tektro R559 to the front. It does go around the front fender just fine. Not cheap, but stops like a real bike now.
I couldn't get a rear R559 to clear that fender properly.
I have the same rims because I actually like to stop when I squeeze the brake levers. I also added a Tektro R559 to the front. It does go around the front fender just fine. Not cheap, but stops like a real bike now.
I couldn't get a rear R559 to clear that fender properly.
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04-09-17, 06:39 AM
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Just a quick reminder...There's a couple of things, like the Raleigh pattern dual purpose steel rims and original fluted cable casings that people sometimes replace even though they are still in good condition. These can be hard to find items and some of us here look for them.
04-09-17, 07:54 AM
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Did it go back together properly? It sounds as if it did, but just checking.
I have the same rims because I actually like to stop when I squeeze the brake levers. I also added a Tektro R559 to the front. It does go around the front fender just fine. Not cheap, but stops like a real bike now.
I couldn't get a rear R559 to clear that fender properly.
I have the same rims because I actually like to stop when I squeeze the brake levers. I also added a Tektro R559 to the front. It does go around the front fender just fine. Not cheap, but stops like a real bike now.
I couldn't get a rear R559 to clear that fender properly.
04-09-17, 04:54 PM
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Really nice day here - got some quality ride time on this 1947 Schwinn New World 3 speed.
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https://bikeshedva.blogspot.com/
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https://bikeshedva.blogspot.com/
04-09-17, 08:15 PM
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Superbe Ride
Took the Raleigh Superbe out on the salt marshes of San Francisco Bay this weekend (accompanied by the little Birdy).
04-09-17, 08:50 PM
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Today, I rode my own bike to the blood center in midtown to make a donation. I usually ride Citi Bike for errands, but I wanted to meet a friend and take a ride with a friend after my donation. I took my Raleigh International which isn't highly flashy, but some thief might recognize it as worth stealing or cannibalizing. So I was nervous for the three hour period I left it outside in sight of lots of people, including huge numbers of tourists. My bike was fine, as should be expected, but I was thinking, I really need a Raleigh Sports, because it would always be ready for service, and those things don't get stolen. Most other bikes do get stolen. I'd prefer to have an ugly old one.
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04-10-17, 06:20 AM
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Today, I rode my own bike to the blood center in midtown to make a donation. I usually ride Citi Bike for errands, but I wanted to meet a friend and take a ride with a friend after my donation. I took my Raleigh International which isn't highly flashy, but some thief might recognize it as worth stealing or cannibalizing. So I was nervous for the three hour period I left it outside in sight of lots of people, including huge numbers of tourists. My bike was fine, as should be expected, but I was thinking, I really need a Raleigh Sports, because it would always be ready for service, and those things don't get stolen. Most other bikes do get stolen. I'd prefer to have an ugly old one.
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04-10-17, 08:05 AM
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I just ran an errand on my '73 Sears Ted Williams Free Spirit with rear 2-speed SRAM hub. This is the one made by Puch with a full Reynolds 531 frameset, so it's the ideal stealth relatively high-end urban machine.
04-10-17, 08:33 AM
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@BigChief, lots of New Yorkers have discovered how suitable a junky old three speed is. There are lots of them locked up outside 24 hours a day. The thieves leave them alone.
But maybe I'd be happier with something more like @nlerner's stealthy bike. I probably have the parts on hand to build one.
But maybe I'd be happier with something more like @nlerner's stealthy bike. I probably have the parts on hand to build one.
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
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04-10-17, 06:38 PM
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Always love to see this bike! Will have todo until I find one myself.
04-10-17, 08:24 PM
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Been parking my Tourist around town for 15 years without a lock and its still in the stable. Of course any thief would probably kill themselves in the first 100 feet with the rod brakes but that's their problem. Just sayin'
04-11-17, 09:16 AM
aka Tom Reingold
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I'm surprised no one steals it. I mean, yeah, it's an old bike, but I would expect any bike in DC not tied down would be taken, given enough time.
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