For the love of English 3 speeds...
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2,557
Bikes: 1971 Hercules, 1978 Raleigh Superbe, 1978 Raleigh Tourist, 1964 Glider 3 Speed, 1967 Raleigh Sprite 5 Speed, 1968 Hercules AMF 3 Speed, 1972 Raleigh Superbe, 1976 Raleigh Superbe, 1957 Flying Pigeon, 1967 Dunelt 3 Speed
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1024 Post(s)
Liked 403 Times
in
278 Posts
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 25
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
An interesting bike for sale here in Toronto.
A 1953 Eatons Commander. Built by Hercules with a 3 speed Herc-u-matic hub and shifter.
Priced at $60.00.
Attachment 585017
Attachment 585018
Attachment 585019
Attachment 585020
A 1953 Eatons Commander. Built by Hercules with a 3 speed Herc-u-matic hub and shifter.
Priced at $60.00.
Attachment 585017
Attachment 585018
Attachment 585019
Attachment 585020
This bike looks familiar, i picked this up about 3 weeks ago, i was surprised how long it was listed for without being scooped up.
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Port Dover Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,515
Bikes: 1965 Dilecta Le Blanc, 1956 Royal Nord, 1972 Raleigh Sports, 1972 CCM Turismo,1976 SuperCycle Excalibur, 2014 Salsa Vaya, 2017 Felt DD70, 2019 Giant Lafree and others
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 340 Post(s)
Liked 456 Times
in
199 Posts
Because I am feeling unhappy about the prospects of drilling a cotter out of the just started '77 DL1, I'm posting a shot of my '79 DL1 to cheer me up. Happy New Year, 3speeders!
__________________
We are what we reflect. We are the changes that we bring to this world. Ride often. -Geo.-
We are what we reflect. We are the changes that we bring to this world. Ride often. -Geo.-
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Port Dover Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,515
Bikes: 1965 Dilecta Le Blanc, 1956 Royal Nord, 1972 Raleigh Sports, 1972 CCM Turismo,1976 SuperCycle Excalibur, 2014 Salsa Vaya, 2017 Felt DD70, 2019 Giant Lafree and others
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 340 Post(s)
Liked 456 Times
in
199 Posts
It bent over using the vise socket method which has always worked before.
__________________
We are what we reflect. We are the changes that we bring to this world. Ride often. -Geo.-
We are what we reflect. We are the changes that we bring to this world. Ride often. -Geo.-
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2,557
Bikes: 1971 Hercules, 1978 Raleigh Superbe, 1978 Raleigh Tourist, 1964 Glider 3 Speed, 1967 Raleigh Sprite 5 Speed, 1968 Hercules AMF 3 Speed, 1972 Raleigh Superbe, 1976 Raleigh Superbe, 1957 Flying Pigeon, 1967 Dunelt 3 Speed
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1024 Post(s)
Liked 403 Times
in
278 Posts
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 25
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2,557
Bikes: 1971 Hercules, 1978 Raleigh Superbe, 1978 Raleigh Tourist, 1964 Glider 3 Speed, 1967 Raleigh Sprite 5 Speed, 1968 Hercules AMF 3 Speed, 1972 Raleigh Superbe, 1976 Raleigh Superbe, 1957 Flying Pigeon, 1967 Dunelt 3 Speed
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1024 Post(s)
Liked 403 Times
in
278 Posts
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2,557
Bikes: 1971 Hercules, 1978 Raleigh Superbe, 1978 Raleigh Tourist, 1964 Glider 3 Speed, 1967 Raleigh Sprite 5 Speed, 1968 Hercules AMF 3 Speed, 1972 Raleigh Superbe, 1976 Raleigh Superbe, 1957 Flying Pigeon, 1967 Dunelt 3 Speed
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1024 Post(s)
Liked 403 Times
in
278 Posts
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Port Dover Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,515
Bikes: 1965 Dilecta Le Blanc, 1956 Royal Nord, 1972 Raleigh Sports, 1972 CCM Turismo,1976 SuperCycle Excalibur, 2014 Salsa Vaya, 2017 Felt DD70, 2019 Giant Lafree and others
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 340 Post(s)
Liked 456 Times
in
199 Posts
The operation was a success. Successively larger drillings, followed by strategic whacking with a hammer and punch finally worked. Much quicker than the seat post which took about seven weeks of soaking in penetrating oil and moving with a big old pipe wrench.
__________________
We are what we reflect. We are the changes that we bring to this world. Ride often. -Geo.-
We are what we reflect. We are the changes that we bring to this world. Ride often. -Geo.-
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2,557
Bikes: 1971 Hercules, 1978 Raleigh Superbe, 1978 Raleigh Tourist, 1964 Glider 3 Speed, 1967 Raleigh Sprite 5 Speed, 1968 Hercules AMF 3 Speed, 1972 Raleigh Superbe, 1976 Raleigh Superbe, 1957 Flying Pigeon, 1967 Dunelt 3 Speed
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1024 Post(s)
Liked 403 Times
in
278 Posts
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,240
Mentioned: 103 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1299 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 98 Times
in
82 Posts
Glad you got it!! It's a good one. 50s 3 speeds are getting more rare all the time. Birmingham made tall framed even more rare. Keep us up to date. Would love to see this project come along.
__________________
Inflate Hard
Inflate Hard
Last edited by BigChief; 01-01-18 at 05:49 PM.
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,240
Mentioned: 103 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1299 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 98 Times
in
82 Posts
Good job. Nice neat work. I know that even with a press, people sometimes end up having to drill out cotters, but I think the concave drive pin on the press centers on the cotter more accurately and allows for more pressure before bending the threaded end than you get with a flat vise jaw. A good excuse to buy a new tool!!
__________________
Inflate Hard
Inflate Hard
Full Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canberra Australia
Posts: 240
Bikes: 30's Speedwell Club Racer, 40's Speedwell 'Z' racer, 50's Unknown Aussie with nice lugs, 50's Speedwell Roadster, 50's Repco Roadster, '63 Raleigh DL-1, 70's Raleigh Sprite, Puch Promenade with Nexus 8
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 149 Post(s)
Liked 29 Times
in
22 Posts
Went on a 20km ride on the DL-1 on Saturday with its new chainring and front drum shoes. The previous chainring (non-Raleigh) had started rubbing too much on the bottom bracket; there have been no problems with this one. This is the 3rd set of drum shoes I've tried in the front hub, and were salvaged from a modern Sturmey Archer XL-RD5 with wrecked gears (a cheap purchase at the local recycling centre). Braking is still best described as 'speed modulation', but then I'm not hammering along on my rides - well, only sometimes. I did have a couple of downhill stretches where I was able to spin out and enjoy the coasting. But only because I was on a bike path with clear views ahead
. I've yet to bend the brake levers to enable more pull, as Big Chief suggested - Big Chief did you take the levers off when you did this to yours, or did you bend the levers in place?
IMG20171230185744 by arty dave armour, on Flickr
I'll have to work on the bell - it started to jam and I had to call out 'ding ding' when approaching people on the path. The internals are slightly warped, and this allows the striker to get stuck in the frame. I should hopefully be able to bend things around to fix this issue. I'm very happy with the ride quality of this bike.


I'll have to work on the bell - it started to jam and I had to call out 'ding ding' when approaching people on the path. The internals are slightly warped, and this allows the striker to get stuck in the frame. I should hopefully be able to bend things around to fix this issue. I'm very happy with the ride quality of this bike.
Last edited by arty dave; 01-01-18 at 09:14 PM.
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,240
Mentioned: 103 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1299 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 98 Times
in
82 Posts
Went on a 20km ride on the DL-1 on Saturday with its new chainring and front drum shoes. The previous chainring (non-Raleigh) had started rubbing too much on the bottom bracket; there have been no problems with this one. This is the 3rd set of drum shoes I've tried in the front hub, and were salvaged from a modern Sturmey Archer XL-RD5 with wrecked gears (a cheap purchase at the local recycling centre). Braking is still best described as 'speed modulation', but then I'm not hammering along on my rides - well, only sometimes. I did have a couple of downhill stretches where I was able to spin out and enjoy the coasting. But only because I was on a bike path with clear views ahead
. I've yet to bend the brake levers to enable more pull, as Big Chief suggested - Big Chief did you take the levers off when you did this to yours, or did you bend the levers in place?
IMG20171230185744 by arty dave armour, on Flickr
I'll have to work on the bell - it started to jam and I had to call out 'ding ding' when approaching people on the path. The internals are slightly warped, and this allows the striker to get stuck in the frame. I should hopefully be able to bend things around to fix this issue. I'm very happy with the ride quality of this bike.


I'll have to work on the bell - it started to jam and I had to call out 'ding ding' when approaching people on the path. The internals are slightly warped, and this allows the striker to get stuck in the frame. I should hopefully be able to bend things around to fix this issue. I'm very happy with the ride quality of this bike.
I found that I needed at least 3" of travel between the end of the lever and the grip to get the best performance from the rod brakes. Mine are set at 3 1/4". I just used a small pipe and bent them while on the bars. Very carefully. I always go slow cold setting. Lots of small adjustments are always better than fewer large ones.
__________________
Inflate Hard
Inflate Hard
Get off my lawn!
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: The Garden State
Posts: 6,253
Bikes: 1917 Loomis, 1923 Rudge, 1930 Hercules Renown, 1947 Mclean, 1948 JA Holland, 1955 Hetchins, 1957 Carlton Flyer, 1962 Raleigh Sport, 1978&81 Raleigh Gomp GS', 2010 Raliegh Clubman
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 93 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 96 Times
in
47 Posts
Haven't been active for a while and missed the British motors back on page 599....he's my Triumph to add to the posts

And to stay on topic, here is my 30's era Hercules 3spd clubman still sporting Dunlop tires or rather tyres



And to stay on topic, here is my 30's era Hercules 3spd clubman still sporting Dunlop tires or rather tyres



Overdoing projects
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Rotterdam, former republic of the Netherlands
Posts: 2,355
Bikes: Batavus Randonneur GL, Gazelle Orange Excellent, Gazelle Super Licht, Gazelle Grand Tourist, Gazelle Lausanne, Gazelle Tandem, Koga-Miyata SilverAce, Koga-Miyata WorldTraveller
Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 756 Post(s)
Liked 1,086 Times
in
624 Posts
At what point does everyone here replace their drum shoes? Can you describe the feeling for me?
Bikes are okay, I guess.
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posts: 8,986
Bikes: Waterford Paramount Touring, Giant CFM-2, Raleigh Sports 3-speeds in M23 & L23, Schwinn Cimarron oddball build, Marin Palisades Trail dropbar conversion, Nishiki Cresta GT
Mentioned: 67 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2605 Post(s)
Liked 2,283 Times
in
1,473 Posts
This one was discovered by user @Piff and posted in the "Are you looking..." thread and I suggested he post it here but don't think he did. This bike looks like an Asian-production 3-speed and it's named Sport, not Sports. I was not aware that Raleigh sourced that series of bikes from there. As I noted in the other thread it simply does not look like an English Raleigh. Chainwheel appears to be distinctly un-heron-y and the fenders are insufficiently peaked, among other things. Perhaps one of you experts can enlighten us.
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/...443642334.html
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/...443642334.html

Last edited by thumpism; 01-02-18 at 05:47 AM.
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,240
Mentioned: 103 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1299 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 98 Times
in
82 Posts
Nice bike! I'm not surprised to see this crossover between old British bicycles and old British motorcycles. Seems natural to me.
__________________
Inflate Hard
Inflate Hard
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,240
Mentioned: 103 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1299 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 98 Times
in
82 Posts
This one was discovered by user @Piff and posted in the "Are you looking..." thread and I suggested he post it here but don't think he did. This bike looks like an Asian-production 3-speed and it's named Sport, not Sports. I was not aware that Raleigh sourced that series of bikes from there. As I noted in the other thread it simply does not look like an English Raleigh. Chainwheel appears to be distinctly un-heron-y and the fenders are insufficiently peaked, among other things. Perhaps one of you experts can enlighten us.
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/...443642334.html

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/...443642334.html

__________________
Inflate Hard
Inflate Hard
Phyllo-buster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,725
Bikes: roadsters, club bikes, fixed and classic
Mentioned: 130 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2254 Post(s)
Liked 1,931 Times
in
1,186 Posts
Note there is only the one brake on this tank.
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,240
Mentioned: 103 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1299 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 98 Times
in
82 Posts
Sturmey drum brakes are a mystery. Some work well, some don't, some improve with new shoes, others get worse. I think that the cable actuated models have an edge over the rods. I have a '48 AB hub on this CCM that is a marvel. Feather it to a stop or hit the panic button and burn a 10 foot skid. I hope it never requires service.
Note there is only the one brake on this tank.

Note there is only the one brake on this tank.
I've never had a hand actuated drum brake on a bicycle, but for calipers and rod brakes, I find that there's a place in the lever travel where I want full on brake to be. Like around half or a little more into it's travel. If it's too high or too close to the grip, I loose efficiency in my grip. The inefficiency may be in my hand, but it makes the brakes feel less powerful.
__________________
Inflate Hard
Inflate Hard
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 16,770
Mentioned: 460 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3602 Post(s)
Liked 5,841 Times
in
2,349 Posts
This one was discovered by user @Piff and posted in the "Are you looking..." thread and I suggested he post it here but don't think he did. This bike looks like an Asian-production 3-speed and it's named Sport, not Sports. I was not aware that Raleigh sourced that series of bikes from there. As I noted in the other thread it simply does not look like an English Raleigh. Chainwheel appears to be distinctly un-heron-y and the fenders are insufficiently peaked, among other things. Perhaps one of you experts can enlighten us.
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/...443642334.html

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/...443642334.html

Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,240
Mentioned: 103 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1299 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 98 Times
in
82 Posts
__________________
Inflate Hard
Inflate Hard
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 25
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
A similar pair here in Toronto (one CCM) for $350.00 CDN.
I think a lot of couples back then decided to get in shape together and bought these bikes as pairs. I suspect that most saw little use.
I bought my wife a nice ladies Superbe to match mine. She rode it to the first Toronto Vintage Bicycle Show and promptly put a for sale sign on it....
Attachment 592616
Attachment 592617
I think a lot of couples back then decided to get in shape together and bought these bikes as pairs. I suspect that most saw little use.
I bought my wife a nice ladies Superbe to match mine. She rode it to the first Toronto Vintage Bicycle Show and promptly put a for sale sign on it....
Attachment 592616
Attachment 592617
nice Superbe, do you find Toronto has quite a number of them around? im surprised how many i see on kijiji
must have been a hot seller in the mid 70s.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 25
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
What a cool bike. I don't remember seeing this one before.
I've never had a hand actuated drum brake on a bicycle, but for calipers and rod brakes, I find that there's a place in the lever travel where I want full on brake to be. Like around half or a little more into it's travel. If it's too high or too close to the grip, I loose efficiency in my grip. The inefficiency may be in my hand, but it makes the brakes feel less powerful.
I've never had a hand actuated drum brake on a bicycle, but for calipers and rod brakes, I find that there's a place in the lever travel where I want full on brake to be. Like around half or a little more into it's travel. If it's too high or too close to the grip, I loose efficiency in my grip. The inefficiency may be in my hand, but it makes the brakes feel less powerful.
very nice, love to have a double bar someday