gster

I think you're right. The white accents seem to be found here on the Canadian models.
Here's my 61 Superbe (previously poorly repainted) with white accents and chrome tips.
Bars have since been turned back up and the stem swapped.
This was a $50.00 bike.

gster

The Dynohub front wheel that originally came on the '53 BSA has been swapped onto Old Reliable (1977 Superbe).




It would appear that someone before me spent some $$ having this wheel rebuilt.
Turns freely, new spokes and runs true. Newish tire as well.
I haven't attached any lights but will get to in the spring.

gster

The new version...

gster

Old Reliable..
This is the bike that started it all....
1978 Canadian Built Superbe

I saw it chained up to a post with a for sale sign and a phone number about 8 years ago.
I called and the owner brought it over to my house and a deal was made.
I think I paid $175.00 (CDN) for it.
A couple of years later I purchased a very original Superbe and sold this one to a former student who,
thankfully couldn't pay for it and returned it a few days later.
Since then it receives some form of upgrade every year.
It's got the best saddle in the fleet plus the saddle bags, pump, new MKS pedals, new chain etc.
Bearings were all repacked a couple of years ago and now it's got a proper Dynohub front wheel.
I'm sure I've got a headlamp bracket and a lighting kit in the garage.
It has served me well over the years and continues to be my main bike.

gster

Love Those MKS Pedals

BigChief 

I heard somewhere that MKS stopped making these. They re the best replacement roadster pedals I know of. Much better than using the later Raleigh pedals on older bikes IMO.

gster

If that's the case I'd better stock up!
I've got one more set in the garage and I think the bike shop has a couple more.

BigChief 

Just a bit of daydreaming here...I was impressed with that black and white Canadian Superbe I mentioned earlier. Very fancy for a roadster. Different, but in a good way. Since this bike has the chrome ended fork, I'd be very tempted to do a total refinish of this bike and copy the black and white one. I might not be able to find a ready made "Superbe" transfer for the seat tube, but I'll bet I could find a font close enough to look good. My local sign shop could make up a nice vinyl transfer. White cable housings, white grips and , of course, a B66. Plus...I've been dying to buy a Beugler pin stripping tool and learn how to use it.

gster

This bike arrived in my backyard in somewhat poor condition. The owner, a friend, had bought it the week before because he wanted the Dynohub front wheel.
As I started to remove the repaint (poorly painted blue with a brush) the original blue paint and decals were revealed.
Although I prefer a black bike I've decided to leave this one as is for the time being. It rides quite nicely although the front forks have a slight twist.
I suspect a result of someone reefing on the front with the lock engaged.
It would appear that these bikes had a two-part finish with a silver undercoat followed by a translucent blue top coat.
Original colour revealed.

As originally received:

clubman 

There were so many variants of these, some with chrome forks, some with white paint, some with neither.

I gave this red one away 3 years ago as it had a bent fork and was too large.

The bottom pristine pair are a dark blue with flashes on the forks. Funny that most of these Superbes were large frames with vinyl Brooks saddles.

Big Chief, if I see another one(cheap), I'll put your name on it.

gster

Dark Blue and white is a nice combo.

BigChief 

Wow, a his and hers pair. Beautiful bikes! I forgot about the stars on the seat tube. Gotta have them too.

Johno59

Long before the latest iteration of hipsters, fixed wheel bikes were used as path racers as they were more efficient in getting power to where rubber meets the road. Before the fax machine much urgent/ legal/ confidential printed documents passing around major cities throughout the world used bike couriers to deliver their documentation in a fast efficient manner. All of these bikes were fixed wheel. Forty years ago when I was doing it the reason we used fixed in heavy traffic was it was safer. Certainly it was the most efficient method of travel but it was the safety bit that was most compelling reason.
On a fixed bike you tend to go fast and the pressure on your legs at all times constantly reminds you of the momentum you have and the consequences if you hit or are hit by the ground, car or pedestrian. You tend to keep up with the traffic and needless to say you are constantly aware the whole flow of moving objects weighing thousands of tons will not tolerate a 25 lb bicycle obstructing the flow. The pressure on your legs tends to remind you of this overwhelming force surrounding you and your primeval survival instincts conditions you to understand the traffic is meanest SOB in the valley and you will die if you tempt fate.
The beauty of it is when the monster is compelled to halt at a red light you are free to zoom up and away and get a shot of dopamine as the monster is forced to pause. On the next block you return to the clutches of the beast and the cycle repeats.
Do this a hundred times a day, week in, week out and any other way feels weird and dangerously disconnected and rightly so.

BigChief 

That's difficult for me to imagine, but I suppose it's similar in a way to my preference to manual transmissions in cars.

Ged117 

Hello all,
After being bitten by the Raleigh bug as a result of reading nearly all of this most excellent thread, I've bought one of my own. The hub is stamped 50 - 1 so I take that to be January 1950.
It has the AG 3 speed dynohub plus all the fixings and mechanic oil points not to mention a "cyclo" three speed derailleur that I am curious about; somebody here mentioned it once as a '50s option. It also includes the original B66 in good condition. It has sat for the better part of 30+ years and will need many Sunday afternoon work sessions - I can't wait. More photos to follow with better sizing.

Buellster

Very excited to see more pics of this bike! ^
Also hear about what a cyclone hub is.

on an unrelated query, has anyone ever converted a Sprite mixte to a three speed? There is one for a good price nearby and it's a 25"! Which is crazy to me. I've always wanted a mixte and they are NEVER in my size. I thought it could be a good candidate for my hub if all works out with the new shifter.
if not I have a 3 speed I could put in. Would the Sprite take 700c tires?

BigChief 

This looks like a very interesting bike. The Cyclo wasn't a factory option, but a popular aftermarket accessory of that time. Very cool. From the head tube pic I see that it is a pre 1955 style frame and 23". Both rare and desirable features. I'm looking forward to more pictures too.

Johno59

Surfing possesses a similar connecivity that gives a similar buzz. You zip along on a few kgs of foam with little effort and a sense of being harnessed to a greater power. All is good if you stay in the groove, step out of the groove and hundreds of tons of water can rearrange your day big time

raleighroadster

BigChief 

Lots of good parts there. A good deal for 50. Looks to be a 72. Good looking 32/40 spoke Raleigh pattern wheels with a front Dyno. Nice. Lamps good for a late 60s early 70s Superbe. Can't see if the fork lamp cable clamps are there. The Brooks looks iffy though. I wouldn't count it. Yuk, auto adjust levers and 46T chainring

thumpism 

I'll post a pic of my NIB Cyclo Benelux 3-speed (makes a 3 into a 9, and would probably make a 5 into a 15--has anyone done this?) conversion kit.

thumpism 

All very eloquently put, and not to judge too harshly but I hope you were stopping at those same lights, at least briefly. If not, you're damned lucky that monster didn't squash your ass.

roughrider504

I picked this up in January and haven't touched it since.. time flies. Pulled a shifter out of the bin and found the brake pads I ordered a while back.


It wasn't very happy going through the gears on the stand. It definitely could have ridden, but not happily. Since it's a Sturmey, the obvious answer is to add oil until it works! Right?


I did wonder why a 1960 hub was on an 80's DL - it was broken. I was almost excited, I've never had a broken AW! I dug through my parts bin like a kid on Christmas. Can't wait to get some tires and put some miles on it.

Johno59

In my experience if you run red lights on a bicycle as a job in a big city you will not survive. Folks do it all the time once or twice each day commuting to work and get away with it. Do it a hundred times in a day for work and I doubt you'd survive a week. City intersections are too big and many frustrated folks drive very aggressively. One thing we used to reflect on back at the bike pool, whilst we awaited for the next job, was the sobering fact that every day you always saw a 'civilian' under a car - usually a well dressed suited and booted city worker. Most likely jay walking or crossing against the lights.
My dopamine shot referred to passing all the stuck vehicles as you zipped passed them up to the next intersection. Hopefully you timed it to go green when you arrived. Do the same route thousands of times and you get to know the timing of the traffic signals. If not, you balanced for a few seconds at the head of the beast and off again from the front.

BigChief 

I've never run across crunched planet gears before, but there they are. The pins are placed in backwards. I wonder if that could have anything to do with it.