clubman 

Cool, carmine red Humber in a large frame. I'm thinking early-mid 60's based on those Dunlops with pin striped sidewalls. Amazing how long those tires last.

gster

He says there's a 55 stamped on the hub.
I think the rubber compounds were probably better back then.
Those black Raleigh grips seem to last forever.
I've made a plan to go out next week and see it and deliver the
Road King to a friend.

The details
-a mid 70's Road King Villager frame, made in Japan(Eaton's House brand along with Raleigh built Gliders)
-Pale green in colour
-Chrome fenders
-1964 rear rim/hub, Sturmey Archer 3 speed
-Early 70's SA trigger
-22 tooth cog (easier to pedal)
-British front rim
-British North Road handle bars
-Raleigh stem
-New Schwalbe whitewall tires
-New cables
-New chain
-Cardiff cork grips
-New brake pads
-Older Brooks leather saddle (I'd like to replace with a white one)
-A bell that goes ding dong

BigChief 

Yes, nicely done too. Very classy.

BigChief 

Nice one. I see a lug for an enclosed chain case. Not exactly sure when Raleigh discontinued adding them to the light roadster frame, but my 64 Sports doesn't have one.

gster

Can you please re-post that tire sizing chart from a while back?
It was very helpful.

clubman 

Here you go.

clubman 

All of the 50's Humbers I've seen have had Raleigh Westrick rims. It's also possible that the Humber came with those drop bars like other Raleighs in the Canadian market and may even have EA1 Endricks.

gster

Thank's for that.
Very helpful.
I've got a '65 hub with a very clean/true 26 x 1 1/4" rim.
Can't remember where it came from...
It's stamped V160 Made in Canada 26 x 1/14 EA1
I think a 27 x 1 3/8 tire will fit.....
I'll check the Mystery Bike that has the same rims.

BigChief 

I think 1955 is right. A closer look at the pic shows a top tube guide wheel mount and the distinctive lug shapes that (as far as I can tell) were only used for a couple of years in the mid 50s. Here's a TT lug pic of my 55 Rudge.

gster

Good eye, BC.
I'll report back next week after I see/buy it.

thumpism

I was leafing through Style Magazine this morning, our arts and entertainment weekly, when I spotted the ad for the opera's upcoming season. The photo for Il Postino (actually from the LA Opera's production of the show) shows a familiar profile in the role of postal bike, a root beer colored Raleigh Sports like my own, right down to the Pletscher rack. For an Italian opera about a Chilean writer it seemed like an odd choice; after all, who'd notice a stupid little detail like that? Probably the same kind of person who'd notice the wrong bird calls for a purported locale and season in a movie or television show. Nerds, in other words! Synopsis and trailer below.


"Set on a small Italian island, exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda receives so much fan mail that a personal postman, Mario Ruoppolo, is hired to deliver his letters. Mario, smitten by Beatrice Russo, turns to Pablo for help writing poetry that would help him win the heart of the woman he longs for. Soon after, Mario and the barmaid fall in love and wed. In the third act, influenced by Pablo's works, Mario begins writing political poems and while reciting at a communist demonstration, violence breaks out and he receives a gunshot wound, killing him."

https://www.pbs.org/video/great-perf...om-la-opera-1/

gster

Two questions..
-What do you like about these EA1 rims? Rarity?
-What modern black tire might fit?
I found some gumwall tires but would prefer black.

clubman 

I'm running EA1's on my Raleigh Canadian and (with alloy rims) it's a big step up in performance from EA3's. The narrow width and higher pressure makes these tires run as well as many '70's 700c clinchers. I was lucky enough to find a half dozen sets of NOS Dunlop Gold Seals from the late 60's. They have some surface cracking but nothing deep and I feel very comfortable riding them at 230 lbs (me, not the psi). Not everyone would agree with this but my experience with old Dunlop tires has been exemplary.

gster

Lucky!
So what size are those new rims?

clubman 

Well, they always have to match the tires so they are Japanese Ukai 26 x 1 1/4. They remind me of Weinmanns, nice quality.
I think I have the same V160 rims as you...they're like a mini Westrick EA1 size but are heavy chrome steel.

PM me if you want rims or tires for an appropriate/suitable bike. I've got a few built wheels ('55?) and some rims and rubber.

gster

Done

I found a white saddle yesterday to finish this off.
I think the frame was made by Bridgestone.
The recipient may come by today to pick up.

gster

Thx
Greg

gster

1930 Hercules Update
I'm still working on this one...

I've installed the big saddle and bought a 22T free wheel yesterday and will attach with a new chain.
Current chain can migrate to another bike.

paulb_in_bkln

On my AW conversion of an old Peugeot mixte I was using the standard anti-rotation washers and having difficulty keeping the rear wheel aligned. (The Peugeot's axle slots are a little wider than the ones on frames made for the AW. It would be the same on any frame made for a derailleur.) I bought a pair of these HMW 494 washers, with tabs sized for the wider slots, on eBay. Seem to have completely corrected the problem. So if you are putting a lot of miles on an AW (or whatever old SA IGH) conversion of a derailleur frame....

Bomarc

I found my front tire rubbed on the underside of the fender peak when running Panaracer Col de la Vie tires. Pulling the rear of the fender closer to the hub also lifted the front of the fender up away from the tire. I made some stainless brackets so I didn't have to shorten the fender stays.

gster

Just For Fun
I bought this 64 Glider from the same guy that's
got the Humber for sale.


It went out on a lend to a former student for a few weeks and she likes the drop bars.
The current back wheel is a 61 but has a bad 'wow' in it, which is a shame as the rim itself
is quite flawless.
My supply of inexpensive/free parts seems to be drying up lately.......

Ballenxj

In my experience, truing the wheel will draw wowies right out, as long as it's not kinked or anything similar.

paulb_in_bkln

Well done. Not something I would have been able to fabricate.

Bomarc

Made a template up by tracing some paper laid over the fork blade. Used some 0.125" thick stainless sheet just because thats what was in the scrap pile. Used a hacksaw, files and drill bits to shape the plates. Once I had the holes for the axles drilled, I bolted the plates together through the axle hole to ensure they both got filed down to the same contour during the shaping process. Then bolted the plates onto the forks - the plates are held on by the original fender stay screws and the wheel axle. When fitting the new position for the fender stays, I used small 'C' clamps to hold the stays to the plates. Once nothing rubbed and the fender line looked OK, traced the outline of the fender stay hole on the plate with a marker. Centre punched and drilled the holes for the fender stay bolts.

Its a convoluted solution - maybe its easier to bend or remove metal from the underside of the fender peak. But the plates are easily removed with no permanent effect if you decide to go back to original profile tires.

gster

I did some more work on the hercules yesterday.
The 22T freewheel was added as well as a new chain.
Even at 114 links it wasn't quite long enough so it was extended.
The rod brakes still need some tweeking but overall a pleasant
vintage ride.
I can't see myself putting a lot of miles on it but a fun project
to work on.