For the love of English 3 speeds...
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+1 for "hammer-fisted genetic wonder".
I thought it was bad when I took a parts bike apart last spring that had 11 master links and one link wired together with two master link outer links and a U shaped piece of wire shoved through both plates and bent over on the outside to hold them together.
On the same bike, there was a standard grease fitting in the hole where the oil port cap should be in the SA hub, and fresh grease bursting out of all points. They must have pumped it full of the thickest grease they could find because at 25°F the bike wouldn't even roll let alone shift. The shifter cable was broken as well. On the plus side, it gave me two perfect Raleigh rims and a minty stem and handle bars for $20.
I had an old balloon tire bike about 12 years ago that was given to me. Someone had welded the chainring to the cranks, most likely because they had the little pin on the one piece cranks in the wrong hole. They must have used a massive arc welder and grounded the thing on the frame, because they had fused about half the ball bearings in the crank to the crank cones. By the time I got it, someone had drilled two holes, stuck two 1/4" grease fittings in the BB shell, and pumped the thing full of grease to try and make it turn easier. When I finally got it all apart, the bearing cups were worn completely through by the handfull of remaining balls still stuck to the cones, which were also fuses to the crank. It took cutting the crank off flush and drilling out the crank from inside the left nut and cone to get it apart. After all that I found the right cup had also fused to the bearings and had been spinning in the frame, while the left side had simply gnawed its way through the cup. (I was surprise how soft the crank arm steel was, it didn't take but 10 minutes to drill out the screwed up mess from inside the left nut and cone after cutting the crank off with a Sawzall.
All I kept thinking was what sort of hammer fisted genetic wonder thought it was a good idea to arc weld on a bicycle crank. ....Let alone power through and ride it long enough for it to chew through the bearing cup before giving up on it?
On the same bike, there was a standard grease fitting in the hole where the oil port cap should be in the SA hub, and fresh grease bursting out of all points. They must have pumped it full of the thickest grease they could find because at 25°F the bike wouldn't even roll let alone shift. The shifter cable was broken as well. On the plus side, it gave me two perfect Raleigh rims and a minty stem and handle bars for $20.
I had an old balloon tire bike about 12 years ago that was given to me. Someone had welded the chainring to the cranks, most likely because they had the little pin on the one piece cranks in the wrong hole. They must have used a massive arc welder and grounded the thing on the frame, because they had fused about half the ball bearings in the crank to the crank cones. By the time I got it, someone had drilled two holes, stuck two 1/4" grease fittings in the BB shell, and pumped the thing full of grease to try and make it turn easier. When I finally got it all apart, the bearing cups were worn completely through by the handfull of remaining balls still stuck to the cones, which were also fuses to the crank. It took cutting the crank off flush and drilling out the crank from inside the left nut and cone to get it apart. After all that I found the right cup had also fused to the bearings and had been spinning in the frame, while the left side had simply gnawed its way through the cup. (I was surprise how soft the crank arm steel was, it didn't take but 10 minutes to drill out the screwed up mess from inside the left nut and cone after cutting the crank off with a Sawzall.
All I kept thinking was what sort of hammer fisted genetic wonder thought it was a good idea to arc weld on a bicycle crank. ....Let alone power through and ride it long enough for it to chew through the bearing cup before giving up on it?
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So does southpark!
This video does have swear words in it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOR38552MJA
This video does have swear words in it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOR38552MJA
Another example:
A "Canadian" is asking $500.00 "OBO" for this 1972 Raleigh Sport.

I rest my case.
Last edited by gster; 03-10-21 at 08:52 AM.
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Does anyone have any brake levers they are willing to party with? I am trying to put a mixte together for my mom and I think the upright, swept back bars are more suited for her.
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Jokes aside, were you looking for steel Sports levers, anything generally suitable including modern levers, or something suitable within the C&V look?
-Kurt
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Atlas Bicycle factory in India
Turning out Raleigh DL-1 knock offs.
Similar to the Raleigh film from the 40's.
Turning out Raleigh DL-1 knock offs.
Similar to the Raleigh film from the 40's.
Last edited by gster; 03-12-21 at 02:32 PM.
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Thanks gster Great movie! And with all the threads here on this forum about painting, not one of them suggested a 2 quart jug of white paint sloshed (expertly mind you) on the fender for the tail paint......I'd be all "let me mask everything just perfectly" etc......
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Atlas Bicycle factory in India
Turning out Raleigh DL-1 knock offs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGXMblFLlFw
Turning out Raleigh DL-1 knock offs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGXMblFLlFw
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I hope...that all mankind will at length…have reason and sense enough to settle their differences without cutting throats. Ben Franklin
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Thanks gster Great movie! And with all the threads here on this forum about painting, not one of them suggested a 2 quart jug of white paint sloshed (expertly mind you) on the fender for the tail paint......I'd be all "let me mask everything just perfectly" etc......
There's always a simple solution to most tasks.
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I also did a little backyard Three Speed Show just before putting mine away for the winter.





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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.-
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The indicator pin on my 1979 Tourist popped out of the hub today on the return leg of a 20 mile ride. I haven't dissembled the hub yet as it happened just before dark and I won't be back to where the bike is for a month. I'm trying to round up the usual suspects on fixing this before I return hopefully with the likely parts in hand. The pin only seems to grab threads on the last turn into the hub but the pin threads like and feel to be in good shape. I over hauled the hub three years ago and it's been working reasonably well since then until now. Would it be reasonable to ASSume that a new indicator pin and new axel key would cover all the bases on repairing the hub or are there other things I should look at? Second question is where to find parts. Are modern replacements available and any good or should I be looking for used hubs or parts?
Thanks for any suggestions
Thanks for any suggestions
Bikes are okay, I guess.
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The indicator pin on my 1979 Tourist popped out of the hub today on the return leg of a 20 mile ride. I haven't dissembled the hub yet as it happened just before dark and I won't be back to where the bike is for a month. I'm trying to round up the usual suspects on fixing this before I return hopefully with the likely parts in hand. The pin only seems to grab threads on the last turn into the hub but the pin threads like and feel to be in good shape. I over hauled the hub three years ago and it's been working reasonably well since then until now. Would it be reasonable to ASSume that a new indicator pin and new axel key would cover all the bases on repairing the hub or are there other things I should look at? Second question is where to find parts. Are modern replacements available and any good or should I be looking for used hubs or parts?
Thanks for any suggestions
Thanks for any suggestions

Last edited by thumpism; 03-14-21 at 05:34 PM.
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I'll second it.
It sure does seem to sum up the type to do those kind of repairs.
It all goes back to two things:
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing"
and
"You can't fix stupid"
I've been working on bikes for over 40 years and can't count how many bikes were turned to scrap metal by someone with a big hammer, a pipe wrench or a welding torch.
It sure does seem to sum up the type to do those kind of repairs.
It all goes back to two things:
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing"
and
"You can't fix stupid"
I've been working on bikes for over 40 years and can't count how many bikes were turned to scrap metal by someone with a big hammer, a pipe wrench or a welding torch.
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The indicator pin on my 1979 Tourist popped out of the hub today on the return leg of a 20 mile ride. I haven't dissembled the hub yet as it happened just before dark and I won't be back to where the bike is for a month. I'm trying to round up the usual suspects on fixing this before I return hopefully with the likely parts in hand. The pin only seems to grab threads on the last turn into the hub but the pin threads like and feel to be in good shape. I over hauled the hub three years ago and it's been working reasonably well since then until now. Would it be reasonable to ASSume that a new indicator pin and new axel key would cover all the bases on repairing the hub or are there other things I should look at? Second question is where to find parts. Are modern replacements available and any good or should I be looking for used hubs or parts?
Thanks for any suggestions
Thanks for any suggestions
Have you tried just re installing the indicator and seeing what happens?
it seems like an odd failure..
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"Git 'er done"
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I hope...that all mankind will at length…have reason and sense enough to settle their differences without cutting throats. Ben Franklin
I hope...that all mankind will at length…have reason and sense enough to settle their differences without cutting throats. Ben Franklin
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Yup, tried rethreading the indicator pin multiple times on the way back and it seems to thread in but then when tugged on even slightly it it pops out as if only the last thread was seated. I didn't have a chance to disassemble the hub before I left but when I do return to the house the Tourist is my only transportation so I was hoping to go back with those parts that would fix it regardless of what it turns out to be. Thus my question as to whether anything other than the indicator pin or the axel key could account for this. I know lots of people here have much older hubs than this still working well but I also read that the Raleighs by the late 70s were having a lot of corners cut. Not sure if this issue is emblematic of that or just bad luck.
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Yup, tried rethreading the indicator pin multiple times on the way back and it seems to thread in but then when tugged on even slightly it it pops out as if only the last thread was seated. I didn't have a chance to disassemble the hub before I left but when I do return to the house the Tourist is my only transportation so I was hoping to go back with those parts that would fix it regardless of what it turns out to be. Thus my question as to whether anything other than the indicator pin or the axel key could account for this. I know lots of people here have much older hubs than this still working well but I also read that the Raleighs by the late 70s were having a lot of corners cut. Not sure if this issue is emblematic of that or just bad luck.
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Well, bought my first 3speed, bought what looks like a complete ‘77 Raleigh Sports. Won it at a auction for $29.99. I’ll be picking it up Friday, so we will actually see what condition it’s in.
Edit: looks to be missing the rear reflector.




Edit: looks to be missing the rear reflector.





Last edited by Ghostknife; 03-15-21 at 07:38 PM.
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Looks great. Repack and get a new saddle and Bob's your uncle.
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Thanks to all, I have been looking through all the sports threads I can find trying to do some learning on them. I was looking for some Sun CR18s and they prove to be quite difficult to find. I’ll post some cleaned up pictures when I get it home. Excited to add this to the stable and ride it to work. Have a 10 mile round trip bike path route to work.
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