Buellster

its hard to see in the photo but the top tube is in very rough shape. It has almost as much patena as paint. It's not structural rust but without a new paint job it would be pretty pock marked.
it also looks as though someone cranked down way to hard on one of those sandwiching kick stands and the frame has two compressed spots just behind the bottom bracket, about were a kickstand would sit.
I'd love to restore and old raliegh, but I dont know if this poor fella is a good candidate.

SirMike1983 

They're usually fine. The overall quality is a bit below that of earlier hubs, but usully they work fine. The main flaw is the plastic clutch spring cap degrades with long-term oil exposure. This is on the mid and late 70s hubs. You can replace with a metal cap if need be. Yes, the earlier hubs are nicer in general, but the 70s hubs usually run just fine with basic care.

The internet blows things way out of proportion, and you get this nonsense about how the, "70s Raleighs are junk". They did have cost cutting, and the earlier stuff is nicer, but the 70s bikes are usually fine and function without a hitch, especially if well-kept. Somehow this turns into bashing the 70s era bikes by some. I defended the 70s Raleighs on my site before, and stick by it. They aren't perfect bikes, but they often give good service and are affordable.

Keep the bike, clean it up, and ride it. I will bet you'll love it.

Buellster

That was what I figured. I'm not concerned with the quality, I'm quite happy with what I've got here. I did buy it for the parts to convert my Harding over. As I said above the frame is in rough shape. More so it's a 21" frame and I'm 6 2. Its a tight fit. If it were in better shape I may try and make it work but as it sits not so much. My current plan is to have a 700c wheel built with this hub in it and put it and the front cog on my Harding bike.

At 58 CM this is much more my size and with a 3 speed I wont have a pesky claw on derailur to deal with.

Johno59

I needed some new cotter pins, after I recklessly butchered some 1940s originals. I asked my LBS owner if he had some new ones I could replace them with . With considerable trepidation he handed me some nice new Chicom ones and " They're free but you won't believe how crap they are". Never look a gift horse in the mouth and I went off with a handful freebie cotter pins.

Anyways I'm now starting to believe - but we are where we are.
I was just wondering is it because I'm not scribing them properly . If so, how best do you shape/file a Chicom cotter pin to ensure you get a reasonable number of miles before they get loose and start driving you crazy.

BigChief 

It can be very tricky shaping cotters without a surface grinder. Modern cheapo cotters are pretty far off from fitting Raleigh cranks. Getting a proper fit while also getting a 180 degree spread of the crank arms isn't easy filing by hand. It is possible with patience or you could save yourself the hassle by buying Raleigh cut cotters from Mark at Bikesmith. Edit to add...his cotters are also of a much higher quality to begin with, then he grinds them accurately to fit Raleigh cranks.
BikeSmith Design and Fabrication

gster

If your plan is to convert this bike to a 3 speed then I would build your wheel as planned, leave the BB and crank as is
and then swap out the rear cog on the hub to suit your riding style. Standard factory cog was a 18T but new cogs are inexpensive and you
can move up to a 22T. I prefer a 20T.
Only problem could be chain size, as a 10 speed chain is different than a 3 speed.
I'm pretty sure you can get a rear cog compatible with the existing ring.
I wouldn't start any work until you have a compatible rear cog.
Even then you'll have to pack out the hub for a good fit...
Or, wait for a taller Raleigh.

nlerner

gster

Good to know. GTK

Cute Boy Horse

"Chicom"? Good grief.

SirMike1983 

At that height, the 21 inch frame Sports is probably way too small. The hub should serve you well on that Harding once you're all set up.

desconhecido 

Looks like a 23". Early 70s I'd guess and nice looking. Is it in Texas?

I'm 5'6 and a 21" Sports is what I ride. That's about the upper size limit for me. Others here who are about 5'6 - 5'8 ride the 23" bikes and say they fit fine, so you just have to check it out.

People are taller than the used to be and there are a lot more 21" than 23" Raleigh Sports around so the 23" bikes seem to be more valuable than the 21". If the price is reasonable you can probably sell it along if it turns out to be too big.

SirMike1983 

That's a 23 inch frame from the mid-1970s. It looks like it has self-adjusting brakes and the decals are mid-70s style. I'm 5ft 7in and find the 23 inch frame perfect on the 26 inch wheels, but I like riding the tallest frame I can comfortably fit.

gster

I had to look it up.

gster

Yes, 23" frame.

gster

Ridiculous CCM Mustang
Popped up on Kijiji, Toronto this am
CCM Mustang w/ SA 5 Speed hub.
Asking price.....
$5000.00!

SirMike1983 

Everything I've bought from Bikesmith has been excellent and worth every penny spent. The Grade A cotters are of outstanding quality, and the tools he sells are very helpful. The commonly available cotter pins are very soft, and just pinched-off bar stock with some pretty crude finishing work done on them. The Bikesmith Grade A is the best cotter pin I have found on the market. The cotter press is especially nice to have if you're working with old bikes.

clubman 

If it ain't Scottish, it's CRAP! What a joke.

nlerner

Here's a 21" Drake S-A 3-speed for sale in the Boston area for small money. One of those downmarket Raleighs, I suppose:

https://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/bi...660628478.html

BigChief 

Never tried the Schwalbe. You could also consider Continental City Ride II tires. They claim to be puncture resistant. I like the 28" Contis on my DL-1. So far, so good.

gster

That listing has been removed.
Perhaps it was mis-listed....

gster

A lot of bike for $35.00.

desconhecido 

Yes, the Marathon Plus, and I am an advocate. I've been using them since I bought my first Sports in 2010 and I've put a bunch of miles on them and have had just one flat -- a construction nail, one of those that are power hammered into that cement siding (Hardi Plank). But, it wasn't power hammered into my tire, I rode over it.

When new, the 590 tires are tight, tight, tight, but I've had them off since new and after a while they seem to be ok. I think that they probably make them a little tight because a lot of 590 rims don't have hooks, but that's just a guess.
Anyway, they are tough and durable tires though no lightweights. Of course, we're talking about Raleigh Sports here so lightweight is not necessarily a demanding consideration.

Another thing about those Schwalbe tires, they don't seem to deteriorate with age. My experience with Panaracer Paselas, for example, is not nearly so good.

edit:

The Schwalbes also have those glow-in-the-dark sidewalls.

browngw 

Using the Marathons on S.W.A.T. After changing two rear flats with that full chain
case nightmare, I changed to the Schwalbe Marathons and have been flat free for two years.

gster

Leather Saddle Dye
I decided to change the colour of a couple of saddles and to refurbish a couple more.

I bought a bottle of leather dye @ about $8.00

I did a quick pass on an old French saddle I had that was a dark/worn brown.
I've decided that I prefer black saddles on my bikes.
The test went well.
Time for the Honey Brooks...

I'll finish up (when dry) with a treatment of Mink Oil.

Hopefully the dye will "fix" and it won't come off on my pants.
Recommend you do this outside as this dye is quite permanent.
The finish is quite nice. I would call it a satin finish with minimal sheen.

gster

Toronto Vintage Bicycle Show
The TVBS didn't happen this summer for a couple of reasons.
I'm hoping to revive it next year.
As a consolation. I had my own mini show last night in my
back yard for the benefit of 2 or 3 friends....