PaPa

I've had the green Superbe stashed for several years awaiting a donor for the missing parts (the 3-spd hub states "69"). Just today I acquired a girls Sports with 3-spd hub that states "65". But judging from the late Sheldon Brown's Raleigh serial ID page, and what I'm apparently seeing on the frame's BB, the green Superbe appears to be a 1956?, and the Gold Sports, oddly enough, doesn't seem to fit anywhere because looks to have only 4 numbers with NO letters. I'm genuinely stumped here guys. I would greatly appreciate it if you Raleigh experts would enlighten me please?


Superbe serial


Sports serial (looks like, 2028)


Superbe chain guard


Sports chain guard


Superbe rims


Sports rims


Head badges (Sport LH - Superbe RH)

rhm

The way your Sports number is chipped indicates is was stamped in after painting, so I don't think it's a serial number. In the 70's we used to have to take our bikes down to the police office to have them registered, and they'd put a sticker with a code number on the frame; and then they'd take metal punches and put the same number on the BB. Pound it right in there, through the paint and all. They did that to my Raleigh Professional. That's what your number looks like.

As for the Superbe number, all the paint being gone, I s'pose it could be the same, but I'm less sure.

cudak888 

The gold Sports S-22 hails anywhere from '66-72/3. It'll have a very faint serial number stamped in the seat lug.

The decals on your Superbe indicate '65-68. It'll have a serial on the seat lug as well.

FYI: Raleigh Sports visual ID chart.

-Kurt

greengage

Can I hijack? I've been wondering about serial numbers because the ones on my 1935 Raleigh (I give it this date due to the hub which is a Sturmey Archer that reads "K.2" and the fact that it still has a quadrant shifter) are S99139 and I can't find any similar numbers on Sheldon Brown's site. Any ideas?

cudak888 

K2 is 1932.

-Kurt

PaPa

Thanks Kurt,

Here's a few more grabs. Without removing paint, I see no serial on or around the seat clamp on either bike - doesn't mean there isn't one, just that I can't see or detect the presents of one. The gold Sports has the stamped, Raleigh rear rack (w/the chrome, spring-loaded hold-down) reminiscent of the Superbe's and the cast alloy kick stand which doesn't crush the stays. It also has a twist shifter and cast (as opposed to stamped) brake levers.

cudak888 

Ok, ladies' frame. Look at the front of the seat lug:



Mens' frame will have it stamped so:



More info here:

The Headbadge: Raleigh Serial Numbers Throughout The Years

-Kurt

PaPa

Well, I removed the paint from the seat clamp (down to bare, shinny steel) and found no stampings. With Raleigh's sporadic numbering system and the possibility for error, I'd question the validity anyway. Decals and their placement(s) haven't been much help either - not to mention that I have yet to see another Sports (or Superbe) with a bullet shaped chain guard. Oh well, thanks for trying.

cudak888 

Interesting. I'll put 2028 in the serial registry Excel sheet that I have - with a big question mark next to it.

The bullet guard and gold paint were unique to the 1966-1972/3 Sports S-22 spartan models. Decals are also completely different, and are based on the pre-1960 Raleigh Sports decal set with some slight modifications. Many new enthusiasts confuse these for '50s models because of the decals.

PaPa

Ok, in alignment with your example picture of the men's bikes, I found a 5 digit number on the Superbe's seat post lug - Looks like "10199". The number is stamped perpendicular to the top tube, and I read it left side to right side (facing forward with seat removed).

BTW, Bruce Morrow is explaining the restro details of his 1968 Raleigh Superbe in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdUz4e2vjHc

In it, he states he replaced the stamped brake levers with the "earlier" cast levers. The Sports has cast levers - the levers on the Superbe are missing, so no idea what it had.

greengage

thanks, Kurt! Does the serial number make any sense to you?

wahoonc

Take a look on the back of the seat tube just below the lug, I have seen serial numbers there on some Raleighs, can't recall if they ever stamped the Sports there or not, but I have a 1964 AMF Herc ladies frame that has them there, as well as my DL-1.

Aaron

cudak888 

Raleigh didn't put serials back there until mid-1973 - do you have a photo of that Herc?

-Kurt