My new Raleigh DL-1
 

I just bought this 1972 DL-1 this morning. It didn't steal it, but it's still exciting. Any advice or warnings about how to tackle the rod brakes?

How do you remove the wheels? It looks to me like the brake pads need to be removed?

I rode up and down the block.... it feels very odd to me. The headset was way too tight which didn't help. I wouldn't say it felt stable.... Actually kind of twitchy.

I now have 3 Raleighs and one Lotus. I think I have a Raleigh thing.

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Catch up with Doohickie...he has a '65 DL-1.

Make sure the soles of your shoes have plenty of rubber! No, really, nice catch.

Neal

gorgeous machine!

Nice! I ve never ridden one. I'd like to try one day.

So you're not going to tell js how much it was?

What a nice bike..I must say I have a real soft spot for DL-1's though whether a mens or woman's one...I have a 78' ladies but next year I'd like to find a '67

It's kind of odd that it's not stable, especially since it's a roadster with a tight headset. Remove the wheel and get a good sight line down to the fork drops using the crown as a guide (although you likely know this). It might need a little alignment?

Good looking bike! Glad you didn't steal it too.

I see a 22t sprocket in my future.

I loosened the headset and put air in the tires and that solved the problem. The seat was also set sky high and the stem was all the way down when I test rode it.... that really didn't help either.

Oh... what the heck. I payed 170 for it... WAY more than I would have ever felt right paying for one. I didn't even try to play hard ball over the price, I was content enough. I had the money, the bike was there.... I went for it. This is the first 3 speed that had a frame large enough to ride comfortably, I have had about a dozen small ones. I used to feel guilty spending 50 dollars on a Raleigh Sports, oh well.

I figure it has a brooks saddle, so that makes up some of the guilt. Originally I was going to sell the saddle and use a lepper saddle I have... I changed my mind on that.

Awesome catch!, and I don't think you overpaid.

I'm up to seven "keeper" Raleighs now, Raleighs and Peugeots are easy to get caught up in.

Hey Aaron, I think Raleigh might just be ultra plentiful. That is a-ok with me! I don't really actively seek Raleighs, they just seem to pop up at the right moments. I still have those Blumels hanging around..... of course if you don't want them I have no reservations hoarding them either.

I love Raleigh bikes. I have ten or more, some dating back to the 30's. Having a full set of Whitworth tools helps. I think their metallurgy and plating is top notch. I rode one today.

Matt,

I still want them! I just need to get over your way so we can go for a Raleigh ride!

I think you did just fine at that price point, I know someone that paid $400+ for a super nice one. I paid a bit less than you for a 1979. First thing I did on mine was to upgrade the brake pads to the nice over sized ones from Harris (second set down). It takes a bit of fiddling to get them set up, having dead true rims helps a lot.


Plans for mine include locating and installing a full chain case. Yellow Jersey in Madison, WI seems to be the best bet in the US. They sell a Raleigh DL-1 clone called the Eastman.

And while on the subject of Raleighs...there are 12 Raleighs and one lone Peugeot at my house (total count is around 30+/-)

Aaron :)

Anytime Aaron, they will be here waiting for you.

Yeah, I saw those brake pads and planned on buying them. There is a review on the Harris site that claims you need to do some modifications, did you? The good news is everything looks to be there so I won't be hunting down pieces and parts to make it more like original. The tires are original still in good condition so I won't need new rubber. They are marked "Raleigh Roadster" and are pretty cool looking.

This bike has more patina than the photos show. I actually don't mind it on this bike, I don't want to fuss about it being perfect.

Nice DL-1!
The handling can be different from other bicycles due to very slack headtube angle and short "stem" IMO. As for the brakes, they can be improved, but with steel rims you'll never have the same braking power than with alloy ones, esp. when wet. Yes, you have to remove brake pads to remove the wheels.

I use my 1973 lady's DL-1 as my daily transport bike. I rode it with the rod brakes for almost a year, but just recently we installed a coaster brake hub in addition, which solves the braking issues. The tightness you describe seems to be "normal" for these bikes; that is how mine was and all the others I've tried. I kind of like it. The bicycle is very stable once you get used to it. It can also go surprisingly fast!

I rode someone's DL1 recently. The turning radius is huge! But it felt nice anyway.

I wonder if the tightness that I felt could be from the rod brakes, I suppose those would add some friction. I saw your blog post with the coaster modification, I like the idea a lot. I am not worried about improving the braking though, I actually expected the brakes to be a lot worse. I was able to really get it moving which surprised me, I want to get a 20t sprocket to get better use of all three gears.

My plans for this bike are more in line with enjoyment rather than utility. I have an old road bike that I made into my commuter/errand bike.

BTW, I'm with your significant other using two water bottles by the handle bars. I have a less attractive version on my commuter and absolutely love it.
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Tell me about it, I feel like I am turning some wild kind of chopper. There is a particularly bad stretch of pavement in my neighborhood the DL-1 just seemed to float over it.

Thank you Reynolds, I was hoping there would be an easier way to remove the wheel. Like I said in my response to Veloria, I am not concerned so much with the lack of braking power because this bike will probably be ridden for fun rather than utility. I have felt burned out on rehabbing road bikes. I just haven't found anything that motivated me lately, but the quirky rod brakes have re-kindled that curiosity in me.

Only thing I had to do on mine with the larger pads was readjust the brakes a bit. I have only ridden mine briefly on an MUP in Iowa City. I need to get it on the work stand and give the entire bike a good going over. It takes a bit of thinking and fiddling to get the brakes set up, but I don't find them any worse than the ones on my steel rimmed Superbe.

Aaron :)

Has anyone tried to put Kool Stop pads in these brakes?

I remember working on one of these. I think it was about 100 years ago. I had to fix a flat on the rear. It took a lot of work to get the wheel off and back on.