Hi there,

Long time lurker, first time poster. Thanks to all for the awesome advice I've been able to find since starting to ride a little over a year ago.

Taking a look at this https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/2624030971.html for a "good-looking" alternative for city commuting to my Rockhopper with Hybrid Tires

Has anyone seen a comparison of this to the Lady Sports I've read quite a bit about?
Thoughts on the price ($180)? They did quite a bit of replacement, so not sure what I would really need to upgrade -- looks ready to ride. I did join our local Bike Kitchen as I'm planning on becoming very handy.

Thanks much.

Triumph was considered second tier to the Raleighs, however the ones I have seen are certainly comparable in quality. Pricing is whatever you feel you are willing to pay. I know some areas of the country command higher prices than others.

Overall it looks like a clean bike.

Aaron

Thanks Aaron! I went an test rode this morning and it was crazy fun. There are some things I'll want to tune up, but that's part of the fun, right?? Let's hope!

It looks like the ad is down now, you should post some pictures!

I just picked up a 70s Triumph 3-speed earlier this month:



English three speeds make excellent commuter bikes, but they don't seem very well suited to hilly areas.

I managed to get up early and buy the bike before work this morning, but will post some pictures when I am home this evening. Here's the picture from the original craigslist post.


"they don't seem very well suited to hilly areas" -- That's my concern in SF, but my commute to/from work is actually fairly flat. I test rode on some hills and it was work but fun. I find myself always in the hardest gears because I can't stand pedalling to nowhere.

I'd also read this post which suggests lowering the gearing. I'm going to ride around on it more before I decide to do it, but it seems like a decent idea. Thoughts on that?

22 tooth cog is the way to go.

I know a lot of people go to a 22 tooth cog in the back in hilly areas such as Boston. I don't know about San Fran, but it is a cheap (<$20) thing to try out. You just pop out the old cog and slide the new one on. Any bike shop should be able to do it for you in 2 minutes.

Raleigh's second tier bikes like Triumph* (and Phillips*, Hercules*, Armstrong*, Robin Hood, Norman*, Popular Special, et cetera ad infinitum) were essentially the same frame as a Sports (but sometimes without the pump pegs) and with cheaper components. That's good in the case of the rims, the cheaper ones on the second tier bikes are lighter and in many ways nicer than the Raleigh pattern ones on Sports. It's not so good in the case of the seat; he sports came with a leather Brooks saddle, while the second tier bikes came with a Brooks mattress saddle; not as nice, but you can change this. Similarly, the shift cable on the sports ran to a fulcrum on the top tube or down tube and a pulley wheel on the seat tube, which is much better than the fully enclosed cable running to a fulcrum on the seat stay on the second tier bikes (at least the later ones). Again, you can change this.

Bottom line, a second tier bike was cheaper and lighter and can be upgraded to be just as nice as a Sports. Now that they're 30 to 50 years old, the most important criterium is condition of paint &c, so I wouldn't worry much about whether a given bike is a Raleigh or second tier bike.

*Pre-Raleigh (pre-1960 or so) bikes are a different animal (and, in my opinion, preferable to a Sports).

22T makes sense in any terrain. I ride my 3-sp on Long Island, where there are essentially no hills at all.

I agree, get a larger cog for lower gearing and you'll be good to go.

Nice! I tried to click on the craigslist link and it was gone. I had almost found one for my girlfriend and it was snapped up before I got there. So you're lucky!

It looks great. Riding a 3 speed on hills is fine. I find I just adapt to what I have. On a few hills I've had to push my Sports up for a bit but it's no big deal.

Congratulations!

The chain will probably be a bit too short, though. I'd just replace it at the same time.