Are all of the small nuts and bolts that hold on the fenders, chain guard and other parts all English threads on my Raleigh Sports? I would like to install nicer looking stainless hardware if it's available.

They're all 26tpi, I believe - Raleigh specific. It can be a PITA if you have one Sports in a fleet of otherwise standardized equipment, but if you've acquired enough Raleigh spare bits, it's not an issue.

-Kurt

Yes they are Raleigh proprietary 26tpi, you can tap them out to use a metric or go a size smaller and use a locking nut on them. I usually use the the originals and just clean them up.

Aaron

all the responses so far are good/correct. I usually just go the size down and use a locknut, you'll come out with that new hardware look very easily.. but unless yours is very minty it's gonna look odd on the bike.

I bought a metric tap and die set for retapping the fender stays and whatnot on the bikes. Here's what my fender stay mount looks like on my 1956 Hercules Royal Prince after it has been tapped and a SS hex bolt placed on the front fork and rear dropouts.


1956 Hercules Royal Prince - The Evolution - 8 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


1956 Hercules Royal Prince - The Evolution - 6 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr

Is that a newer build?

True that, but I'm more concerned with being able to ride than with it looking perfectly correct, at least on most of my bikes.

True that as well, but there's always steampunk tricks, drop a little ghetto paint on it then "age" it with shoe polish.

BTW, silvercreek is having his bike repainted so the issue of the fasteners being aged probably won't be an issue.

Technically speaking, no. I finally just finished it up. Below are the day I got it, then about midway through when it was finally rideable, then the final transition as it sits now. I was fortunate enough to source some NOS Birmingham style chainguards to finish it up the way I wanted it to look. The rims on the bike now came from RobbieTunes. Thanks again Robbie!


Pre-Raleigh Hercules (as purchased) - 9 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Hercules First Ride - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


1956 Hercules Royal Prince - The Evolution - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr

Nice! Do you know the name for those cranks? Those are classy.

Those are definitely nice looking cranks. That's what I also would like to have.

I do not know what they are called, but they are the cranks that came with Hercules bicycles. Some of them had the H chainwheels, while others had the full name "HERCULES" cut into the chainwheel.

silvercreek, as far as locating them, there was a set on eBay recently but they didn't sell and they were never relisted. While I think they're nice looking cranks, I think they'd stand out like a sore thumb on your Raleigh. In a strange turn though, my 1964 Hercules cruiser has a Raleigh heron chainring as can be seen in the third picture!


Hercules Chainring by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Hercules Roadster - 1946 - 3 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Hercules Cruiser - 1964 - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr

I've got a set of Raleigh Heron's in good shape, but I'm not sure I'm ready to part with those yet

I have at least 5 sets of cottered cranks hanging around at the moment. In addition, I have another 3 or 4 sets of square taper cranks and a spare set of tandem cranks. You would think I think pretty well covered in the crank department but that's simply not so. I'm still in need of a set of Williams 3 pin cranks.

Now I feel bad I helped fuel your addiction to cranks.

As least it is cranks and not crank! I know what bike that your cranks will go on, when I get that far - the Hercules pictured above with the weird heron crank installed.

I keep procrastinating.. I either need to work on my Racer Deluxe, or get a 29er SS to put those parts of yours on. This thread is leaning me towards the Racer.