Vintage Raleigh
 

Hi guys,
I'm not an expert about vintage Raleigh and yesterday I bought one on Ebay.
I've not still collected it and I have just this photo, attached. I would like to know how can I recognize if it is an original one, some hallmarks etc...
Thanks for your help:thumb:

P.S.: I have read that there are some replicas made in India and China:
http://ectypebikes.wordpress.com/201...-dl-1-replica/

It appears to have rod brakes and a full chaincase--so that's pretty cool. And it marks it as a fairly old bike, although I don't know exactly when they stopped using rod brakes. Unfortunately from that picture we can't tell very much. You can check the hub for a date code when you get it, and if the hub is original (it probably is) that will give you a very good idea of how old it is.

If it's been sitting around forever I'd do all new grease & bearings in the bottom bracket, hubs and headset. I'd pull the stem and seatpost and grease them as well--they might be stuck. cables, tires and tubes may be ancient and I'd replace them if they were in doubt.

Congratulations, and welcome!

As to your bike, I will wait for more photos before I comment. That style of bike was made for many years with few changes, and as you seem to know, is still made in parts of Asia.

That looks more like a Sports geometry than a Tourist. On my Tourist I don't have the chrome crest on the fender, but it on my Sports. AFAIK Raleigh stopped building rod brake bikes around 1984, but that doesn't mean that some factory somewhere else in the world isn't still cranking them out. From what I have read the Raleigh style rod brake roadster was the single most produced model of bike in the world.

Aaron :)

thanksss
 

Thanks very much for your help.
I'm waiting for more photos. What do you think about the price...I paid for it 80 euros.
I'm very excited to collect it and start with the restoration. I will contact you, experts :), for some suggestions.
Dario

I have no idea what the market is like where you are, but the price isn't outrageous for where I live in the US.

Aaron :)

I'm living in London...I think it's fine also because I sold my old cinelli, unfortunately before moving to UK, in Italy for 420 euros so I saved some money...
Dario :)

Hi guys. here there are new photos...what do you think?
Thanks :)

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=243526 Photo's didnt appear.....

26" wheels; dyno-3 in the back? or rod-operated drum?

Maybe a Dawn Tourist?

Katoviola,

Try to take a dead on side view picture. The angles, fork mainly, do not seem correct for the bike but that could be the angle of the photo.

Hi guys, here the new photos...sorry
What do you think?
thanks
:)

Beautiful Superbe. Mid 50's? But does it have 26" or 28" wheels?

Those decals make it look from the mid-70s. The chaincase and rod brakes implies that it was a UK market model, or at least not a US market model, since chaincases were not possible to fit to US models after ~1962-63.

You're right about the decals. But it has the rear dyno hub, late 60's?

Katoviola, whats the date of the rear hub?

On the rear hub it is written GB Patents 593189. It means that the year of construction is 1959? The wheel is 26".

No there should be a date stamp that looks like "71 7"(sometimes it is the other way around) along with the model of the hub, typically AW. It isn't completely clear in the pictures but the hub is a 64 4. Which means it was made in April 1964.

Aaron :)
http://inlinethumb60.webshots.com/48...425x425Q85.jpg

In my rear hub the date is not written in the same place of yours but, if it is the date, it is located not under "Sturmey archer" but on the right side in vertical and there is only 76. Could it be the date? without month?
Thanx

Great cycle and a great color.

1976 Raleigh Dawn - if Raleigh was still using the Dawn name in the U.K. at the time. Pre-'82 UK catalogs are spotty.

By 1950's nomenclature, it'd be known as a Raleigh Superbe Dawn Tourist (despite having no direct relation to the 28" Tourist model).

-Kurt

Do other Raleigh's aside from Superbes have locking forks?

Good possibility, see Kurt's post.

Aaron :)

Locking forks were available as an option or a replacement part. Some of their other marques also had locking forks...Humber for sure, and maybe Rudge?

Ebay Purchase, Ladies Raleigh 1951?
 

Hello All, I also just bought a Raleigh on eBay, real cheap but is a repaint and has some rust. However I don't think I can lose a lot. Wheels are 26X1.3/8" Stainless Steel rims +stainless spokes, 4speed SA Hub Dynamo dated 1951. Serial no on frame under saddle stem 13832T.
I think Frame made before '51. Also has Locking Forks (no key).
There are a pair of Stainless Wheels the same as mine on eBay 12bids now £67 + £12 postage. I only gave just short of £30 for the complete Bike.
What do you think should I break and sell for parts or ??. Ged (hut27).