JKohler

Hey all,

I got so much help the first time when asking for correct light choices for my rebuild that I'm fishing for information once again.

Still rebuilding the 1961 Raleigh Lenton Grand Prix and need to find the correct frame pump. I know it'll be next to impossible to find the exact pump but does anyone know a brand that came standard on classic Raleighs? Were there several different brands?

Thanks in advance,

Justin

ColonelJLloyd 

I recently restored my '73 "Ivory Glaze" Raleigh Sports and purchased the chrome frame pump from www.oldroads.com. I think it cost about $23 shipped. Original or period correct? No, but that didn't concern me. I don't even intend on using it, but the pump pegs were really begging for a pump.

rhm

No.

The standard Raleigh pump pegs fit a 16" pump, which is pretty easy to find; there's a cheap chromed steel one, made in China, you can get for like $5. But my Lenton Grand Prix takes a 17" pump. I have a "Mt Zefal" pump, one of the ugliest things I've ever seen, that happens to fit the pegs; so when I ride that bike, I take that pump. It looks terrible.

Your best bet is probably ebay. Measure your pegs, and be sure it fits before you buy anything. But post your want in the ISO/for trade thread; a lot of people here don't like frame pumps and would be happy to get rid of one if they have one.

Brands... Bluemels, Zefal, Lapize, Britannialloy, &c.

mkeller234

The original pumps have the Sir Walter Raleigh logo on the head, they pop up on ebay and ebay.uk from time to time. I bought the sunlight brand chrome pump. It is $4.56 at niagaracycle.com https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=11604

Here is my sunlight pump on my DL-1. It is really just a decoration, I keep a much better mini pump in my saddle bag.

ColonelJLloyd 

A color matched Bluemels would be nice.

Mike Mills

I thought you'd like this web page.

Bluemel gear including pumps

rhm

Here we go!

Lenton Grand Prix takes 17" pump:

They don't say what size pumps the Sports, DL1, &c take, but I'm pretty sure it's 16".

JKohler

Wow, you guys are awesome.

I'm going to measure my pegs tonight and order one of those chrome jobs later tonight. I'm really just looking for the decoration (something to make those pegs look less lonely) and I'll keep looking for the original when I feel like digging through ebay.

Thank you so much for the quick and in-depth replies.

nlerner

In terms of old Brit pumps, I've seen Bluemels and Britannia, and also ones with the Raleigh insignia. Most of those were fairly brittle plastic (and that's largely why they didn't last).

Neal

rhm

I promise it won't fit.

ColonelJLloyd 

^ Don't they come in different lengths? The 16" pumps that fit a Raleigh Sports definitely won't fit, though, as you say.

Mike Mills

If you buy an aluminum pump, don't count on it actually working. The tiniest dent or deformation of the cylindrical body will ensure the pump leaks and won't actually "pump". In that regard, a plastic bodied pump is superior - plastic warps but springs back to shape; aluminum does not.

rhm

They definitely came in different sizes once upon a time, but the selection is much reduced now. That Sunlite one, that's 16".

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to find a 17" pump. But I did a pretty thorough search starting in March or so, without success.

nlerner

I'd suggest searching eBay with the words "tyre inflator," like this one:

https://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-BLUEMELS...#ht_500wt_1038

Neal

ilikebikes

I have two Britannialloy, one has a tiny dent and a broken hose, the other is in great shape, just needs polishing.

JKohler

Unfortunately,I'm still a noob so cant respond to your PM. Can you PM me your email? I'd really like to talk about those pumps.


I'm not going to order the 16"ones from advice above. Thanks for saving me from that frustration.

Sixty Fiver

Yep... the pump and fenders are Bluemel and the pump actually works for the 26 by 1 1/4 Dunlop tyres but won;t handle any high pressures.

Sixty Fiver

For the most part these old style pumps are more decorative than functional... I also carry Filzer Mini Z in my bag that makes short work of any inflation job as it is is nearly as good a pump as my floor pump at the shop.

ilikebikes

Done.

the sci guy 

So, mega zombie thread, I know, but it's what came up in a google search, sooo.....

As lots of you know my rebuild of the '74 Raleigh Super Tourer is about done, but the bike came to be sans the frame pump. So I'm looking for 1 of 2 things:
1) a frame pump, or
2) can i chop off the pump brackets from the top tube somehow? If I can't get a pump that fits, I hate those things hanging down....

merziac

Please don't drew the pegs. You should be able to find/fab something to hang in them. I would get one of the Sunlite 16 in. and see if you could scab in an extra piece added to the top of the body tube, maybe pcv or chrome pipe with a longer spring to also help take up slack. I have stretched the spring on Silca's to get them to stay in a frame that was a little big. This may be a challenge to get the handle to still cover the body or extension, threaded cap et all.

JaccoW

+1 on not sawing off the pump pegs. My Gazelle Super Licht has that and it always makes me kind of sad a previous owner did that.

JohnDThompson 

FWIW, the Zéfal SP-2 fits the pegs on my 1972 Raleigh Superbe. Not period-correct, but it's a much better pump than the OEM pump.