another Raleigh Lenton - 1958/59? Rudge Pathfinder Grand Prix
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another Raleigh Lenton - 1958/59? Rudge Pathfinder Grand Prix
Picked this up out of sheer curiosity, and from the light cleaning i've tried it's looking like it might be in better shape than expected. No idea what to do with this - I can clean/tweak it, but I'm not going past those cotter pins! Grateful for any pointers on how/what to do with this, or who might be a better home for it.
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This bike is beautiful. It shouldn't be difficult to sell it in NYC for FMV without having to go through eBay. Others can speak to its value but it is in great shape given its age.
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A most marvelous find to be in such all original condition and without sign of damage/abuse.
There are many out there who would be delighted to take this in for refurbishment.
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A most marvelous find to be in such all original condition and without sign of damage/abuse.
There are many out there who would be delighted to take this in for refurbishment.
-----
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Thank you - I will (gently!) clean it up best I can to better show its condition and hopefully someone will get excited for it. Must confess I got excited for it when I met it, but not knowing anything about Lentons I probably paid way too much for it!
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In my world, a bike like that, offered to me for $500.00 CND would already be in my stuffed work shop. That said, if you have any interest in vintage bicycles and if the bike presented is a good fit, I would try to get past the antiquated technology thing.
I was lucky enough to discover that older bikes can be even more fun to restore and ride. As for cotter pins - only a matter of having the right tool and applying the proper procedure. That said...
Few cranks offer the visual appeal of a shiny old cottered one (my opinion, of course)...
I was lucky enough to discover that older bikes can be even more fun to restore and ride. As for cotter pins - only a matter of having the right tool and applying the proper procedure. That said...
Few cranks offer the visual appeal of a shiny old cottered one (my opinion, of course)...
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"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
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...that's in remarkably good condition. Must not have been used much. I gave someone down near Petaluma $600 for this one, a Raleigh that is roughly equivalent, about ten or 12 years ago. I didn't get around to overhauling and "restoring" it until a couple of years ago. Cotter pins are not a big deal if you use the right tools and technique, even ones that have been in place that long.
I kind of updated the wheels/tyres on mine, because I wanted to ride it, but there are many people searching for this sort of bicycle with the original stuff on it. You just have to connect with them.
You might try getting an upgraded seller's accoiunt here for a month or three and see if you get any interest in the C+V for sale section. And there are a bunch of sellers and buyers of older bikes like this over on the CABE.
Bikes like this really are more of a labor of love at this point. But if you start searching on e-bay, I think you'll be surprised to see what some of the components are listed for (I don't know if anyone buys them at those prices.) I wanted to take advantage of the mostly original paint and decals on mine, so with the frame stripped, I painted it with clear urethane. There are many classic bike aficionados who look askance at that sort of thing, so since you're not planning on keeping it, I son't go into the gory details.
Sweet bike from a bygone era. Here's one photo of mine, so you can see the resemblance in construction and components.
...that's in remarkably good condition. Must not have been used much. I gave someone down near Petaluma $600 for this one, a Raleigh that is roughly equivalent, about ten or 12 years ago. I didn't get around to overhauling and "restoring" it until a couple of years ago. Cotter pins are not a big deal if you use the right tools and technique, even ones that have been in place that long.
I kind of updated the wheels/tyres on mine, because I wanted to ride it, but there are many people searching for this sort of bicycle with the original stuff on it. You just have to connect with them.
You might try getting an upgraded seller's accoiunt here for a month or three and see if you get any interest in the C+V for sale section. And there are a bunch of sellers and buyers of older bikes like this over on the CABE.
Bikes like this really are more of a labor of love at this point. But if you start searching on e-bay, I think you'll be surprised to see what some of the components are listed for (I don't know if anyone buys them at those prices.) I wanted to take advantage of the mostly original paint and decals on mine, so with the frame stripped, I painted it with clear urethane. There are many classic bike aficionados who look askance at that sort of thing, so since you're not planning on keeping it, I son't go into the gory details.
Sweet bike from a bygone era. Here's one photo of mine, so you can see the resemblance in construction and components.
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AS originally received, it looked like this:
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In my world, a bike like that, offered to me for $500.00 CND would already be in my stuffed work shop. That said, if you have any interest in vintage bicycles and if the bike presented is a good fit, I would try to get past the antiquated technology thing.
I was lucky enough to discover that older bikes can be even more fun to restore and ride. As for cotter pins - only a matter of having the right tool and applying the proper procedure. That said...
Few cranks offer the visual appeal of a shiny old cottered one (my opinion, of course)...
I was lucky enough to discover that older bikes can be even more fun to restore and ride. As for cotter pins - only a matter of having the right tool and applying the proper procedure. That said...
Few cranks offer the visual appeal of a shiny old cottered one (my opinion, of course)...
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...that's in remarkably good condition. Must not have been used much. I gave someone down near Petaluma $600 for this one, a Raleigh that is roughly equivalent, about ten or 12 years ago. I didn't get around to overhauling and "restoring" it until a couple of years ago. Cotter pins are not a big deal if you use the right tools and technique, even ones that have been in place that long.
I kind of updated the wheels/tyres on mine, because I wanted to ride it, but there are many people searching for this sort of bicycle with the original stuff on it. You just have to connect with them.
You might try getting an upgraded seller's accoiunt here for a month or three and see if you get any interest in the C+V for sale section. And there are a bunch of sellers and buyers of older bikes like this over on the CABE.
Bikes like this really are more of a labor of love at this point. But if you start searching on e-bay, I think you'll be surprised to see what some of the components are listed for (I don't know if anyone buys them at those prices.) I wanted to take advantage of the mostly original paint and decals on mine, so with the frame stripped, I painted it with clear urethane. There are many classic bike aficionados who look askance at that sort of thing, so since you're not planning on keeping it, I son't go into the gory details.
Sweet bike from a bygone era. Here's one photo of mine, so you can see the resemblance in construction and components.
...that's in remarkably good condition. Must not have been used much. I gave someone down near Petaluma $600 for this one, a Raleigh that is roughly equivalent, about ten or 12 years ago. I didn't get around to overhauling and "restoring" it until a couple of years ago. Cotter pins are not a big deal if you use the right tools and technique, even ones that have been in place that long.
I kind of updated the wheels/tyres on mine, because I wanted to ride it, but there are many people searching for this sort of bicycle with the original stuff on it. You just have to connect with them.
You might try getting an upgraded seller's accoiunt here for a month or three and see if you get any interest in the C+V for sale section. And there are a bunch of sellers and buyers of older bikes like this over on the CABE.
Bikes like this really are more of a labor of love at this point. But if you start searching on e-bay, I think you'll be surprised to see what some of the components are listed for (I don't know if anyone buys them at those prices.) I wanted to take advantage of the mostly original paint and decals on mine, so with the frame stripped, I painted it with clear urethane. There are many classic bike aficionados who look askance at that sort of thing, so since you're not planning on keeping it, I son't go into the gory details.
Sweet bike from a bygone era. Here's one photo of mine, so you can see the resemblance in construction and components.
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Thanks for the background - I think I'll clean it up enough to try riding it (mechanicals are all sound and bearings seem smooth so far) just to get the experience. Then I might do just that via the Sales subforum, unless this thing shoots cupid arrows at me in the meantime. (and in the meantime if I stumble across a copy of the Rough Stuff Fellowship book, it'll be a sign...)
AS stated, they are (for some reason I can't fathom), desirable to a certain segment of the "all original restoration" guys. Me, I want something I can ride around town without feeling like I'm dragging an anchor. They also share the general bad braking characteristics of steel bike rims. So all in all, something I don't personally miss much. Also, you will quickly discover that steel bar and stem, and steel seatpost, while pretty commonly used for many years, and original equipment on these bikes, seem to weigh a ton when you are a spoiled brat cyclist in the 21st Century, accustomed to aluminum alloy components. It's great exercise hauling them around, though.
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What's the size? You won't have any problem selling it on the C&V for sale forum.
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Picked this up out of sheer curiosity, and from the light cleaning i've tried it's looking like it might be in better shape than expected. No idea what to do with this - I can clean/tweak it, but I'm not going past those cotter pins! Grateful for any pointers on how/what to do with this, or who might be a better home for it.
This is fantastic, like Randy, I would already have this and be gently coaxing everything apart to massage back to the most glory I could.
Wish it was my size, I would be stripping gears trying to get this.
This is the deep end, dive, dive!
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...on sizing for these: IIRC, back in ancient times we only saw them in 21" (most common) and 23" frames. I'm uncertain if that was all they made, or that was just what got imported to the US. The Raleigh Sports bikes that got sold most places were in the same boat.
So those of us (like me), who prefer a 24" frame made do with the 23" frame. It's not that hard to get one to fit, because there's a lot of stem adjustment leeway in the up and down direction, the seat posts were usually long (if not, the proper size post in longer length is readily available, and the geometry and wheel base is pretty long, so long top tube relative to the frame's seat tube.
When I fitted mine to my needs, I used a longer extension stem I had in the miscellaneous stems box. Also, the 27 inch wheels they came with give more stand over height than the bikes like the sports with 26x1 3/8 tyres and wheels.
The longer geometry is deceptive in photos, because the head tubes are short relative to size. So they look smaller than they are. I think the bike in the photos is a 23" model.
...on sizing for these: IIRC, back in ancient times we only saw them in 21" (most common) and 23" frames. I'm uncertain if that was all they made, or that was just what got imported to the US. The Raleigh Sports bikes that got sold most places were in the same boat.
So those of us (like me), who prefer a 24" frame made do with the 23" frame. It's not that hard to get one to fit, because there's a lot of stem adjustment leeway in the up and down direction, the seat posts were usually long (if not, the proper size post in longer length is readily available, and the geometry and wheel base is pretty long, so long top tube relative to the frame's seat tube.
When I fitted mine to my needs, I used a longer extension stem I had in the miscellaneous stems box. Also, the 27 inch wheels they came with give more stand over height than the bikes like the sports with 26x1 3/8 tyres and wheels.
The longer geometry is deceptive in photos, because the head tubes are short relative to size. So they look smaller than they are. I think the bike in the photos is a 23" model.
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...on sizing for these: IIRC, back in ancient times we only saw them in 21" (most common) and 23" frames. I'm uncertain if that was all they made, or that was just what got imported to the US. The Raleigh Sports bikes that got sold most places were in the same boat.
So those of us (like me), who prefer a 24" frame made do with the 23" frame. It's not that hard to get one to fit, because there's a lot of stem adjustment leeway in the up and down direction, the seat posts were usually long (if not, the proper size post in longer length is readily available, and the geometry and wheel base is pretty long, so long top tube relative to the frame's seat tube.
When I fitted mine to my needs, I used a longer extension stem I had in the miscellaneous stems box. Also, the 27 inch wheels they came with give more stand over height than the bikes like the sports with 26x1 3/8 tyres and wheels.
The longer geometry is deceptive in photos, because the head tubes are short relative to size. So they look smaller than they are. I think the bike in the photos is a 23" model.
...on sizing for these: IIRC, back in ancient times we only saw them in 21" (most common) and 23" frames. I'm uncertain if that was all they made, or that was just what got imported to the US. The Raleigh Sports bikes that got sold most places were in the same boat.
So those of us (like me), who prefer a 24" frame made do with the 23" frame. It's not that hard to get one to fit, because there's a lot of stem adjustment leeway in the up and down direction, the seat posts were usually long (if not, the proper size post in longer length is readily available, and the geometry and wheel base is pretty long, so long top tube relative to the frame's seat tube.
When I fitted mine to my needs, I used a longer extension stem I had in the miscellaneous stems box. Also, the 27 inch wheels they came with give more stand over height than the bikes like the sports with 26x1 3/8 tyres and wheels.
The longer geometry is deceptive in photos, because the head tubes are short relative to size. So they look smaller than they are. I think the bike in the photos is a 23" model.
Gotta say I'm enjoying the slow careful cleaning/checking in my spare moments - plenty of grime all over, which has probably saved it these last years, and most of the chrome rust is surface dusting that yields to wadding polish & a fingernail. Tires appear contemporary and holding air better than most of my others, so there's that.
And the technical surprises keep coming... just realized that the wheelset is spoked 40 & 32, and the spokes are double-butted. In the days ahead I will cut off those Grab-Ons and continue... anything I should be on the look-out for? I can check for date codes but from what i have read so far, the derailleur+suicide rod constrains this to 58-59-60...
rear brake cabling is pretty seized - I am tempted to pull the housings to bathe them for a day or two in a mild oxalic acid solution, then run some PTFE through and see if I can get them back workable. But I have little experience with what 60 yr old rubber can handle...
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You're doing some nice work on this bike but that is unlikely to increase the value much if at all if you plan to sell. I get it. I work on a lot of bikes where I know I'm not adding much if any value just because I enjoy it. But you did say you wanted to sell it.
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I will need to sell it, I've accepted that. NYC apartment living means that everyone here has to sing for their supper in some way and city living is tough on bikes - on 1970s stuff I know I can replace anything that gets bent, but on this I certainly cannot. I reckon it has earned a quieter, gentler retirement.
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Because they are very shiny, and 27" rims, there are some VO (and other) highly polished alloy rims that look similar. But the new rims have a bead hook, which allows a much better tyre to be mounted and inflated to 120psi. And they are several orders of magnitude lighter. This only matters if you are intent on reworking the bike to ride more like what most of us are accustomed to. There are all sorts of people hanging out over on the CABE forums who are heavily invested in restoring old Schwinn's and Rollfast's , with balloon tyres that weigh more than some of my bicycles in their entirety. I don't get that, but I wish them well.
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Gotta say I'm enjoying the slow careful cleaning/checking in my spare moments - plenty of grime all over, which has probably saved it these last years, and most of the chrome rust is surface dusting that yields to wadding polish & a fingernail. Tires appear contemporary and holding air better than most of my others, so there's that.
And the technical surprises keep coming... just realized that the wheelset is spoked 40 & 32, and the spokes are double-butted. In the days ahead I will cut off those Grab-Ons and continue... anything I should be on the look-out for? I can check for date codes but from what i have read so far, the derailleur+suicide rod constrains this to 58-59-60...
If it matters, the Benelux front suicide shifting is a much better design than the Simplex stuff of the same vintage, and works much better. Cable operated front derailleurs came soon after this.
rear brake cabling is pretty seized - I am tempted to pull the housings to bathe them for a day or two in a mild oxalic acid solution, then run some PTFE through and see if I can get them back workable. But I have little experience with what 60 yr old rubber can handle...
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Totally get that - I want to get it clean enough that I (and some photos) can see the true condition underneath, and also workable enough to ride it just one wee bit. Also, I just love what I'm discovering as I work on it.
I will need to sell it, I've accepted that. NYC apartment living means that everyone here has to sing for their supper in some way and city living is tough on bikes - on 1970s stuff I know I can replace anything that gets bent, but on this I certainly cannot. I reckon it has earned a quieter, gentler retirement.
I will need to sell it, I've accepted that. NYC apartment living means that everyone here has to sing for their supper in some way and city living is tough on bikes - on 1970s stuff I know I can replace anything that gets bent, but on this I certainly cannot. I reckon it has earned a quieter, gentler retirement.