VintageBikeGuy

Hi,

I’m planning to get a vintage Raleigh Tourist in good shape but I hear a a lot of people talking about the quality is super bad now a days. Upon checking it seems like it’s the same steel now as it’s always been, so I’m confused 😐

I’d love to get some advice on what to get and what to stay away from. Hope there’re some knowledgeable people here who want to share their insights?

Thanks a lot for an interesting forum

repechage

I make my assumption that you are interested in a DL-1 tourist, gents frame which was made in a 22” or 24” frame.

by the later 1970’s as I assembled them out of the shipping box, I felt the quality of the parts was less than older bikes arriving for service.
years? Maybe the chain case era bikes were of better parts finish quality.

I have a 1964 Robin Hood Super Steel bicycle- basically a DL-1. I think it has an advantage as it has a Sturmey Archer 3 speed internal with a Coaster! Brake. The rod brakes are not that high performance. They can be made to work reasonably well but it takes much time and rims in good shape as the brake track is on the inner circumference of the rim and the wheel really needs to be Round AND true.

Phillips, Humber also branded similar or the same bike.

VintageBikeGuy

Amazing. Sounds like you have first hand knowledge.

I’m from Denmark. Here the bikes are called Raleigh Tourist De Luxe. So don’t know what DL-1 is They’re assembled locally since 1999 and some parts are hand painted here too. I guess the manufacturing probably happens in China.

Anyhow, some dealers say stay away from the new ones as they rust away quickly. Read the same online. I just have a hard time understating exactly what makes them rust so quickly compared to some of the “original” ones. It’s all high ten steel. So is it the paint job or what might it be that makes the new ones so much worse?

Aha, so thats great knowledge about choosing a breaking system. I was thinking that it’s a heavy cruiser bike, so coaster breathing is not enough for when quick city breaking is crucial? I’ve also seen a lot of them with internal break systems placed at the middle of the wheels. It adds some bulk but it might be better than the rim breaks?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge

non-fixie 

Pic assist. This seems to be the current version. MSRP of $1,150 - $1,250, depending on model.

non-fixie 

I don't know what the Danish second-hand market is like, but this one is currently for sale in my area for ~ 90 USD / 630 DKK. Looks about fifty years old.

Small cog

I would also recommend the OP go for a pre-1999 English made model if they can get one rather than the current Chinese built ones, they were made with a variety of brakes including rod, caliper, coaster and drum, the latter I have only seen on Southeast Asia models, they were mostly black but I have seem them in about 10 other colours although most of those were sold in the US in the 1970s, they were also sold under about 20 different brands including some made by Raleigh for some chain stores.
Apparently the quality did deteriorate but I would say go on condition as after a few decades anything could have happened to them, you can certainly find a nice one in the UK for around £200, wait a while and a pristine one will turn up for that or not much more.

VintageBikeGuy

Great point. So before 1999 it is. I'll look into importing one from the UK. The market most be flooded with these amazing bikes. I look on eBay, but I can hardly find anything. Do you know the UK market and where to look for one to import maybe?

Small cog

You need to search Raleigh Superbe or Sports and there are quite a few although most are collection only that are there at the moment.

Small cog

Not that I particularly like this presumably Chinese built replica but am interested to see they are being made which must make it one of the longest produced bikes at around 100 years of almost continuous manufacture, you can still buy almost identical bikes new in India made by Hero and Atlas for about £75 or $100 which puts the price into perspective.

non-fixie 

Check out dba.dk first, I'd say. There are a few for sale locally. like this early example :

John E

Vintage is great, to a point, but I draw the line at safety, particularly brakes. Rod brakes are completely unacceptable, and I have been giving up conventional sidepulls in favor of dual-pivots. KoolStop pads all around, of course.

SirMike1983 

If you want the full experience with rod brakes, old-style frame with bolt-up seat stays, etc., I'd look for a 1983 or earlier Nottingham-made bike at the very least. If you want to up the manufacturing quality a bit, look for a Nottingham-made roadster from 1965 or earlier. Over the course of the 1960s, they cheapened some parts and manufacturing processes. Keep in mind the "Tourist" or DL-1 model is basically a 1910s era design. It's heavy, long, and the brakes are pretty weak by today's standards. But it is a unique experience to ride one, and very enjoyable if you understand its limitations.

cjefferds 

Good to know these exist! Hoping to find one for my DL-1.