Yes- happens pretty often.

Got it; thanks!

clubman, that Canadian is spectacular. The workmanship is top notch as well as the paint.

What is a locator pin? I better check my Rudge, because I don't know if mine has that.

Aren't those Rudge fork crowns one of the best fork crowns on any bike made?

Tom, the locator is that small nub brazed on to the inside of the the Rudge fork blade. It tucks into the light bracket clamp but it's the only bike I've had with that feature. The Rudge fork crowns were definitely pretty slick back then.
Glad you like the Canadian. It does look nice in the sunshine!

Oh, I get it, to stabilize the light bracket. Clever.

clubman got it. Although mine is on the other blade, that is the non-drive side.

http://www.bikeforums.net/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by sailorbenjamin http://www.bikeforums.net/images/but...post-right.png
I've seen cases where the original gold box lining kept the base color from fading but eventually wore off leaving dark lines of the original color on the faded rest of the bike.



Thanks to both of you, that makes a lot of sense, I had a hard time picturing the Raleigh, even at the dawn of the mod '60's creating an orange bike with red stripes...

-Mike

Yeah, I saw that. Thanks both; these little technical niggles are worth knowing.

BTW, seeing CV-6: I built a model of her back in the 60's when I was a kid...

My USMC pilot uncle flew an F4-U in the Pacific in WW2; later went on to fly 747's with Pan-Am outta LAX before he retired. Pensacola seems to have had an upgrade since I was there last, the Douglas Skystreak is painted now...

Just a reminder to anyone in the Portland area: The Three Speed Ride is THIS SUNDAY! More pertinent info, details, and updates here.
http://societyofthreespeeds.wordpres...3-last-update/

re: Skystreak. I am guessing you visited my flickr and saw the NAM photos. Those photos are about 10 years old, so no telling what things look like now.

And on a more relevant note. Went to my LBS (whose owner sold me the Lenton Sport) for some technical assistance. So what does he hand me...a nice shiny Raleigh fork light bracket. And I scored a correct steerer tube mount bracket today also.

A recent refurb. . .
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8085/8...067b01_b_d.jpg

I feel like whitewalls are out of place on a Raleigh but they work here IMO. The brown seat works, and is generally comfy for an upright ride but I hate the branding all over it. Anyone have a good source for mattress saddles? I cant afford to don my flips with leather saddles, but if a new repro mattress saddle could be had cheap enough i'd be all for it.

White Walls came stock on several bikes in the Raleigh utility line in the 1950s and 1960s, so some indeed came with them from the factory. Are those the Duro brand white walls? I am using them on a Raleigh Dawn that I'm working on currently. I think they actually come in a couple different tread types even.

40 spokes to 36... Anyone have a definitive answer?

I picked up a parts bike this weekend and I was surprised to find that the rear wheel had 40 spokes instead of 36; this on a bike that appears to be an all-original [and very weathered, 1972 model Raleigh Sports]

We own several Sports of this era [70's] and several Raleigh sub-brands of the era, and this is the first one I have come across that had the 40 spoke hub.

Does anyone know if there's a definitive guide to when the changeover took place? FWIW, this doesn't appear to be a Canadian or British model either; here are pics for info:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302248http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302249http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302250http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302251

AFAIK. they changed from 40 spokes in '73

Might as well add my "new" 3 speed to this thread. 1955 Rudge Galaxie:

http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/w...psc897afaf.jpg

Hopefully I'll be posting the "After" picture in a few months.

Good thing I didn't find that first Miyata! That's a very cool 3-spd, and of course it's got the red hand of Ulster!
:)

Wow have I got egg on my face; just went in there and counted the spokes on my wife's '72 Sports and you are right; 40 of 'em...

I better start being more precise or it's gonna cost me LOL!

They are the cheapo Sunlites.

To the Thread:

Alex is at it again!

Where does he find these...?

They are stunning; and the jpegs he has on Photobucket are a goldmine...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Orig...item2c6ce51820

http://s47.beta.photobucket.com/user...orts?start=all

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302471http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302472http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302473http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302474http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302475http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302476http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302477http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302478http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302479http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302480http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302481http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=302482

NOTE: The above 1959 Raleigh Sports matching pair were apparently special ordered with the new-for-1959 Sturmey-Archer TCW coaster brake hub.

See: http://s47.beta.photobucket.com/user...l?sort=6&o=344

Those are nice pictures, but $12,000 for a bicycle is silly.

See, now I thought the horns were the silly part :D

Well certainly, if you are spending your own money...

But, on the other hand, say you were running or starting a museum...

You hafta admit that Alex has some possibly one-of-a-kind machinery there - and he seems to get his asking price & I think he will here too.

My interest in his photo set is that he's done a LOT of good close-up pics and I want to know every detail about how Raleigh cheapened their bikes... his pics are a great help in that regard. Indeed, one thing I found already is that Raleigh replaced their rock-solid stainless steel nuts on the front axle with the much-balleyhoo'ed [but inferior] chrome plated Raleigh "R" nuts. Bad, bad...

See: http://s47.beta.photobucket.com/user...l?sort=6&o=283

I'd find a better purchasing agent?

+1 That and the horrible cable dressing. He's also mounted the shifter improperly, not realizing it should read upside down. Still, nice pics for reference.

edit, oh crap, look what he did to the rear light. Nasty.

Palmetto, by the late 80's Raleigh had managed to cheapen everything. It's why we love those 50's bikes!

Like Miyata310's Rudge. It's going to clean up real nice.

http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/w...psc897afaf.jpg

:eek: Are those holes drilled into to those NOS Fenders!!!!!!

Kinda funny....those are the straps that get bent around stays to hold the light :roflmao2: No not so funny.....I cry now :twitchy:

I know we're preaching to the choir but I'm interested to know how much value you guys would put on these, let's say the mans bike only. With drilled mudguards. What would you pay if you had lots of cash but a distaste for getting burned by NOS fever. I'm thinking $800 - $900?

Am I being too cheap?

Hey, I'm just trying to learn this stuff and have to glean where I can. I have a fave cuzzin in Bahstun, which seems to be one epicenter of all this 3-speed stuff, but I'm hesitant to ask her for help in acquiring these peerless machines.

"The Hand; it's all in the Red Hand" - LOL!

Hey Palmetto, I wasn't trying to disparage you or your admiration for 3 speeds.

Do you have any inside knowledge of these bikes? I see they came from a shop in Rochester.

No, I would pull the trigger around $500-$600 tops.