For some reason, you normally take a smaller 3-speed than you would a road bike. 3-speeds bigger than 23" are super rare in this country, so be happy if you find a 23-incher.

Carl, a bit of etiquette.
Noglider has 10,000 posts, you have a few less. 'Doh' is, in NZ, rude - hey, maybe not in New Jersey ( I seen dem cop shows too).
So you are 6'2" - congrats. My old neighbour was/is 6'11" but he didn't mention it.

I think Noglider was being helpful, and his response very restrained.

I had a 3 speed that was too small for me, but it didn't matter. That is the point NG was making in his last post.

Enjoy the forum, but 'respeck', as Ali-G would say

Here's the (nearly) finished 3 speed I found in a skip:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/...52cf156b_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2311/...dd960d7a_b.jpg

Still needs the Brooks B15 adding and the chainguard (although that's a whole project by itself!)

noglider, Thank you for looking for me and I appreciate the info on sizing and rarity of large frames. Sorry if my reply was out of line.

AL NZ, Thanks for the heads up, I get a bit, ah, impulsive, perhaps. And , Doh ( to me and mine) is what Homer Simpson says when he's disappointed or when he messes up. Both of which seem appropriate to me, me being disappointed because I didn't understand the sizing thing and, now, because I messed up.

I really enjoy reading and posting on this forum so please forgive.

Carl

D'oh!

Subtle difference, especially in writing, between "duh" and "D'oh!" I had taken no offense and understood Carl to mean it was his bad luck, not my mistake.

Carl, try a 21" (actually, I think they're 21-1/2") bike and see if it works for you. If not, you can sell it for the price you paid for it or even more, after you find a big one. It's hard enough to find a 21" bike in good condition. The mens models are much harder to find than the ladies.

AL NZ, Thanks for the education regarding D *h, I too had no idea, still not sure what it means but inthat it is offensive, I can go with that. This Forum is such an enlightening place!:thumb:

Carl, I've got a couple of 23 Sports and a 21. The top tube lenght is the same on all of them, I can ride all three just by varing the seat post but at with a 34" inseam, the 23's are a better fit. Nogliders advise is worthy, grab the first one you see, ride it, evaluate than keep or sell, or just keep it and find another.

:innocent:Just for the record, I'd be willing to trade a a 23" Sports LTD for a slightly smaller Golden Arrow.....I've got no class, I know, but just in case passion overtakes sound logic, I'm your man!:D

My dad is 6'2" and rode a 21" sports for many years. I'm 5'8" and the standover is just barely OK on that bike.

On an upright bike the over-all fitment is not a stringent as it is on a drop-bar bike. Raising the seat a little bit more isn't a big deal with modern seatposts that are both long enough and strong enough to take the load without bending or weighing a ton. With the upright seating position bar location isn't as big a deal as at that angle an inch or two forward or backwards is only a few degrees of bend in your shoulder/arm position and your hip positon. On a drop bar bike an inch is a LOT and being an inch or two off with the top bar length is a huge issue. This is a comfort bike before such a word was even invented because they didn't use UNcomfortable bikes back then for roading around -the drop bar bikes were for the track. Fitment for general road riders wasn't the issue it is today with what used to be race bikes being called "road" bikes and sold to the general public.

Seeing that the Men's 3-speeds are getting rather hard to find, what are the frame sizes for the ladies' sports?

I think that one of the reasons that the Ladies' models are shunned is the perception that they are always going to be on the small side, say a 19".

Did the ladies' sports came in sizes other than the aforementioned 19"?

Anyone know what kind of Raleigh this is?
 

http://harrisburg.craigslist.org/bik/2432623001.html

(White women's 3 speed-looking, ten bucks, about an hour from me ...)

Thanks. ;)

Ladies' sports. later model. For $10 it would be in my garage already.

Hmm... (White Raleigh $10)
 

There seems to be something missing near the top of the fork:
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=205660

Here's a shot with some of the stickers:
Attachment 205659

I should say: I don't actually know what I'm doing with bikes; I was looking at Craigslist because I thought it would be fun to learn. Should I take a gamble on a bike of unknown size with a possible missing bit, that's over an hour's drive away?

Edited to add: thanks.

Run and get that bike. It has a Brooks saddle which sells for about $140. That might be a tall women's model.

The came in 21" and 23" quite rare.

If you need smaller ladies bikes the Colts are an option they have an 18" frame with 26" wheels, or the Space Rider which has a 16" frame with 24" wheels. We sourced one of those for a very petite young lady that we met at a vintage clothing store. We were rolling our Twenties that day and she was bemoaning the fact that she couldn't find a good solid bike that would fit.

As far as the mens frames...I amd 6'-2" with long legs and arms, I ride both the 21" and the 23" I am a bit more leaned over on the 21" due to the much longer seat post vs the 23". Get whatever you can find and ride it.

Aaron :)

What?! Are things that wacky in your market? The B-72 doesn't sell for $140 new:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=11673

Neal

For $10 YES, even if it's a pile of rusty crap you will have parts for when you find a bike that fits you better.

Thanks all.

Could those that have experience with DL1's, Sports/ Superbe's please describe which ride they prefer and why?

I am lusting after a DL1 for apperence sake (never have ridden one) and would probably have to pounce if one became available in my area. I do have a Superbe and
a Sports.

Thanks.

Same here. I also have a Superbe too and a Sports has passed through here.

I find that DL1s handle very oddly, as compared to most other bicycles. If one were my only bike I would get used to it, but I ride lots of different bikes and so the DL1 geometry never is very comfortable for me. The Sports/Superbe geometry, OTOH, feels very natural. YMMV, of course.

When I rehab'd my 51 Armstrong (below), I opted for gumwall tires.

- But when it comes to Raleighs, I always seem to see them with Blackwalls.I am leaning that way myself, for both the 53 Sports and 38 Golden Arrow that I'm working on - but I wonder:

Were gumwalls were ever specified as original equipment?
Did they start that way, and switch to blackwalls when they went over to nylon for the War?

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...ng1951023a.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...ng1951001a.jpg

I have only really ridden a DL-1, though I think I had a space rider as a kid (some kind of girl raleigh 3 speed-- all I remember is that is was blue and had a coaster and hand brake with 3 speeds). In any case, the due to the lax angles and big wheels, there is a bit to get used to with the steering with the DL-1, but I find that it rides like a stately dream. I don't ever really want to ride anything else (unless I want to travel really fast). I think the DL-1 is a great for riding in city traffic (so long as it isn't raining).

About like the difference between a small sedan and a limousine. The DL has a cushy ride and once up to cruising speed, just keeps rolling along. It is one of those things that you just have to try to believe. My daily rider is usually my Raleigh Twenty, but I love getting on my DL to just go rolling along. To me it is not a bike for short rides where you will be starting and stopping, it is one you want to get up to speed and roll for miles on end.

Aaron :)

I think the Sports is a fantastic city bike. The semi-upright position is great for looking around. I feel safe that way, and I take advantage of being able to turn my head often. On a bike with drop bars, I don't look around as often. And there's something about the handling. I just can't put it into words.

I'd pick up a Sports sight-unseen for $10. I wouldn't care if it was a total rusty piece of crapola. Just the AXLE for the Sturmey-Archer hub runs over $15 and I'd be 99.99% sure the axle is OK on a bike. I have an AW hub right now with a worn axle (very many miles) and every time I find a spare hub it's in too good of shape to cannibalize for one part like that. Sooner or later... I'd pay $10 for a SA hub right now sight unseen!

Many other parts on the bike too. There aren't many parts on these bikes that you can buy for $10. Heck, just a cheap greenfield kickstand costs me $10 when a bike comes to me missing one. I've never bought an old Raleigh that the tubes weren't good on them. 2 tubes are almost worth $10 right there. And the tubes on many of these older bikes are heavy-duty tubes that you can't hardly even FIND today and when you do they are around $10 each anyhow. Every once in a while I have to re-tap and then ream the valve stem innards or they slowly leak the the stem but after that they are like new. Wash the tube and shake-n-bake it in a 2-quart ziplock back full of baby powder and it's like new.

$10... You can't even find lunch in Chicago for $10!