Brilliant! I wish Raleigh had done that for the US market.

An early 1950s Raleigh catalog I have shows the RRA (full DB 531) in “tourist” guise with upright bars and IGH. Don’t know if you could actually get it that way, of course.

That bike checks all the boxes.

johnnyspaghetti, I hope your dog is following Leroy's Dog on Twitter. The two, they might be soul mates.

I have just purchased something similar, with the original fork and chrome crown cap, and the head tube badge nice, but I think not the Rudge pattern chainwheel, which I don't know why. Maybe I can dig one up, somewhere. I'll need similar extra lift at the seat and stem, but yours looks fine that way, maybe it has to do with the absence of the chainguard and fenders. I doubt the wheels are as perfect as the ones on yours, so most likely it will get CR18s. (I'm intrigued with the notion of going 700C.) But I have a project bike ahead of it so the Rudge will most likely get taken apart for storage in the closet until next winter.

She is not a nice dog. Said that she is so smart. it's wow smart. watches the bike front wheel then follows. i

I use a leash. She doesn't like small children or small dogs.

Yes. So true. But during those years it was such a struggle for bike companies to get adult Americans to take bicycles seriously. Schwinn tried and tried and it wasn't easy for them. Every once in a while here (NYC) I meet someone who says how their grandfather loved bikes and had a beautiful old 50s or early 60s racer and the next thing they say is, wait for it, he was an Italian immigrant.

I like how my friend and his wife aren't bike fans at all, they just ride the bike around the neighborhood for errands and don't worry about appearance. Like you say, hard worker. No vanity. Is the seat tube bent? I will look closer. Not that it matters. Steel! (Some young guy was selling this in the middle of a snowstorm in front of Paragon Sporting Goods on Broadway. He wanted $40 so I thought what the hell. The guy I'm friendly with at my LBS did a nice job overhauling it, just the usual stuff, and when I rode it over for delivery I was so thrilled I bought my own Sports shortly afterward.)

LBS I say yes then no.

It is a shame the owner is so hard-nosed.

Almost a custom bike. Wonderful to know it existed.

She's ready for a job interview. You know the advice: never say anything bad about yourself.

The RRA , the original RRA I should say, is the Grail English IGH bike in my book. At my age and ability I couldn't make the best use of one though. It would be wasted on me at this point, even in roadster trim.

Imagine the enjoyment buying one new--the discussing with the shop which of all those equipment options to choose, and probably a few kibitzers interestedly observing, with their own opinions, because it wouldn't be every day someone ordered one of those, and then waiting for the bike to finally appear from the factory, and then the sheer crazy enjoyment of those first rides.

Raleigh started using the standard chainring on their captive brands in the 60s. Too bad really, the distinctive chainrings are such a big part of their charm. If you really want a Hand of Ulster chainring, you could get into this bidding war.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Rud...4AAOSwxfdayUsI

In fairness, I did not speak with the owner; I spoke with a young guy manning the shop who had to call her to ask about the price. The woman is in business to make money and she does not see this little Herc as a "nice little bike that should be saved from terminal exposure," she sees it as a "midcentury modern artifact that would be a rare and tasteful design element" and has priced it accordingly. To her it's like the old washboards and metal feed signs you see on the walls of folksy restaurants. I understand that. But unless she thinks it will become more attractive to shoppers the longer it degrades in her side lot, she's a fool not to entertain an approach by someone with an obvious interest in its purchase.


Maybe she just hates the bike or hates having to deal with them as part of the business. Lord knows, when you're not actually riding a bike it really can be a cumbersome device. Believe me, I know. We have 12 in the household right now and certainly do not need another.

uh oh, I am rapidly approaching 20 here and I thought things were still under control. Like yesterday, I found a Puch built JC Higgins three speed and bought it because it had a good B-66 on it. That's ok........right?

So Raleigh did not treat all its children the same. Disappointing. They stuck with the heron chainwheel much longer; my '72 has it. Maybe a bargain will come my way. Thanks for this information.

Then not hard-nosed so much as maybe not understanding accurately the market for her merchandise.

Yes, they did keep the heron chainrings and thimble forks on the Raleigh badged bikes to the bitter end. I think the first brand Raleigh swallowed up was Robin Hood. It remained their budget brand. For a while, other brands they acquired got first class treatment. They kept their traditional distinctive chainrings and forks. Even things like the Humber duplex forks. They took special care of Rudge. The 51 I'm working on came with all the premium goodies. Brooks saddle, stainless spokes, Raleigh pattern rims, single bolt levers, rubber case reflector and Dyno hub. It has the traditional Rudge oval fork crown and distinctive chrome cap. And of course, the Hand of Ulster chainring. In the 60s, they started cutting back on these things by using standard parts. It got to the point where the only difference between a Rudge, Hercules, Humber or Phillips was the badge and a couple transfers. Still great bikes, but I do think it was misplaced economy. One of my favorite all time chainrings was the Humber running man.

I certainly did find the right bike forum!

It's hard to pick a favourite from Sir Mikes stable, but for me this stands out because of the particular shade of green, that in this image looks black...And because it's a DL-1 :) Sir Mike, is that one of your minnehaha bags? Nice fit on the rack.

My eyes are wide open

Very nice! Beautiful and classic........

I changed the tube on the rear wheel of my wife’s Raleigh Sports 3-speed tonight. The first time I’ve needed to do that on a 3-speed Sturmey wheel in 34 years! Glad I kept some of my bike tools all those years. Had to start unscrewing the gear indicator chain retaining nut with needle head pliers as it was seized, was glad rim strip came with the tube as it was a burred spoke head that was the cause. Had a head-scratching moment when I put everything back together and heard a rubbing sound - turned out the chain was rubbing against the bike stand. Sense of accomplishment.

Armstrong step through in Dover, DE. It is a bad backlit photo, but there are a couple of other pix. I've seen this bike on CL for a while, so the seller may take less.
https://delaware.craigslist.org/bik/...554928206.html

A nice Robin Hood in New Hampshire. Looks sharp in gold with a chrome fork. Never seen that before.

https://nh.craigslist.org/bik/d/vint...556757746.html

I am trying to learn to "eyeball" frames for size. This looks like a 19 to me. How am I doing?

Nice bike, fair price. I suspect the forks have been replaced.