Sage advice.

I have just acquired a Raleigh Sports in good shape. In fact it is quite excellent aside for being brown ;/. A 70s model I should think. Everything is there but for the Walmart seat. So my question would be, are these worth fooling with and most specifically, is there an aluminum wheel and quality spoke that would be recommended to knock a little weight off?

So again?

1. Wheels, prefer aluminum but vintage looking?
2. Quality stainless spokes?
3. Proper (Brooks) or similar seat?
4. what y'all use for pedals?

I would like to set it up for short commuting rides.

Thanks for any info as to how to make this a useful machine.

What? Brown is an awesome color! I love my Sports. You'll probably have to have the wheels built. Sun CR18s are a pretty awesome rim. Going to change to a 650b, or stay with 650a? I have a Brooks B66 - you certainly won't be losing any weight, but it's a great saddle. Comes with the period correct double rail. Pedals on mine are the original. I've gone the 12.5 miles from home to work on mine a couple of times

Maybe this is my imagination, but it seems like the modern SA 3-speed hubs have more points of engagement than the old ones. It bugs the hell out of me how far my cranks will turn before engaging on my '71 AW hub. Is there any way to modify an old hub to have more points of engagement?

I watched a youtube video of someone taking one apart, and I think they only have 3 pawls. Not sure you can do much there, but what do I know. I do know the sensation, though

Not sure on the rims, yes, get them built. That is why I am wondering what is the best options there. I would as soon stay with the more narrow rim choice.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...psg98icwld.jpg

I would go with Sun CR18. Fairly bomb proof, and fairly inexpensive. That's a project on my to do list as well.

I bought one of these for my daughter's Dunelt. CR-18 with alloy hub from Harris: Various Manufacturers 26 x 1-3/8 (590) Front Wheel. Sun CR18 Rim, Alloy Bolt-on Hub, 36 Spokes - Harris Cyclery bicycle shop - West Newton, Massachusetts

If you aren't too keen about building the wheel yourself, this is a good deal.

Uhhh...I ride mine to work all the time. You could get Sun CR-18s and just reuse your spokes. Koolstop brake pads help, too. If you must get stainless spokes, you'll need spoke washers. See http://bikesmithdesign.com/SA/sa-tips.pdf A Brooks B-66 is nice, too, but it ain't cheap. Probably the best thing you could do is lower the gearing--look at a 20 or 21T cog. You may need a new chain as well.

Though you've already got a "useful machine" as is. As St. Sheldon says, "these were designed to provide solid, dependable transportation for the British public, at a time when only the upper classes had motorcars. These bikes were built to last 100 years, with reasonable care. "

If I had to guess I'd say that's a '74.

Is the frame small for you?

Why would you ask? Looks about right to me?

If you mean I have the seat up and the bars down below the seat then that would be on purpose. I intend to flip the bars upside down as well to further drop me as it is too upright as it is set now. I am a performance cyclist, ex-racer, and still a triathlete. I do not like sitting upright with the bars up above the seat. I am 5-10, 86cm PBH, I typically set my saddles between 65cm and 70cm center of crank to crown of seat depending on bike, crank length, pedals and shoes. This one is currently set at 56cm. Has worked well for me for decades on all of my bicycles. By the time a saddle bag is added and a rack it will not look so naked back there ;).

But to be clear, I have another frame, I think this one is a 21 with a 22 inch tt in the photo and I have a black 23 frame in good shape, I had it powder coated but it has no decals or other pieces, just a bare frame.

I think I have the correct head (or close) lamp and dynamo but not sure where they mounted typically on these? Also a rack that I think was commonly used but I see no built in attach points now that I am looking at it for serious.

Those Raleigh special design rims look to be in super condition. They are hard to find. Well worth selling.

@gna asks a reasonable question based on your pic but it's fine that you prefer a forward position. You might even consider a longer stem and with your inverted "club" style bars. The Sports geometry and bar position lends itself to an upright position, hence the standard sprung saddle to reduce the impact of bumps on your spine. Go for it. Many of us like the Sports-to-club bike conversion. At your height, you could probably make a 23" frame work for you too.

The question was not unreasonable, thus the ;), at the end of the paragraph, I was just not sure if he saw something I did not. I had a Dunalt as a teen and I used it through college, it was a 21. A 23 feels big to me but you guys are absolutely correct, as long as I stay on even ground and if I liked to sit more upright then a 23 would be possibly dandy :).

I would not use a sprung saddle. I have a Brooks B17N on my Surly Cross Check. I would probably go with a B17 but I did ask about saddles that is true. But in any case I would not get a sprung saddle.

The steel rims on the bike are in excellent condition and true as well. I would not trash them. I would either keep them to return the bike to original condition or I would make sure they got to an appreciative home.

I weighed my Surly CC (54cm, best bike ever :) ) for the first time in a long while with PB fenders, rack, Brooks saddle, head lamp, two tail lamps, bell and the saddle bag (sans tools and spare tube) and she weighed in ready to roll just under 29 pounds. Stripped it weighs 23 pounds if I recall. The Raleigh Sports, as in the photo weighs a tad over 34 pounds! It is a little chunk :).

I would possibly keep the Raleigh Sports in my work office and on nice days and use it for a lunch time ride a few blocks to a nearby coffee shop. I am much too far to bike commute, simply not practical given my position and occasional need to move about the various campuses during the day which are miles apart.

Anyways guys, thanks for the tips and any others you might have. I want to keep the bike in character but just make it more comfortable and practical for a short ride. And no I would never trash good pieces. Landfills are too full as it is without tossing perfectly nice rims in the garbage.

Is Sturmy Archer out of business yet again? Oh, I ordered four of the Sun rims last night. One set for this bike and another set for a Dunalt I am restoring (well, when I get to it) for my niece.

My two cents: Since you are mostly going to use the bike for short rides, I wouldn't worry too much about lightening things up. Building wheels with aluminum rims (like the CR18) is never a bad idea, but it's a bit of a time/money investment. Keep the bike as is, and look at making it more comfortable in other ways, like a new saddle etc.

As for pedal recommendations, if you want to go with the same "look" as the old Raleigh pedals, there is a modern MKS version:
MKS Rubber Pedals With Reflectors 9/16" - Harris Cyclery bicycle shop - West Newton, Massachusetts

I use the MKS touring pedals on my Raleigh:
MKS Touring Pedals 9/16" Silver - Harris Cyclery bicycle shop - West Newton, Massachusetts

nice . my 74 sports [IMG]http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h...psqgjgdatz.jpg[/IMG]

Thats what I do with mine...leave it at work for lunch or just to go for a ride. I also use it in parades. It is fun to break out for the occasional long ride. I've had people think it was some $500 bike (nit sure how with all of the scratches and patina) but nope...bought it for $40.

This is my 60's Hercules that I converted over to drum brakes. Changes are Sachs Orbit VT front hub (70mm drum) with a Sturmey Archer AB rear hub (90mm Drum), vintage Alesa rims, Velo Orange Montmartre bars, a Brooks B67 that I took off my Gazelle, a Schwinn Dynamo setup, Union headlamp, and MKS 3000R pedals, basic Kenda tires till I get the Panaracer col de la vie replacements. Wheels were built myself as well as the other changes.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=510518

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=510519

Here are pics of my Raleigh Superbe the day I've bought it.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=510531http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=510532

It has Sturmey Archer AB rear hub ('80), drum brekes, B66 saddle and nice full chain guard. Now it's in pieces. I'm servicing moving parts and taking off rust.

@hochsztatapler beautiful!

I can vouch for the MKS Rubber pedals. I have them on 5 of my bikes. They're strong, made with real rubber (not plastic) and have the correct "period" look. Here in Toronto I know two bike shops that carry them, $25.00-$30.00.

I found out last night what oxalic acid does to fork thimbles.

I know what oxalic acid is, but what's a fork thimble? What material was your (presumably wrecked) fork thimble made from?

Most of the old Raleigh forks have these shiny little decorative aluminum thimbles...kind of a trademark Raleigh thing, you won't see them anywhere else. The OA turned them black. A little wire cup brush on my Dremel cleaned them up, though.

I can vouch for the MKS silver touring pedals. Love em on my upright riders.
Fork thimbles are the little aluminum covers on the ends of Raleigh fork crowns.