Here's the Grail; on eBay right now!:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1940-Gents-R...item2c66f26eb6

http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...ted/?start=all

It is doubtful he'll sell that bike at the price he's asking. $4,500 OBO? It is a beautiful bike...

Who knows? Somebody might be crazy enough to pay it - After all, that is an amazing specimen - Like stepping into a time warp!

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...g?t=1339559746
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...d/IMG_0110.jpg

4500.00 is a pretty steep price for some old three speed... But what a beautiful specimen.

These were fitted to pretty much all the bikes when I was a kid in the 70s. Seem to remember them using a couple of standard D batteries though...

I remember the D's, had a bullet lamp that took 2 and produce a useless glow for an evening.

" I was having a bit of fun with the latern battery ;) "

This guy finds old British 3 speeds in pristine condition (have no idea where) and they do sell, believe it or not. Late last year, he had a new old stock 72-ish chrome superbe with all the bells & whistles.
I keep meaning to drop a line to meet and have a look/drool.

Hi folks, I have a question.

Unfortunately, I'm downsizing apartments next month which means I have to sell off most of my bike collection since I'll no longer have a garage :(.

I own a black 23" Raleigh Sports from 1970 and a black 21" Rudge Sports from the same year. I can keep only one of them (and plan on swapping out the best parts from each since they are of the same vintage). I'm just having a lot of trouble deciding which one to let go. On the one hand, I've heard that 23" frames are rarer than 21," but on the other hand I haven't seen many Rudges around either (and I really love its chainring). Both frames are in very good condition and both ride well for me (though I'd probably say that I prefer larger frame of the Raleigh...it feels like I'm riding the SUV of bicycles.)

Anyway, is there any difference in value/collectibility between the two? Given that they are the same year and the same color, they are essentially identical except for the size difference and the particularities of each branding.

Thoughts?

Brynley, I would choose by size first and brand next. And decide by how it rides, not by market value. You're going to ride it, right?

With that said, I have an affection for the Rudge brand. I always have.

Thanks noglider, that sounds like good advice. I'll take each of them for a spin tomorrow. I definitely do plan on keeping one of them for the purpose of riding it.

Also, one more question. On one of the bikes, the crankset is a bit loose and wobbles slightly from side to side if pressure is put on one of the pedals, which results in the chain rubbing against the chainguard. Is this something that I could likely fix easily? Or would I need to take off the cranks (and those pesky cotter pins) in order to get at whatever mechanism needs to be adjusted? I've been slowly learning more about bike maintenance this year, but I've not yet messed around in a bottom bracket.

Yup, sounds like the BB cups need adjusting. But on the upside, once you it....the next time around will be a piece o cake!

Yet Another happy rider
 

I'm having a great time reading backwards through this thread, thanks to all who are sharing their knowledge, tips and stories!

Until recently I didn't add up the facts of my British cycle tendencies even though I had a Rudge as a kid, lusted after a Ralegh Pro as a teen in the early 1970s, ended up buying a Mercian Pro frameset new in '88 and have been tidying up an all-original Moulton Stowaway that belonged to my Uncle - he passed away over 25 years ago and my aunt gave it to me as I always admired it.

Recently I got it in my head that an old Sports would be a great around-town ride, and after a week of CL activity on Long Island and the western suburbs of Boston the fleet has landed. It started with a 1966 Sports and a 1972 BSA for my son, followed quickly by a 1972 Sports (Malaysian build, looks like it has less than 20 miles on it) for my wife and a 1969 Philips for my stepson. Beyond cleaning nothing serious is wrong with these bikes mechanically. New tires/tubes/rim tape is all they needed to be rideable, although some bits will be no doubt be upgraded. The B72 on mine was dessicated and torn. It became flexible after a generous Proofide application, then I stitched the tear and laced the sides but I'm not sure it'll be usable. So maybe a few saddles are next.

Here's the husband and wife rides:

1966 Sports
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=264307


1972 Sports
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=264308

I don't have shots of the BSA or Philips, yet. But I will...cheers!

Thanks to photogravity for the nice rear fender. My daughter-in-law took delivery of her Hercules yesterday:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=264319

Laure is French, so I felt obligated to apologize that it wasn't a Peugeot. :D She (of course) named it "Air-Kyuhl".

Skip

Hi ascherer -
IMO, these old 3-speeds certainly are the definitive all-around town bikes.

- And it looks like your family will be an all-Brit 3-speed family: Raleigh, BSA, Phillips!
Why, the Queen might even knight you if she knew!

(Just kidding about the knighting part).

Yes it will be interesting to see what that beauty eventually goes for. He's re-listed it at $4300 after getting no bites @ $4500.

BTW, from the list of bikes you presently own, it appears that you are the perfect person to ask to post a succinct overview of the pros and cons of say 3-speed hubs vs. 8-speed [IGH] hubs... [your 72 Peugeot]

Would you do that for me and for the other cyber-neighbors gathered at this "back 40 fence"? LOL

From here at least that would be much-appreciated. Tx

All of the various bikes I have are threaded, however it is the usual 26tpi, 55 degree BSC threading, which means that you will need to find the right hardware for that hole. If yours really is not tapped, I would consider that a bonus because you can drill and tap it to M6 or 1/4-20 thread and use a 'normal' bolt.

My 1939 Sports has a bolt that goes through that hole into the frame behind the cranks, and then at the rear there is a strap that goes around the chainstay and screws through the chaincase. To get it on you have to twist it to get it over the chainstay. I have no idea about the yellow jersey ones, they look similar though.

I have a plastic Pashley chaincase that came on a Tourist I bought, which is in two pieces and is easier to fit. No wheel removal...

Sir Andrew? That works!

I eBay'd a brown B66 last night so now I may need to rethink the grips - original grey plastic now, but something matching or cork? Hmm...

As for grips I'm a 'strictly original' guy, but I understand not everyone agrees.


Speaking of grips does anyone know if the Tourists got white grips when the Sports did? I have a '68 Sports with white ones and a '68 Tourist that came to me with none. Wondering if I should use white or black to be original?

Hello all! I recently purchased my first English three speed. This will also be my first project bike, and the first time I've ever repaired a bike, period. So I'm in for lots of learning. My primary concern is making it functional - this will be my commuting bike. I do not plan on repainting, I like the history on this bike. I've been given some good instruction about where to start, what to pay attention to, etc. Then it was brought to my attention that the members of this group might know what I should pay special attention to. The bike is a Hercules. Hub: Strumey-Archer AW 60 3. I haven't been able to put a model to this bike, but I'm a total neophyte. The head badge says Birmingham, the gear shifter is Strumey-Archer. The chain ring is the "H" design, with wedge teeth.

Here's a link to the photos: http://s1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff517/JanieCo/

I'd love to hear any thoughts/ideas!

Very nice Spruce, welcome to the C&V. Your Hercules is a 1960 + or - a year, or at least the Hub is. This was at the time when The companies were being consolidated. Yours has the older Hercules Lugs so that's nice, along with the Birmingham badge. Looks like it will clean up well.....now you have to search and find a set of Hercules fenders in blue or throw caution to the wind and buy a shiney chrome pair :) Have fun wth it, it's a sweet bike.

For a little motivation...I bought a Dunelt several year ago for my Goddaughter in simular conditon, after some cleaning and finding a few missing parts, she rides this around campus
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8151/7...2618631c_c.jpg

That bike is beautiful!!!! I'm really excited about this bike. It's going to take a lot of elbow grease, thought. Every bolt on that bike is rusted, and whomever owned it before me sure liked 'em tight. I've been reading everything I can about cotters - that's going to be fun. But I'll get her there, and she'll be a great bike.

You'll be very surprised how well the chrome cleans up and the paint comes back to life. These old 3spds were built tough as nails!

That appears to be a Birmingham built bike, nice find. It will clean up beautifully. Ride it and enjoy it.

Aaron :)

Nice one Spruce. I just did one of those for my neighbor. It was a '64. I completely disassembled it so I could repack the bottom bracket and the heatdset, and once taken apart I scrubbed the dry old grease o of the bb then lathered it up with turtlewax Zipwax carwash and wiped it down to get all the dried up street crud off the paint. Then soaked a rag in boiled linseed oil and wiped the frame and fork down with it and hung it out in the sun while I went to work on the rims.

Voila!
It replaced her 1970 Raleigh Sports - her daily, all year rider which lives on the street.
(kept her old seat as a theft/vandalism deterrent)

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=264612http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=264613

nice pick on the Schwalbe delta cruisers...a little $$, but great investment for a cozy, worry free ride

Only $23 or so....I thought kinda inexpesive considering all the rubber, should las a good long time. It's a heavy tire...but then again the bike is no light weight either!

Hi Spruce. That Herc is a great bike to learn on and restore, and may make you a great rider.
I'm sorry to say that I just tossed out the frame of the same bike as yours, mens frame, from 1960 also, but kept all the components that made any sense. These were the very last of the "Hercules made" Hercs, and it shows, my frame was as heavy and of as "soft" a tubing as I've ever seen. Cost-cutting must have been the word of the day, the wedge-teeth chain ring being an example. I don't know if Raleigh-made Hercs were any better though. Hercules made some great bikes in their history, but these weren't the ones.

Deltas for $23? Where? I'd like another pair.
Yes indeed, kinda of heavy - but I find they give you a sure footed, wheels on the ground ride in all weather & ride conditions.
They make them in gumwall too, apparently

doh! nevermind, I just looked to see how much I paid for a pair about 6 months ago and it was $26ea - not too bad a beatdown.

these guys have the gumwalls for $19.00
http://www.everybicycletire.com/Shop...tions-590.aspx

On the subject of good, affordable tires - I put a set of Michelin world tours on my rescue bike while in London back in June. They were an easy find in the big box sporting goods store at a half decent price. I was able to run them at high pressure (75/80psi) and they gave a great ride all over town; from the Thames path & Regent's Canal, flying down Harrow road in traffic from Harlesden to Paddington and the east-west trip over and through Hampstead Heath. They are 35-590 as opposed to the standard 37-590 for British wheels, so they take a little wrestling and massaging them onto the rim, plus take special care to tuck the tube stem inside the bead.