Hell would have to freeze over before before we'd get tired of seeing that, PT.
Hey - you're not from Hell Michigan, are you? ;)

Better now....thanks!

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8251/8...719e99ac_n.jpg

(Though I'm about to put some fenders back on, alas.)

Is that a Minnehaha bag? Love it?

I'm not sure a step through frame would translate the flip as well. Maybe a mixte? CL should pick up a bit with warmer weather on the horizon. To think, just last week I was feeling as if I was over the bike thing.

[QUOTE]
Oh it translates alright!

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4092/4...259841d98a.jpg


http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2374/2...3b3091a1a6.jpg

But so does a nice set of vintage dropbars






http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceout.gif


http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3286/2...9455291070.jpg

The saddlebag is, of all things, an "Origin 8" Carradice knockoff. It seems ok so far, but I haven't used it much. And I got it for $15 used, so I can't complain much even if it is crap. They did a good job of emulating a Carradice Nelson, but the quality isn't the same.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8316/7...6e3c8f05_n.jpg

I have had a Minnehaha bag on the Rudge, the "medium" size saddlebag. It was...ok.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/6...deef1d1b_n.jpg

I can understand fenders... :)

So I'm the short guy who kept finding 23 inch frames. My daily commuter the past several years has been my too big 1972 Humber Sports. Last week the warehouse guy at my office brought me a gift, he's a biker too and someone was throwing this away 7 years ago. It's a 1960 21 inch Robin Hood.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301123http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301124
We both thought the red was REALLY faded because there are much darker "Stripes" on the top tube and the front fender's ferrule is missing and it is darker there.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301125
But As I looked at it today, why isn't the paint not faded under the brake or shifter cable on the top tube? The three stripes aren't where clips would have been. And why would there be RED box striping on the fenders and frame if the bike were originally dark red?
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301127http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301128
What do I have here?

The SA hub is marked 60 1 (When I saw 60 I was really hoping for a "7" since that would make it the same age I am...)

There is a "Cyclepro" seat that I'm not familiar with, and some other great features.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301129
I was able to ride it in our parking lot before the snow hit and it is a joy to have a bike that you can stand over and not be on tip-toes.

Anybody up for doing something similar here?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/stu_col...ten/index.html

Organize it! I'm in as long as it's not on a Sunday morning.

Thanks for starting my day with a smile!

Rahway Park?

Yes!

Where are you thinking... Central Park? Prospect Park? Maybe somewhere in NJ that's accessible by njtransit from NYC?

I edited the post to make the pictures actually visible. I'm very curious about the original color and the box striping. Any suggesions for enhancing the finish?

Raleighs paint quality ranged from supreme to barely adequate so don't sweat it. It's over 50 years old so there's little doubt it's has faded quite a bit. Just clean it well with a mild soap and water and use a fine polish like Meguiars or Mothers on it.

Overall, it looks to be in great shape, a keeper. Maybe a Brooks B66 be in order, the Cyclepro looks deformed. Raliegh had different colour charts for different models. Here's two of them, of course it's hard to tell what the original finish really looked like.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x...40/raleigh.jpghttps://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--...art%2520cc.jpg

I was waiting for one of the experts to respond before offering my recent experience with red paint. My first attempts at cleaning and polishing my red Sports were very disappointing. I, more than once, threw in the towel. I will second the Meguiar's Sratch X followed by wax. Be gentle.

"Ruby" looked almost orange when she arrived. While still better looking at a distance, she cleaned up nicely for a 1956 model. That's her original seat, too.

http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/...pse898f9db.jpg

Nice find- I like the information on those color charts. I've found Raleigh paint often cleans up really well, and seem to have more durability than many other brands' paint.

The Worcester blue makes my heart pound. I discovered it back in about 1978, and that's when I knew I had to own a Rudge one day. My Rudge is black, but that's OK.

I'm thinking of selling it, though.

The crimson paint on my 57 is super too but I think the bike was rarely exposed to the elements.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-m...adianclub6.jpghttps://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R...dianclub10.jpghttps://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-v...adianclub7.jpg

My hub dated '56 appears to be the same color. A gold hued base layer exists over what seems to be a black undercoat. I know those layers only because of various wear patterns. The "crimson" seems to be opaquely translucent over the gold layer. I haven't seen another like her in this area. Lots of greens and root beer ones. Where are all the others?

I think mine was well used and it makes me appreciate her even more since we are of a similar age.

count me in!

btw, I just emailed the guy about the 2013 tincan 10. I usually go over every year to hang with my buds in Derbyshire, & Loughborough on the way from London (where my garbage bike is living)

Just one of th most beautiful bikes I had seen!

This post is in reference to posts 4057, 4064, 4068, 4069 & 4073.

Thanks to all who contributed!

[I have heard over and over on this thread and elsewhere that Raleigh "cheapened" their product after the mid 60's. I want to understand the areas that they cut corners so that I can make preventive maintenance repairs on our bikes as advisable. IMO, the plastic fulcrum sleeve seems the most ill-advised of the cost saving moves...]

Aaron I put the complete fulcrum clamp assembly from the 1964 Western Auto bike on my wife's '72 Raleigh Sports.

It appears that everything on the assembly was cheapened up after the mid 60's; maybe not the clamp itself - I can't tell if it is stainless steel on the '72 - the one from the '64 is for certain - but all of the other little bits are of lesser quality and utility for sure.

Here are close-up pics of the two units; note the deteriorated plastic fulcrum sleeve from the '72 Sports. Additionally, the special nut that had been used on earlier bikes was replaced with the serviceable, but run-of-the-mill nut and bolt as can be seen.

FIRST PIC: '64 unit is on the left
SECOND PIC: Close-up of '64 unit
THIRD PIC: Close-up of '72 unit
FOURTH PIC: '72 unit in front


http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301235 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301236 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301237 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301238

Question for the cognoscenti. Prepping the Lenton Sport for a probable refinish. Paint is too far gone. Anyway, I noticed a small metal protuberance on the wheel side of the left fork tube about half way up. Would this be a locator pin for a a fork mount light bracket?

Thanks clubman and others for the color responses. Looking at how there are almost no nicks or scrapes on the paint could it possibly be that it originally was CF 11 (orange) with CF10 (Crimson) box stripes?
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301248

But I still don't have any clue as to the why the stripes on the top tube...
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=301249

Maybe I'll finally get the pictures right??

-Mike

I believe the stripes are where tape protected the original paint from fading. Looks like there is some tape residue.

Bingo. I took a Terry bracket off of the right blade a 53 Rudge and found the same bump.

Would you mind putting a direct link URL to that protuberance? BTW, nice pic for your avatar, definitely one of the greatest unsung heroes of baseball.... RIP, Stan.

Here's the locating pin on my Rudge. A simple way to assure a positive engagement.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-z...0/DSC06161.JPGhttps://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p...0/DSC06163.JPGhttps://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x...0/DSC06162.JPG

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.