Here's my 1973 Raleigh Superbe
More pics of it in this thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...aleigh-Superbe

http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/o...eher/025-2.jpg

Frank, congratulations. I can't put my finger on it, but I find Rudges to be even more handsome than Raleighs. I adore mine. It looks like a wreck but runs like a top. I haven't decided yet if I'll ever polish it up.

I did a little over two hours of extremely vigorous work at the community garden today. I'm exhausted, in a good way. It occurred to me that I'd like to gear my Rudge down even lower. I replaced the 18T sprocket with a 22T, and now I'm thinking 24T would be nice. I'm not a maniac about pedaling downhill, and I can spin pretty darned fast if I need to.

Then again, that was when I was exhausted. Maybe I'll feel otherwise soon.

I just did the same to the Shasta's dual drive... changed the 16/18 for an 18/22 and prefer this as I took a little off the top and gained better climbing and towing gears which gives it a range very close to my folder with wider steps over a 6 speed transmission that has 22% and 25% changes.

Range is 35-76 and the 3/22 and 2/18 offer 62 and 76 gear inches which suit my high rpm riding technique and lets me climb from the saddle on all but the steepest of grades and is comfortable gearing for cruising along at 30kmh in the top gear.

Think the bike is now set up pretty nicely for commuting and utilitarian use and should be capable of earing it's big and small C... it is enough range for touring the prairies.

Carl - Give us a drive-side full-view of your Rudge directly from your flickr account!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3092/...942d2d2c_b.jpg

Beautifully preserved specimen there, rookgirl! :thumb:

My ladies Tourist
 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5095/...4eaf9325_b.jpg

I'm commuting on her daily at the minute - the most comfortable, relaxing bike I've ridden (apart from the odd rod brake moment)

welcome. very nice old roadster. they are extremely relaxing bikes to ride. just glide along unstoppably.

Pretty! It looks new!


Brokenbetty's Tourist is beautiful also.

Sorry, I wasn't following the forum last week. I was there.

There were many people from Madison, Winnipeg, and Chicago there.

Believe I met you at Gelly's.

Ah! I think we did. After the rain had stopped.

Asian carp in garlic mustard..with a side of kudzu.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1.../Raleigh-1.jpg

Might be a 1969 - bought as a nasty, rusty basket case with lots of mismatched parts, so I'm not sure if the rear wheel was original - and brought back up to snuff with goodies like stainless rims and Soma's Lauterwasser bars.

THAT is a cool-looking bike!

I like the British Racing FGreen paint job much more than the metallic green above. Don't get me wrong here, the metallic green is great and super-clean (almost new). It's just that BRG is one of my faves.

VERY cool bike six jours! I just ordered the same bars for my project, and hope it looks half as good as yours whenever I get through ! :thumb:


http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1.../Raleigh-1.jpg

Thanks guys. I really like the British racing green myself. I added a few braze-ons for the pump and water bottle, in preparation for using it as a very relaxed kind of touring bike. The inspiration (and the bell) came from Don Speden at "3 speed touring in Japan".

I thought that is original handlebar been flipped upside down? Is it?

Soma Lauterwasser bars.

The Soma Lauterwasser Handlebar CrMo is not currently available. Please contact us (Soma) for availability of this item.

What am I, your mother? :p

Rene Herse has them too.

^ "This item is out of stock"

Update today from Soma:

"Sorry the bar is unavailable. Check back in 3 months. Thanks."

^ :lol:Ka-ching! The value of mine just jumped. Wonder when the ebay rally begins?

It was $49 when I scooped one of the last ones a few days ago - $73 now from the same seller.

When I click on the Rene Herse link, it shows the item "in stock" and lets me put it into the basket.

^ Wow, they must have re-stocked since I last clicked on the link this morning. There go your Internet spoils, Vgnome!

Neal

Perhaps you are all already aware of it, but I just happened across this site.

Some very interesting tidbits are contained therein.

This guy is working the SF CL... Does he look like someone in here?
http://i983.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Bicycle-1.gif

Awesome !

Very cool site. Thanks.