This arrived today
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f4219bc386.jpg
A Cyclo Benelux Mark VII deraileur with original paperwork.
Catalogue dates from 1962
On a sadder note
The Bridgestone was returned in a terrible state.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...359a020ba1.jpg

Rusted rims and chain (chain is actually rusted solid and "welded" to the freewheel.)
bent cranks etc
Front deraileur broken
rear one rusted and siezed
If there was an international bike abuse tribunal I'd
file charges!
I may convert it to a 3 speed

He may not really want to sell it unless he gets an outrageous price for it. ;)

I think we all know how he feels.

He mentions it was his big Christmas gift at age 11 in 1954.That would make it hard for me to sell it as well. I also note it comes complete with J.C. Higgins branded tools, lock, and other accessories, so his price sounds a bit more reasonable.
It seems to be a true collectible. :)

Question:
I'm doing a quick turn around on the Bridgestone and making it a three speed.
The chain ring which I'd rather not replace, is oval.
Will this work with an S/A hub?

Sheldon always believed in it and made a few fixed gears with biopace. Still...

1954 Norman step through
 

I took my Norman out for a spin this AM. Everything worked fine excepting the hub doesn’t freewheel the way it should. If you take your feet off the pedals they turn.

I overhauled the AW hub back in 18. Is there an easy adjustment I can do to correct this. The gears work fine.

I'll try it and see.
Thx

I think the wheel bearings are a bit too tight. I like adjusting with the wheel mounted on the bike. I just loosen the left side axle nut and reach in there with my two Sturmey Archer spanners and adjust until I feel just a slight bit of play when I shake the wheel at the rim.

Hub too tight.
back off 1/4 turn and see
or ride more and may correct itself.

I wouldn't do it. A three speed hub is meant to be stationary, where a derailleur will allow the constant tugging then loosening of the oval chain ring.

I considered that....
Tension.

From a cleanout of old Raleigh dealer that closed up in 1980.
The place was in business since the 30's. The place was locked up and forgotten about after the owner passed away, they apparently sold all the new bikes to another dealer at the time but the parts and tools all remained locked up all those years. It filled four 20ft containers, two car trailers, and four vans. I'm only just getting around to sorting out some of the used items we found.

The hubs in these buckets and crates are mostly just for parts, but most are complete. There are 23 buckets and dozens of milk crates, plus dozens 55 gallon barrels full of used hubs, mostly sorted by type but not thoroughly.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...452fc8c6bc.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2af77e0b94.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...479c122599.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4363a076ef.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2ed32e7c19.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8933ac670c.jpg

Oh, I almost forgot, there's a few of these that came from the same place, along with a few Sutherlands manuals and various other literature. The books and literature filled half of one of my vans, not counting years of old paper receipts and business records yet to be sorted.


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cc59dfd919.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...60cdf55902.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2cead6451e.jpg

In one of the cleanouts I did recently I found a small Robin Hood Frame and Fork, the thing measures 19.5" from the center of the crank axle to the top of the top tube, or 20" to the top of the seat tube.
The bike is stripped bare, nothing but a bottom bracket and headset.
The frame shows no signs of having any three speed bits attached, there's no paint missing where calipers would have bolted up and no sign of any coaster brake clamp.
The fork is fairly normal, although very narrow. I thought at first it may have been bent but it does fit a standard Endrick rim/Raleigh hub.
But only the narrowest of tires will clear up top. Its a straight bar frame. The bike is way small for me, but I was thinking of building it up as a loaner. I see no sign of it ever having fenders either, the rear eyelets above the dropouts have all their paint in the holes, the lower cross bridge on the chainstays also has no marks from the fender clip.
The frame only says Robin Hood on the headbadge and seat tube, there is no model name on it. There is no chainguard and no marks from clamps either. With a wheel off a Raleigh Sports that I had sitting on another stand, with a 26x1 3/8" tire on it there may not even be room for a fender. When I first saw this I thought maybe I had a 24" bike on my hands but a 24" wheel is way small, especially in the rear falling several inches shy of the brake bridge. The rear wheel fits fairly normal, although still a bit tight to the brake bridge but not as tight as the front. When I compared it to another Robin Hood from 1965, its fork blades are 3/4" longer with the same profile, and the crown is wider, so is the rear brake bridge on the other bike, but the other bike is a 24" frame.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d7c4656818.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e438874495.jpg

Can you let me know if you find any double-ended Raleigh brake cables in those treasure boxes?

You might find some interested parties for those manuals, among other inventory right here. We have some die hard Raleigh fans.
Of course you knew that, didn't you? ;)

Bridgestone Three Speed Bitsa Scorcher
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...28252d26f5.jpg
I'm building this for a young woman that lives across the street.
I stopped in and saw George from Parts Unknown and bought a round chain ring.
My goal was to spend 0 dollars on this project
So far:
Chain ring $5.00
Cotter pins $5.00

Key English components are the '78 AW-3 hub and B-17. Shifting is accomplished with a modern Sturmey thumb shifter, which is overbuilt and feels great compared to the original trigger. Bars are Specialized bull moose, tires are an old pair of Tioga Hound Dogs. The frame itself is an 80s Fuji Sagres that has been media blasted down to bare steel.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...77d0c30a40.jpg

Retro Rodded eh? ;)

I like the kick stand...

Jane's bike has made some progress
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bc327f52ef.jpg
It's a small machine
Only 20"
It does have some nice details.
The handlebars and grips.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...182c1fdebf.jpg
I've installed a '62 hub.

Question: How many pages is that thing? Given the opportunity, that might be worthwhile to scan for future reference.

Are all of them the same?

-Kurt

By far the most practical component

I didn't count the pages but its about 3" thick or more. Each year is a full product list and catalog.
The front of the book is just a copy of that years catalog, then there's a section for every component and part for every bike plus accessories.
Scanning it would take hours, maybe days of removing every page one at at time and scanning and tagging each side of each page.
There would be no need to scan the catalog pages since every year seems to be covered elsewhere online.
Each one only covered Raleigh, no sub brands or other lines but a few have other brand literature added to the back of the binder.
There's a few other wholesaler catalogs too some dating back to the late 50's.

Today I sorted through over 500 chain guards, of all types. The overwhelming majority of chain guards is a toss up between Columbia and Rollfast.
There were very few British chain guards, The few I did find were from the 50's and off non Raleigh models.
Anyone ever heard of Cycle Rite bikes? I don't have the bike but I found a ton of chain guards marked Cycle Rite, they look identical to most mid 50s early 60's Hercules chain guards.

Something that really surprised me over the years is that I've never come across any literature for any of the Raleigh sub brands like Robin Hood, Hercules, or such.
Who sold them? Who distributed them? I find old bikes, assorted parts but never anything related to who sold them.
I've been around bikes for 40 plus years and never once knew a shop that sold any of the sub brands.
I certainly find more sub brand bikes than Raleigh bikes though.
Did brands like Robin Hood, Hercules, Dunelt, Rudge, BSA, Sunbeam, etc have catalogs? Or where all of them just sold as surplus or short runs each year through bike importers or wholesalers?