There's also a return spring on the pad holder/guide

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...001_110013.jpg

Ah, I see how it works. I guess the system does need springs at each end. Thanks again for the pictures. I never had the chance to see such an old roadster in person. Now I understand how the older style rod brakes work.
Just came in from a short ride on mine. Perfect weather for riding today. Might get a longer ride in this afternoon.

Appreciate the advice @BigChief but I am pretty sure knowing the history of my bike, that it came from England to Canada just the way it is now unless Pieriks Cycle (still in business) Hamilton Ontario assembled it incorrectly. I contacted the bike shop and sent them a picture but all the staff familiar with early Raleighs are gone.
The right lever operates the rear brake as most other Canadian bikes.
If I could find a place buy new pads I might swap it around to try. I made the front pads out of a piece of industrial red rubber I had. Wish I had more.

Right \ rear? That's interesting. Both my 72 and 73 brake right/front English style. I guess the pencil pushers in government forced Raleigh to change them at some point. As I recall, it was sometime in the 70s when our DOT demanded all motorcycles shift on the left. I could never get used to the shifter poking out of the primary case. Never bought a left shift bike. Had a great ride today. Love this cooler air. Love riding my old roadster on these back country roads.

I've been running Col de la Vies. They're downright posh and are holding up well to NYC streets. They are rather wide, the front wheel especially needs to be fiddled with to avoid rubbing the fender but once it's aligned, all is well.

I have them on a '74 Sports-- awesome tires.

It's very likely it came that way from the shop. I've seen them installed both ways, and either way seems to reduce the bowing from brake force. In theory having them backwards should work better, but forwards worked better on my 1970s-era DL-1. I just went with what worked. Either way, they do seem to help with the braking in front.

Raleigh 5 speed Sprite-- this is the version of the Sprite that is a Raleigh Sports with the S5 5 speed Sturmey hub. It also has the dual "muscle car" type Sturmey sticks. It's pretty lively and is a versatile rider.


https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZINrERTl9...001_164836.jpg

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-62R_QpFZ9...001_173651.jpg

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nOdcRlZqt...001_164822.jpg https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_5fxwRgd...001_164852.jpg

Right you are - and I just noticed your post about same. I really enjoy reading your blog, @SirMike1983.

Ah, thanks for drawing our attention to that. I've read a few of the latest entries, and have bookmarked it for further reading once winter descends on us again. Excellent blog, SirMike1983.

What happened with me was I had a 73 DL-1 for a long time, but it never got much mileage. Fun bike in a way but if I really wanted a nice ride, I'd hop on a Sports. After I got my rescue case 72, I decided I really enjoy this bike and actually wanted to use the bike as a daily rider, so I addressed the two issues I had with it. One was easy, I swapped the 16T cog for a 22T. I was determined to get the best performance I could from these brakes. They were terrible. The good news was that, with careful setup, I could get at least reasonable braking. These roadsters are great bikes and I just would like to pass along what I've learned so others can enjoy them as much as I do now without white knuckle moments at every steep downhill.

Thanks for the feedback on the Col de la Vie's. I picked up a pair yesterday my LBS I ordered for me.

@SirMike1983 can you post a link to your blog?

Attachment 539001

Attachment 539002I have the burgandy version and added the throttle shifters..

Enjoyable Hobby or Terrible Sickness. YOU BE THE JUDGE!
 

Attachment 539018

Attachment 539019Green Machines X 4
Modified 1972 Eatons Glider w/ Duomatic Kick-Back hub
1971 Hercules 3 Speed
1976 Canadian built Raleigh Superbe
1972 British built Superbe

Enjoyable hobby. BTW, if that's all you've got you need more.

It is:

The Bike Shed

That's a keeper. From what I can tell the bronze green is the more common color, especially in the tall frame model. The burgundy seems much more uncommon.

Glad to see a 23" burgundy. On the 1969 catalog they list it in 21" only and a choice of 21 or 23 in bronze green. Another bike on my wish list.

Those are just the green bikes....

Still tinkering on my Gazelle 'Grand Tourist'. :)
http://i.imgur.com/Mtg2zYeh.jpg
Finally have some proper tension on the hub itself and replaced the tires with a pair of 28-622 Schwalbe Delta Cruisers.

Then I came across this:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8252/8...0264e91d_b.jpg
PICT0004 by CraigWales, on Flickr
An SA hub with a derailleur to extend the range in those tricky situations!

Apparently the simple version is putting two dished sprockets side-to-side with a hanger derailleur, but apparently you can also do it using the older threaded drivers (up to 4 additional sprockets) or a Dacon hub-derailleur converter.

Since those last few options are pretty difficult without old (and rare) parts I'll settle for the next best thing;
a 19T(?) x 28T (!) rear sprocket.
http://i.imgur.com/cJmoeYq.png

I know it is becoming a bit of a Frankenbike but I'm having fun taking it all apart and making it work. :D

Some more info for those interested here:
- Sheldon Brown - Hybrid gears
- Lovely Bicycle - Hybrid gearing in the wild, 6-speed
- Classiclightweights - Hybrid HD
- CyclingUK - How-to from cdtb

MMMM love dat sprite!

Been scanning eBay for chain adjusters for my DL-1 and ran across a long ESGE stand for 28". Both of mine are 70s and came with them, but if I had an older model with one of the tippy Sir Walter stands, I'd be wanting one of these and they are rare. Thought I'd pass it along just in case.
Esge Pletscher Alloy Kickstand Raleigh DL 1 Roadster 28" Free Shipping USA | eBay

I thought the rear rod brake linkage would interfere with this type of stand.

If it's center mounted it probably will, not that it doesn't fit, but you'll probably have to be precise and the right kind of shoes will help. It's gentleman's bike anyway, but I find it very hard to kick the stand out with my sneakers without giving the rod a kick. I don't have a Raleigh, but on my Gazelle a standard 5 euro kick stand won't fit on the plate, that is shaped differently than on most bikes, probably because of the rod.

There's clearance for the linkage. These came as standard equipment on 70s DL-1s. Both of mine have them. Not sure what year Raleigh changed from the cast alloy Sir Walter stands of the 60s to the ESGEs, but it was a good move. These are much more stable.

It's close, but I'd say there's 1/8" clearance over the plate and about the same from the block on the side.
Attachment 539265

When I was repping, one of my customers was Cycles & Sports on Wisconsin Avenue in D.C. The owner had passed but his widow showed me a bike he'd built using an SA 3-rear hub with a threaded driver and a 5- or 6-speed freewheel and a rear derailleur. On the front he'd built a quad chainring setup using T/A components. That's a lot of gears. Quite a rig, built simply for the hell of it.

Quite a rig indeed. I would love to see a picture of something like that.

But that is sort of my motivation as well. Seeing how the tech works and if it can work.
Having a lowlands tourer at the end is sort of the fun of it too. :p

Just popped the rear derailleur and the hanger from an old bike and will let it soak in thinner to get rid of all the old grease and muck before putting it on my other bike.

Good to know.

Just picked up a 22 inch Hercules. It has a Hercules hub. This frame is not Raleigh built. It is in decent shape, can actually ride it but it needs heavy TLC. I have no idea the year of it. I kind of like it but not sure what to think of it yet. Also got a 19 inch frame drop frame Raleigh made in Taiwan, cute.

Both front and rear hubs have oil ports and there seems to be a grease port on the BB. A chrome cap on the fork and high mounted hub pulley.

LC