If your plan is to convert this bike to a 3 speed then I would build your wheel as planned, leave the BB and crank as is
and then swap out the rear cog on the hub to suit your riding style. Standard factory cog was a 18T but new cogs are inexpensive and you
can move up to a 22T. I prefer a 20T.
Only problem could be chain size, as a 10 speed chain is different than a 3 speed.
I'm pretty sure you can get a rear cog compatible with the existing ring.
I wouldn't start any work until you have a compatible rear cog.
Even then you'll have to pack out the hub for a good fit...
Or, wait for a taller Raleigh.

Good to know. GTK

"Chicom"? Good grief.

At that height, the 21 inch frame Sports is probably way too small. The hub should serve you well on that Harding once you're all set up.

Looks like a 23". Early 70s I'd guess and nice looking. Is it in Texas?

I'm 5'6 and a 21" Sports is what I ride. That's about the upper size limit for me. Others here who are about 5'6 - 5'8 ride the 23" bikes and say they fit fine, so you just have to check it out.

People are taller than the used to be and there are a lot more 21" than 23" Raleigh Sports around so the 23" bikes seem to be more valuable than the 21". If the price is reasonable you can probably sell it along if it turns out to be too big.

That's a 23 inch frame from the mid-1970s. It looks like it has self-adjusting brakes and the decals are mid-70s style. I'm 5ft 7in and find the 23 inch frame perfect on the 26 inch wheels, but I like riding the tallest frame I can comfortably fit.

I had to look it up.

Yes, 23" frame.

Ridiculous CCM Mustang
Popped up on Kijiji, Toronto this am
CCM Mustang w/ SA 5 Speed hub.
Asking price.....
$5000.00!
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...82eea2e4c5.jpg

Everything I've bought from Bikesmith has been excellent and worth every penny spent. The Grade A cotters are of outstanding quality, and the tools he sells are very helpful. The commonly available cotter pins are very soft, and just pinched-off bar stock with some pretty crude finishing work done on them. The Bikesmith Grade A is the best cotter pin I have found on the market. The cotter press is especially nice to have if you're working with old bikes.

If it ain't Scottish, it's CRAP! What a joke.

Here's a 21" Drake S-A 3-speed for sale in the Boston area for small money. One of those downmarket Raleighs, I suppose:

https://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/bi...660628478.html

https://images.craigslist.org/00H0H_...sv_600x450.jpg

https://images.craigslist.org/00T0T_...KP_600x450.jpg

Never tried the Schwalbe. You could also consider Continental City Ride II tires. They claim to be puncture resistant. I like the 28" Contis on my DL-1. So far, so good.

That listing has been removed.
Perhaps it was mis-listed....

A lot of bike for $35.00.

Yes, the Marathon Plus, and I am an advocate. I've been using them since I bought my first Sports in 2010 and I've put a bunch of miles on them and have had just one flat -- a construction nail, one of those that are power hammered into that cement siding (Hardi Plank). But, it wasn't power hammered into my tire, I rode over it.

When new, the 590 tires are tight, tight, tight, but I've had them off since new and after a while they seem to be ok. I think that they probably make them a little tight because a lot of 590 rims don't have hooks, but that's just a guess.
Anyway, they are tough and durable tires though no lightweights. Of course, we're talking about Raleigh Sports here so lightweight is not necessarily a demanding consideration.

Another thing about those Schwalbe tires, they don't seem to deteriorate with age. My experience with Panaracer Paselas, for example, is not nearly so good.

edit:

The Schwalbes also have those glow-in-the-dark sidewalls.

Using the Marathons on S.W.A.T. After changing two rear flats with that full chain https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...41563fe2bf.jpg
case nightmare, I changed to the Schwalbe Marathons and have been flat free for two years.

Leather Saddle Dye
I decided to change the colour of a couple of saddles and to refurbish a couple more.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c95823801d.jpg
I bought a bottle of leather dye @ about $8.00
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ca88039f93.jpg
I did a quick pass on an old French saddle I had that was a dark/worn brown.
I've decided that I prefer black saddles on my bikes.
The test went well.
Time for the Honey Brooks...
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...977783d0a1.jpg
I'll finish up (when dry) with a treatment of Mink Oil.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3a8d2eb50f.jpg
Hopefully the dye will "fix" and it won't come off on my pants.
Recommend you do this outside as this dye is quite permanent.
The finish is quite nice. I would call it a satin finish with minimal sheen.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3519ebfb5a.jpg

Toronto Vintage Bicycle Show
The TVBS didn't happen this summer for a couple of reasons.
I'm hoping to revive it next year.
As a consolation. I had my own mini show last night in my
back yard for the benefit of 2 or 3 friends....
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c9a736697e.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1a021707fb.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4954329554.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...61097ca6ff.jpg

[MENTION=298130]browngw[/MENTION], I don't really like the Tourist model. I mean it's fine for some folks, but it's not for me. But man, that is a WORK OF ART!

Absolutely. We've talked about it before here. It's a very useful thing. Here is my Rudge at my former home in Maplewood, New Jersey. Maplewood is a very hilly town. I replaced the 18T cog with a 24T cog. That's a little hard to find, and an easier-to-get 22T is good enough for most people. I even hauled stuff in my trailer with this setup. High gear was still useful. I just coasted down the steepest hill.

The bike now lives at my mother in law's place in Florida. I ride it once a year. Florida is flat, so now I can't use first gear, but it's windy there, so having gears is still useful. I should replace the cog with something smaller, but given that I only ride it once a year, it doesn't make a difference.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vA...w1600-h1195-no

Tried a 28T and 16T combo with a derailleur. Worked fine but you might want to order a new clip to hold everything in place if you go for the really extreme sizes. ;)

Plenty of options here. I've seen 12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/26/28 in both straight/offset and 3/32 or 1/8 sizing.

I would suggest playing around with this link to see which size you prefer. (just slide the cogs to your preferred size)
http://i.imgur.com/VuwhyU5.png

24T for me also on my Sports, cog from a Shimano Nexus 3-speed but I also have a Sturmey 22T in the wings.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...057db30ef7.jpg

From the Seinfeld episode The Handicap Spot, "Love the Drake!"

A nice, even job from the look of things.

But be warned, it will do likely both fix and rub off! Especially on the newer saddle, which already has fibers full of other dye and oils and waxes, it's possible that a majority of your application will come off after some use and leave it rather drab looking. Once that happens just go back and do it again!

I've been using Fiebing's dyes for professional leather work for over a decade, mostly on fresh vegetable tanned leather where it can absorb best. Even then I lose a reasonable amount of most applications - I rub dyed areas with clean cloths quite liberally to remove excess dye before moving on to sealing oils or waxes.

I would definitely suggest going back more than once to buff out the surface of the saddles with clean cloths before attempting to ride on them. Once you have virtually nothing coming off on the cloths, it's safe to say that you can ride, but I wouldn't start out with your favorite shorts... Sweat and the impressive friction created by a pair of legs versus a hand and a cloth will likely draw even more dye out.

Good luck!

-Gregory

I don't have the LED bulbs yet, but I'm calling it finished. There's good continuity through the whole system now. It should work...hmmmm. This headlamp never worked from day one. The ring tab coming from the center contact for the bulb was never stripped and connected to the tab. The tab was just crimped onto the insulation.I replaced the wire and reused the brass tab. The back of the front mudguard was a mess. Crunched and rusted away. Odd because there was no other bad rust damage on the bike. It is the original though. I trimmed off about 3/4" and reinforced the lower 3 inches of thinned out steel with JB Weld and painted the underside. Also did some touch up on the primary surface and did my best to blend it in. I replaced the threaded driver and 18T cog with a splined straight leg driver and 20T cog. New chain. All new bearings. I repaired the original cloth cable housings and repaired the bent 3 or 4 speed trigger shifter. The handlebar grips are old and English, but not original to the bike. I used a 70s ESGE Raleigh marked kickstand. I painted a regular Sunlite pump black. A pair of older Dunlop Sport tires are still on the bike for now. They seem to be in reasonable shape. So, here's the official all done photos.
1951 Rudge Sports
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3efc1b1436.jpg

Man, that is NICE! Looks to be my size, and year. I LOVE it! :thumb:
Congrats on getting the wiring sorted.

Thanks for the advice.
I did give them a good buffing and
took the old saddle out for a spin.
So far so good.
Most of my shorts are ruined anyways from work.
My name is also Greg.