Thank for this bit of info on the front hub. The interesting thing about the short indicator is that the RH axle nut that came on the 49 is longer than the one on the 52 and longer than those sold at Harris. In other words very few (1 1/2) links are exposed outside the nut whereas with the longer indicator with the standard RH nut half the links are exposed. I wasn't ready for tires when I went to Harris but while the guy was down stairs getting my parts I looked them over. I am looking for sometime like the originals with the two thin pinstripe white walls. They didn't have anything like it there. If I can't find a thin whitewall I'll go with black. What do you call the rubber band that goes over the spoke nuts inside the rim?

If they're rubber, they call them rim strips. I don't have any problem using rubber strips, but many people prefer Velox rim tape.

1964 Raleigh Sports
Attachment 589688


Drive side BB cup I'll leave in frame. 3-speed hub now rebuilt. Components in pretty good shape, Good chrome.
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i...1248-local0&zw

@plympton Those thin whitewalls weren't original although they do look cool. More like 60's or 70's for those. Original tyres would be black.

I will go with black tyres then. I am also looking for 4" pedal blocks. Of course I'm trying to find originals. Will need 8. Does anyone have a source?

That's about right for most. Many of the old tires ran about 50 psi suggested pressure. I have an unused set of 1950s Goodyear tires for the Schwinn 3-speed size, and those are a 50 psi tire as well.

Some of the old tires also just said "inflate hard". This also seems to have been in the 50-55 psi range based on looking over those tires.

Today's tires can run a little harder usually - I run my Kendas in the 60 psi range; same with the Duros, I run Panaracer Col de la Vie tires in the 50-55psi range, I run rod brake roadster tires about 50 psi. Once I have mounted the old stock Goodyears on a Schwinn, I'll run those 50 psi.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZS5wS1o_U...0/Dunlpx5L.jpg

Traditional Sports-type English tires are usually all black, but the treads vary. White walls did appear in the 1950s-60s, particularly on US-bound bikes, where white wall car tires were the range for a long time. The Dunlop white-walled tires are especially attractive in the ISO 590mm size - many had nice treads and even had a portrait of Dr. Dunlop molded into the sidewalls. We're not this posh today with our tires.

Yes the tires that I took off the rims said inflate hard. If I return the 52 dawn back to the Maine cabin it will be used on dirt. From my house to the store is mostly packed dirt with gravel in it. I don't know what they call that mix but it's leveled out and rolled flat every few years. Point is it's not asphalt. At the end of our road and before the store its sand (storm washout). If you get up a head of steam you can power thru it though. So, although it's a Tourist the tires need some grip. I would think that the country roads of 1940"s England were vary similar.

While I wait for a wrench to dismount the front wheel I started removing the front fender and brake assembly. I cleaned the brake with vinegar and aluminum foil and they look good. I will apply simichrome once I get a hold of it.

Now on the pictures, when I was washing the fender I noticed rust in several parts, I have read in the forums that Barkeepers Friend is the way to go when you want to remove the rust but not the paint so thats what i will do.

I am checking out this video to work on the front hub tomorrow.

The inside of that mudguard looks pretty good. Don't sweat the condition of that it looks great!. You can get a pack of three small brass hand brushes at Home Depot for $4. That area is not readily seen unless the wheel is off.

I see mostly rust bleed on good paint that will mostly if not entirely come off of there with a polishing compound & elbow grease-with out chemicals. The outside of the fender you don't want to get too crazy thats what I see.

I am seeing most the rust at where the braces are spot welded on. Those small areas you can use a chemical or Scotchbrite avoiding the painted sheetmetal areas. Touch up those small areas with a small paint brush or black paint pen after removing the rust.

Others know preferred chemicals that work well. I'm currently using a toilet bowl cleaner that dissolves rust. I have used Barkeepers friend with good results.

Be very careful not to chip away decals. They are very old fragile and can flake away. I always work around them getting as close as I can to them without touching them then finally a mild cleaner and gentle wipe off when task is finished.

I'm glad to see you jump right in getting this bike ready. Things look to be in excellent condition.

I like that guy's videos.

I liked that video too. Well done. He did happen to have a fork that was set well. Although I did see a cut before he removed the wheel. Sometimes you get forks that are set crazy tight. It can be a battle to get the wheel off when they are. I consider them right when you only have to spread the forks about 1/16"

I am always at a loss with a video I have no sound card in my current lap top. Not only are my eyes getting worse I am PC deaf.

Ladies Sports in Lewes, DE.
 

Looks really nice, fair price, but it needs a better saddle.
https://delaware.craigslist.org/bik/...394580643.html

One wonders if those very late Sports models will develop a niche following. They are a little different and usually good riders.

I have a question about a hub that I have. What is it? It looks like an HTB 30 but older, it has 40 spoke holes and the inner ring on the freewheel has just two removal notches not four. I can not find it on a google search and would like to rebuild it.

Pics?

Attachment 589897

Attachment 589898

So does anyone have a schematic backdown on this? could be early 50's maybe.

What is the narrowest modern chain type that will work well on the Sturmey sprockets used on the AW and the FM hubs?

You can go as narrow as needed with a little dremel work. You can clamp an SA or Fitchel-Sachs to any size Shimano HG cog, relieve the inside profile and 'Bob's your Uncle'. Failing that, I suspect it's a 1/8" single speed chain.

Here's an old 21 tooth, chipped HG cog on an F&S hub. Same as SA.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zl...w1817-h1022-no

@plympton Those freewheels are hard to get off, even with the right removal tool. Never unlace a wheel before removing your freewheels.

This is worth 2 cents but unless that hub is something special, I think I'd write that one off to experience. You could try to lace it back up again but I think it's a fools errand.

What I'm thinking is that after I'm done building two there'll be enough parts left over for a third using that hub.

Just in case you don't find the blocks right away:


Bicycle Raleigh Katsaris old antique retro

He's also got a pair without the logos for $75.00

Thank you. Wow that"s a lot of money. I'll keep looking for now.

I opened the front hub of my 69 Raleigh Sports and I found 20 bearings even though the video I am using for instructions shows its a total of 18 bearings. Should I remove two? I am also getting marine grease tomorrow at home depot and trying to figure out if mineral spirits are OK for bearings. Should I rinse the bearings after cleaning them with mineral spirits? I cleaned them with a paper towel and they look very clean, should I still get them in mineral spirits? Thanks in advance

Pretty sure I remember 10 on each side. There's no way to fit more than there should be, so I'd just pack the races with grease and load them in. I always replace them with new 3/16" grade 25 bearings when I service a front hub. It's not expensive and worth doing since you have it apart anyway.

Loose Ball Bearings

Home depot has automotive cleaners & lubricants in the tool area I think. You will find a product called Brakeleen brake parts cleaner in a aerosol can that will work well, dries fast & leaves no residue, used sparingly it will last a good long while. Its under $4. Mineral spirits I don't think is ideal cutting grease and will cost more. There are many cleaning products out there that will work.
You are likely to find old hardened grease that is difficult to clean. an old tooth brush works well.
Be careful not to get this cleaner on painted surfaces & some plastic I am not certain of the hub bearing count on frt hub.

I like to clear coat the decals before I do too much to the paint. For little stuff, a can of spray paint sprayed into the cap, then applied with a Q-tip works, followed by a shot of clear coat will seal up the rust easily. It's pretty quick to keep things sealed to prevent further rust while not disturbing what's left of the old finish. It's preservation as opposed to restoration. If you really want to get serious, new paint is a huge step beyond this, many hours as opposed to a few minutes.

I never thought I could do it but I just finished putting together the front hub. I used mineral spirits and the hub and shaft were looking good. I will order bearings later and will use the ones I have for the moment. It woud be pretty easy to do this again when I need to replace them.

I was told to oil the crank? thru the saddle tube so I removed the saddle and just wondering how much oil should I add and if motor oil is ok?

I am also going to clean the saddle , this is not a brooks but a selle marco that I will use while I save for a Brooks. I wanted to put it apart but cant find any instructions online or even how to tell what model it is.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback, this coming from a guy who had never done any work on a bike before.

Velocals sells those metallic strips if you ever feel like replacing that broken one.

Raleigh Stripes White-Black-Gold-Black-White (sku 663) - VeloCals

Are the cranks spinning freely? Any side play, stiffness or notchiness? If they're spinning freely I'd go ahead with the oil, but if they're not it may mean the bottom bracket grease has dried out and needs replacing, or your BB needs adjusting.
Most of us would probably pull the BB apart to clean and re-grease, but maybe it is a daunting task if you're not familiar with bike mechanicals. And it would mean removing the cotter pins. But again, youtube is your friend, and advice from us.

You can add a bit of oil down the seat tube, it is a 'quick & dirty' way of getting a bit more lubrication into the bottom bracket, and hopefully freshening up the grease that's in there. First you want to have a look (as much as you can) down the seat tube and see how grimy it is in there. You don't want the oil you put in the seat tube to be carrying contaminants like rust, insects, etc down into the BB. Your bike looks pretty clean though. Car oil is fine and you probably only need 1 or 2 teaspoons worth. Any more and you'll have a puddle of oil under your bike the next time you take it for a ride :)