PolishGuy

Since there are some knowledgeable Canadians reading this post, I would like to know if my Raleigh Trent Sports, see attachment, was of Canadian production. I've looked at the Retro-Raleighs site and it doesn't match-up color wise with the 1958 listing for the model. I have the original, to me, wheels which are EA1's in fairly good condition with a SA date code of 1/70. Any help/ input would be appreciated. Again, great post. PG.

Sixty Fiver

Polishguy - Raleigh started producing bicycles in Canada in 1978 so bikes produced prior to this would have been manufactured in the UK and even after 1978 some models were still imported or they were assembled here in Canada.

what a gorgeous bike...

noglider 

It looks like you got a lot of those models in Canada. They were English-made, though. I don't know if they were designed specifically for Canada.

Sixty Fiver

There is a trend among earlier Raleigh's to be very sedate and reserved in their colour choices while their captive brands like Phillip's and Trent came in much brighter colours and believe this helped set the brands apart.

cudak888 

Though - if I may add an addendum - the Nottingham factory was actively producing variants for sole marketing in Canada (and of course, the U.S.). The U.K. line often differed in its own right.

-Kurt

noglider 

So was the Lenton name solely for the Canadian market? I've only heard of it here on bikeforums and only from Canadians.

PolishGuy

Thanks for all your info folks. Without Googling it yet, was "Trent" an actual brand name that Raleigh absorbed?

Sixty Fiver

'Follow my example and ride a Lenton'

The popular, well-tried Lenton Sports has proved its worth during the past years and today we know it to be the undoubted thoroughbred of its class. The name has come to be associated with all that is best in cycling, thanks to an outstanding specification combined with the high standard of Design, Quality and Finish so well known to Raleigh Dealers and their customers. This machine represents exceptional value for money.

--Reg Harris

The Raleigh Lenton Sports was in production longer than any of Raleigh's Club models and was produced from 1949 until 1963 and was also sub branded as the Rudge Pathfinder, Trent Tourist, and Triumph Torrington.

The Trent was a lower cost model that appeared in 1951 or 1952 and used a high tensile frame instead of Reynolds 531 and was a best selling model for Raleigh.

These were made for the British and export market and was not a Canadian specific model... they are probably more common here as Canada was a better market for Raleigh as the U.S. had rather high import duties on British goods to protect their domestic manufacturers like Schwinn.

Sixty Fiver

There seems to be regional differences in many Raleigh bicycles so a Raleigh sold in Canada could have been a little different than the bike sold in the UK or for a bike sold in India or Holland... the most notable difference in old Raleighs is the full chain case we see on British bikes vs the hockey stick guard on North American roadsters.

noglider 

Thank you. Very interesting. Given the tariffs, it's impressive that Raleighs and Peugeots et al sold as well as they did.

Do you know what's with import tariffs in the US and Canada now? I suspect it's still pretty high on bike parts, but I don't know about bikes.

clubman 

My experience with these bikes comes from being an enthusiast and collector but I've never worked in the industry so take everything with a grain of salt.
Lenton was of course a big name for Raleigh in the late 40's and 50's. The original Lenton line morphed into the Clubman and later models became the Gran Sport but the Lenton Sports was kept on in Canada as a 3 speed and later a 5 speed (like the gold example). In the 60's, Raleigh had a few different lines that seem to be exclusive to Canada like the Canadian, the Laurentian, and maybe the even Trent was more common here. Raleigh was the major source of rebadged clones so we also had huge numbers of Eatons Gliders and Canadian Tire Supercycles rolling around. Often these bikes were parts bin specials...bikes with components that weren't fashionable anymore. I've also noticed that the paint and decal designs lagged behind the British models as well. A mid-fifties Sports paint style will show up on a 1960 Raleigh Canadian. With those painted fork tips. Most of the 3 speed sports models eventually morphed into 5 speeds with Huret and Simplex drive trains

As Sixty-Fiver can attest, we've seen a lot Raleigh 3 speeds because of our partial British heritage.

noglider 

I assume the AMF Hercules was made for the US market. Is that right? AMF is the American Machine Foundy. I have a bright red Hercules with chrome chainguard and fenders. It's very spiffy looking.

Sixty Fiver

The first year the Lenton was available with derailer gears was 1957... this year saw a lot of changes in that the bikes also went to 27 inch wheels and could have been purchased with a Benelux 4 speed and in 1958 the Lenton Grand Prix was equipped with a double chain wheel and rod shifter to make the bike an 8 speed.

The three speed models remained very popular as these were a solid and established technology and actually are a much better drive system than those early pull chain derailers.

The Reg Harris editions were also a little different than the base Sports model.

Raleigh also offered the Cyclo Benelux 3 speed conversion for the SA hub to make it a 9 speed model.

You won't see many 1950's Raleigh's or pre 1960's bikes around here unless you are hanging out in my shop... if people have them they aren't riding them like I do.

My Lenton was purchased as a fixed gear model and with the transfiguration of the Sports I now have a decent 3 speed wheel for it if I wanted to rock another gear... the 3 speed model was also a few dollars more than the fixed gear.

cobrabyte

ah a good reason to post a pic of my favorite bike!

I've done some work to this: (1974 Sports)

Wald basket w/ cargo net , Wald flashlight bracket & Wald handlebars (the original ones were missing)
original Raleigh grips
tracked down an original pump & pegs
Brooks Saddle & Bag
Tufflex tires - the perfect tire for these bikes IMO
red brakes cable housings
new chain (gold BMX chain)

I absolutely love this bike - If I was forced to keep only one, this would be it



and the little folder, (1971) quite fun. I've taken this bike to crit races and "tailgated" with a cooler on the back ha ha

Sixty Fiver

cobrabyte - Those are some great bikes... seems like once the bug bites one is never enough.

noglider 

I think one of my problems with three-speeds is that they're too reliable. They don't require enough tinkering from me.

cobralyte, as always, I agree with Sixty Fiver. Those two are lovely.

David Newton

Cobrabyte, I love your taste.
That RC crate got me thinking, I have a nice wood Remington shotgun shell box from the pre-war that my dad used for tools and stuff, think I'll mount it on the Herc.

PolishGuy

This thread gets more interesting with each new post. As Sixty Fiver said, one isn't enough so I've attached pics of the three other Raleighs in my stable. They all have SA AW three speed hubs except the Trent Sports, shown on a prior post, which has a FW four speed laced into the new 700c wheels I had made up last year. Cobrabyte, where did you get the Tufflex tires? I put some Panaracer Col de la Vie tires on the Sports in December but I don't think they ride any better that the el cheapo Kendas I had on it previously. I also agree that the R20 is a great bike for kickin' around town. The next item I'm thinking of aquiring is a Raleigh Sports with a SA S5 gear hub. I've seen a few on e-bay but it's been a while. PG.

Sixty Fiver

I offered to teach a 3 speed workshop and it has been so long since I had to tear down an SA hub I had to refresh my memory on how to do it...

My service advice is usually to flush them and give them a little fresh oil as they rarely ever need to be torn apart completely or have any parts replaced.

noglider 

Yes, the AW is a marvel. I've recently had to take two apart because the oil had turned to glue. I had to scratch it off laboriously with a scratch awl. My daughter helped me! It took some trial and error to remember how to reassemble it. Overall, it's very satisfying to get it back together and have it work.

buck mulligan

Oh, sure - NOW you tell, me, now that I have a big bag o' bits!

But seriously, I'm glad I tore my hub down. It was so gummed up with old grease that the oil port was hopelessly clogged (the front hub was in the same state), and curiously, it was missing a bearing in the right side ball cup (likewise, the lower race in the headset was also missing a bearing). And I honestly don't think I'll have any trouble re-assembling it, except maybe for some momentary confusion about correct orientation when I re-fit the pawls. But mostly, I'm just happy to know that I will have handled, cleaned, and lubricated every little bit of my bike.

jamesj

Im scared to pull a hub apart.

Im dreading it when i start on the sport. Looking at the diagrams its looks hella scary!

Sixty Fiver

They often get gummed up because people put in the wrong oil... 3 in 1 is terrible as it is vegetable based and will turn to sludge whereas good old 10W30 or a heavier single weight oil will work just fine.

I always use synthetic as I often find myself riding in much colder weather and also use this is the bb of bikes that have oil fillers... it makes for a really smooth running bike as the oil flushes out any contaminants whereas grease traps them.

My Lenton is a full oiler as it's hubs are also ported for oil and it has to be one of the smoothest running bikes I have ever ridden... the Sports has an oil port in the bb.

noglider 

Exploded view illustrations make it look hella scary, but it's not that bad. After a while, you get used to exploded views. Just take it step by step. Clean off your work bench. Put down a clean, white rag. Place the parts down in a line, in the order you removed them. It's a stepwise procedure.

AL NZ

A 1938 Sachs Torpedo Dreigang, not a SA, but here's how I did it

Notice garage door up to vent petrol fumes.