Help please in identifying an old Humber bicycle
#1
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Help please in identifying an old Humber bicycle
I bought a cool looking vintage bicycle without knowing anything about it. I was not certain if it was real or a knockoff, but after a bit of googling it seems to be real.
After googling I think I am closing in on what it is. But would like confirmation and perhaps a little info
I think it is a 1955 Raleigh Humber Centur 2030 with AW hub (based on a page about Sturmey-Archer Bicycle Hubs)
The finish is in rather rough condition, so looking for advice if it is worth having it restored?
Thanks,
David
After googling I think I am closing in on what it is. But would like confirmation and perhaps a little info
I think it is a 1955 Raleigh Humber Centur 2030 with AW hub (based on a page about Sturmey-Archer Bicycle Hubs)
The finish is in rather rough condition, so looking for advice if it is worth having it restored?
Thanks,
David
#3
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You can't post until you have 10 posts as an anti-spam measure. But we can see them and frankly, it looks to be in excellent shape. Clean and polish it up and post in the Love of English 3 Speeds thread.
Never heard of a Centaur but congrats, it's a very good bike.
Never heard of a Centaur but congrats, it's a very good bike.
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clubman - you beat me to it....pic assist:
There is no Centaur in the 1956 Humber catalog, but there was a historical connection to the Centaur/New Centaur bicycle company in the early teens......Looks a lot like my Sports Light Roadster with an optional or accessory chainguard and a Centaur decal.
There is no Centaur in the 1956 Humber catalog, but there was a historical connection to the Centaur/New Centaur bicycle company in the early teens......Looks a lot like my Sports Light Roadster with an optional or accessory chainguard and a Centaur decal.
#7
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Thanks again for showing the pictures.
I wiped it off a little, but I fear damaging it if I get too agressive cleaning it. Guess I'll read up on cleaning a vintage bike.
I wiped it off a little, but I fear damaging it if I get too agressive cleaning it. Guess I'll read up on cleaning a vintage bike.
#8
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If it is not against forum rules can someone give me an idea of the value of this bike?
I am going to clean it up a bit. I collect vintage audio gear and in my search stumbled upon this bike. I learned many expensive lessons from getting overly aggressive with cleaning vintage audio gear, don’t want to make same mistake with this bike. Not sure if a good soap and water cleaning would remove the decals which I want to avoid at all cost.
If it is a highly collectible bike, I may invest in a full restoration by a skilled bike tech. Looking for guidance from knowledge forum members.
I am going to clean it up a bit. I collect vintage audio gear and in my search stumbled upon this bike. I learned many expensive lessons from getting overly aggressive with cleaning vintage audio gear, don’t want to make same mistake with this bike. Not sure if a good soap and water cleaning would remove the decals which I want to avoid at all cost.
If it is a highly collectible bike, I may invest in a full restoration by a skilled bike tech. Looking for guidance from knowledge forum members.
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If it is not against forum rules can someone give me an idea of the value of this bike?
I am going to clean it up a bit. I collect vintage audio gear and in my search stumbled upon this bike. I learned many expensive lessons from getting overly aggressive with cleaning vintage audio gear, don’t want to make same mistake with this bike. Not sure if a good soap and water cleaning would remove the decals which I want to avoid at all cost.
If it is a highly collectible bike, I may invest in a full restoration by a skilled bike tech. Looking for guidance from knowledge forum members.
I am going to clean it up a bit. I collect vintage audio gear and in my search stumbled upon this bike. I learned many expensive lessons from getting overly aggressive with cleaning vintage audio gear, don’t want to make same mistake with this bike. Not sure if a good soap and water cleaning would remove the decals which I want to avoid at all cost.
If it is a highly collectible bike, I may invest in a full restoration by a skilled bike tech. Looking for guidance from knowledge forum members.
Or maybe just use it for basic, stylish, around town errands and shopping. They made a lot of these, under various brand names and iterations. They are mostly pretty solid transportation bikes, and are underappreciated in the current era.
The decals can be a little fragile. Just use Dawn dish soap and water, with a rag. See where that gets you at first.
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...Humber is especially noted for their way cool chainring designs. Yours is no exception.
...Humber is especially noted for their way cool chainring designs. Yours is no exception.
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I really like the look of the chain rings on these with the somewhat slender crank. Also the duoblex wide fork is pretty coll looking. As for value I would say $250 or so nicely cleaned up.
Last edited by zukahn1; 09-24-21 at 08:37 PM.
#13
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I cleaned it up a bit and aired up the tires. I was able to ride it around the block. So FUN!
It does needs to properly restored but it is functional. The 3-speed gear box is sticky but did change gears. It's back in the garage as I don't want to ride it more without more cleaning and lubricating the moving mechanisms.
I can't upload pictures to the thread yet but I'll save a few and perhaps someone can post them to be visable as before.
It does needs to properly restored but it is functional. The 3-speed gear box is sticky but did change gears. It's back in the garage as I don't want to ride it more without more cleaning and lubricating the moving mechanisms.
I can't upload pictures to the thread yet but I'll save a few and perhaps someone can post them to be visable as before.
#14
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What type of oil should I put in the AW 3-speed hub? It has a filler tube with a flip top.
Last edited by corpblues; 09-27-21 at 06:51 AM.
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I cleaned it up a bit and aired up the tires. I was able to ride it around the block. So FUN!
It does needs to properly restored but it is functional. The 3-speed gear box is sticky but did change gears. It's back in the garage as I don't want to ride it more without more cleaning and lubricating the moving mechanisms.
I can't upload pictures to the thread yet but I'll save a few and perhaps someone can post them to be visable as before.
It does needs to properly restored but it is functional. The 3-speed gear box is sticky but did change gears. It's back in the garage as I don't want to ride it more without more cleaning and lubricating the moving mechanisms.
I can't upload pictures to the thread yet but I'll save a few and perhaps someone can post them to be visable as before.
...the recommended oil for these is any good quality 20 weight oil, unless you are riding in a very cold winter area, when you might have to experiment with 10 weight viscosity. If it is a little bit sticky, the usual cure to try first is to remove the rear wheel from the bike, and flush the hub with kerosene or mineral spirits, then put in about a teaspoon of 20 weight oil. They are not well seald, so if you put in too much oil it just drips out, usually down the spokes. Which kind of makes a mess of things, but doesn't hurt anything, mechanically.
The reason there is always so much crud on the rear hub's exterior is this leaking oil, mixing with road ddirt and grime.
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...there's a whole thread devoted to this sort of bicycle, running since 2010 and still currently being added to: For the love of English 3 speeds...
...there's a whole thread devoted to this sort of bicycle, running since 2010 and still currently being added to: For the love of English 3 speeds...
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#18
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I've learned a lot about english 3 speeds, thanks for the information and links. I'll post a few more pics when I get to 10 posts.
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...I rode on English three speeds all my college years, at the University of Maryland. They were cheap and plentiful back then, in the used bike marketplace. The Salvation Army was full of them. Everyone wanted one of those new fangled "ten speed" bicycles. They served me well and carried me a lot of miles around D.C.
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Looks great to bad it doesn't have the original slightly slender original paint match fenders. It sucks but most kids that used these in the these of in the 60's or 70's stripped the fenders and extras to save weight clean up the the look so most are long since scrap metal and nearly impossible to replace.
Last edited by zukahn1; 10-02-21 at 07:05 PM.