old three-speed gallery

1975 Schwinn Speedster

2011-12-20T06:47:00.000-08:00

Time for a nice change of pace. Instead of the usual English models, Kevin sends some pictures of a 1975 Schwinn Speedster with a 3 speed hub. This one is his "daily driver" and gets used on a regular basis. There's something unique about a bike that gets ridden a lot, it just shows through. And I've got a soft spot for vintage Schwinns. Kevin says of the bike:

I recently acquired a 1975 Schwinn Speedster with a 1973
Sturmey Archer 3-speed hub. The bike featured a Schwinn approved rack
that had a basket attached, but I broke the rack on the second day of
ownership by overloading the basket. Not wanting the bike to lose the
additional charm that the rack & basket combo provided, I dug through
the used parts at the local bike CO-OP until I found a suitable
replacement rack. Then it was a simple matter of drilling a couple
holes in order to attach the basket.

The bottle generator and headlight still worked when I found the bike,
but the original tail light was broken, so I ordered a new one. My
commute home takes me down a big hill, and I'm pretty sure that front
lamp looks like a motorcycle headlight when I'm coasting at 30+ mph.

You might have noticed the front chain ring looks small. That's
because I swapped the original 44t chain ring for a 36t. That changed
the original gear range, which was around 50~90 gear inches, to 40~75
gear inches. It's made the bike much more versatile in a city that has
very uneven terrain. Since I finished fixing up this bike, I've been
logging about 50 miles per week on it, just from commuting, getting
groceries, and generally cruising around town. The only downside to
this bike, for me, is that it uses the 37-597 sized wheels. Only one
company makes tires (they come in black or gumwall) and there are no
options for tread pattern, whitewall, studs, and so on. My next goal
for this bike might be to retrofit some 37-590s onto it.

Thanks Kevin!

1955 Raleigh Sports

2011-12-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

From Tim, and beautiful older 3 speed.

Winston arrives from England!

Winston is a 1955 Raleigh Sports that recently arrived in the US with a returning serviceman. The bike was purchased in rural England and was used almost continuously as a commuter vehicle. When we purchased the bike we could see that it had been protected in the traditional English manner- repeated coats of motor oil to protect against rust. Despite the discouraging exterior, we knew there was a treasure under all that grime.

Restoration included total dis-assembly and an intensive cleaning. While I don't recommend it, the oil coating did protect the bike. The painted frame and the chrome survived nearly intact under a thick layer of crud and responded nicely to careful cleaning and polishing. All parts are original with the exception of grips and new tires. The original grips were saved but too deteriorated to use so we replaced them with a set of vintage Raleigh grips from the 60s. This bike was ordered with a nice set of factory options- dynohub and light kit, Lucas cyclometer, upgraded Brooks B66 saddle and the Sturmey Archer switch-on dry battery unit that provides a standby lighting power source when the wheels aren't turning.

The bike looks and rides great after the rebuild and we're hoping it rolls along for another 55 years.

A complete set of photos can be found on use.com:

http://www.use.com/Vintage_1955_Raleigh_Sports_9027770876f2c878f5fe

Nothing more to add, a lovely bike all around.

1956 Standard

2011-11-28T18:44:00.000-08:00

Mark is back again, this time with pictures of his wife's bike (and his wife). He's also done his homework on this bike, as it not only comes with photos but a brief history lesson:

The Standard Cycle Company Ltd of Birmingham was one of the oldest bicycle companies in England - they started in the late 1890s in the hotbed cycling centre of Birmingham/Coventry. They were quite the going concern through the decades until 1965, when in October the company was absorbed by the Swift Cycle Company (of the same area). There is little information available online about the company, but they appeared to make quality bicycles.

Here is an ad from 1931:

and another from 1962:

Here's a shot of the company logo:

My wife's bike is apparently their "stock in trade": the Model K - traditional English roadster: frame is "bondarized" against rust, fittings are mostly Brampton and Nicklin, and overall the quality of the ride is excellent......The bike is mostly original; the exceptions are that the front wheel was replaced prior to our ownership, the seat post has been replaced by a modern alloy (mostly so I could raise the seat so I could ride it). Other than that its pretty much as it was when it left the factory in 1956. My wife and I love riding together as it seems 3 speeds have the same effect as motorcycle sidecars: everyone smiles, waves, says hello as you ride by, with that lovely "tick-tick-tick" of the SA hubs to keep you company.....

Parting shot:

We thank Mark for sharing, and hope he won't be in trouble for submitting a photo of his wife's backside...

Eaton Glider

2011-11-21T19:32:00.000-08:00

Mark sends photos of another less common 3 speed. He goes as far as to call it an oddball, but we won't resort to such name calling here.

I noted you said its been quiet on the site lately, so thought I'd provide another photo or two for you. The Eaton's Glider is essentially a Raleigh Sport made for the (now defunct) Canadian Department store chain. Mine appears to be 1972 (based on the hub), and it seems to be mostly original. Interestingly, the rims are Canadian not English! I added the Brooks, and the fenders are not original but close.....

I've been having a ton of fun on this bike, which I've only had for about 6 months.

Here are a couple of shots:

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa224/markk900/Cambridge%20to%20Paris/IMG_1917.jpg

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa224/markk900/Cambridge%20to%20Paris/IMG_1924.jpg

(The black bike in the background is my wife's 1956 Standard Model K - more photos later).

Thanks for the submission, Mark, and for the promise of something else to look forward to. These are the things that help us make it through winter.

Raleigh Wayfarer

2011-11-21T19:22:00.000-08:00

Shawn sends lots of links for pictures of his Raleigh Wayfarer. It's a nice looking bicycle, and it's been outfitted for daily use with some nice upgrades. Though it remains true to the style and the era in most, if not all, of the changes.

Hey there!

Love the Three Speed Gallery site. I've been meaning to submit my
bicycle for awhile, but I've only now gotten around to it!

I bought a Raleigh Wayfarer Raleigh for $30 off of Craigslist in
December of 2010 and had to go to darkest East Vancouver, Wash. to
obtain. It's a classic British 3-Speed from the 1970's. I can't find
much info about this particular model on the internets, though. I
spent a lot of energy and some money restoring and updating it. Now it
is my primary "everyday" city bike. I love this bike!

Here are photos on my flickr page:

Here is more info and writings on my blog:
http://urbanadventureleague.blogspot.com/p/my-bikes.html
http://urbanadventureleague.blogspot.com/search/label/raleigh

thanks for your time.

yours,
Shawn

It's a great looking bike, and $30 may never have been as well spent.

1979 Raleigh Suburbe

2011-11-17T19:24:00.000-08:00

It's been quiet out there lately in Old Three Speed Gallery land. Everybody is hunkering down for winter, I imagine. Thankfully, Jon sent some nice pictures of his 1979 Raleigh Supurbe. Should give a gentleman something to do on a cold winter's night.

Hey there,
I've been lurking your blog for a while and I thought I'd submit my recently acquired '79 Raleigh Superbe. I bought it about a week ago and have added new tyres, changed the shifter and swapped the saddle for a leather brooks. It's mostly original with almost all the original bits and pieces. Anyway there are more pics and the full story at my blog

there is also my flickr here

Thanks
Jon

No Jon, thank you.

Raleigh Sports

2011-11-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

Ben sends some pictures of old Raleigh Sports that he received from his grandfather. Not much other info than that. He does say "bikes" but I'm unclear if these pictures are of one bike or two.

Huffy

2011-09-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

This may be the first Huffy featured on this site. It meets the main criteria, it's old and it's a 3 speed. Leisa says:

I'm thinking this is 60's Huffy. I don't know for sure and haven't seen anything like this one. I found this at a flea market and picked it up for a good price, it had all the things I like about a bicycle, it's sleek and the narrow tires....it rides very good and it is fast. The tag on the seat says Deluxe Sport, I've searched around to see if I could find anything like it on the web and had no luck, so I'd like to find out the exact year if anyone knows please let me know.

Rudge quickie

2011-09-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

Geoffrey sent a quick one sentence note along with a single photo of what appears to be a beautiful mid-1950s Rudge.

Metropole

2011-07-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

While I'm more partial to English 3 speeds, this is the Old Three-Speed Gallery, not the Olde English Three-Speed Gallery. Plus, this bike is unique enough to warrant being here, even if it was "English only."

Mike says

I'm a 3 speed lover, but found this French Metropole and couldn't pass it up - trouble is, I can't find anything about it. Best guesses for the age are late forties, early fifties based on the components. The seat and pedals are German, and the shifters are Cyclo and Simplex. It has a neat VDO spedometer in kilometers, as well. The only thing missing on the bike that concerns me is the taillamp lens.

Anything you've seen before? Thanks for your time!

Earlsdon

2011-07-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

Pat comes to the 3 Speed Blog with a plea for help:

I cant figure this one out nor can I find ANY info of it online. I bought this last week. Great shape overall. Rear Sturmey Archer hub showss 55 2. It says Earlsdon on the seat tube and made in Netherlands on top tube. Brake calipers have cursive writing that says Brilliant. Here are the photos the seller provided. I can take more. I couldnt pass this one up for 80 bucks. It just looked so unique and I have never heard of it. Feel free to post it on the site. Maybe someone else might know some info on it?

What say you, 3 Speed Bloggers? Anyone? Bueller?

1973 Raleigh Esquire

2011-06-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

Mark sends along pictures of his 1973 Raleigh Esquire.

This isn't anywhere near original. Everything has been rebuilt and or
updated as necessary. This is my grocery getter. I use this bicycle
to transport stuff. It is my favorite bike and I get more comments
about this bike than all the others combined.

The story I got, about this bike, was that it was bought in England.
That someone here in the US was stationed there and that there were no
cars allowed on the base. So they bought this bicycle used it for
transportation and brought it back with them.

It may not be anywhere near original, but it's quite a looker. Many more pictures available at picasa.

1961 Sports & 1954 Dunelt

2011-06-06T19:48:00.001-07:00

Patrick in Minneapolis has an embarrassment of riches to share. He has submitted photos of not one but two lovely three speeds. The first is a 1961 Raleigh Sports and the second is a 1964 Dunelt. Patrick says:

I stumbled upon your website and wanted to contribute some pictures of my own. I have a 1961 Raleigh Sports and a 1954 Dunelt. Both nearly original, and both in great condition. I come from a Schwinn background, so when I bought these I was blown away at how much....better, for lack of..better word, they rode, felt, were made, and just look. I love them to pieces and ride them whenever the sun peeks through the clouds. Thanks again, and I enjoy the site very much! :)

Patrick isn't kidding when he says' they both look to be in great condition. Links to these beautiful bikes on Flickr are below:
1961 Raleigh Sports

1954 Dunelt

1965 Savoy

2011-06-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

Mike sends along some photos of a lovely looking 1965 Savoy two speed. His description states:

Beautiful Royal Blue Savoy with bright chrome work came with Shimano’s ‘333’ series shifting set up unfortunately was not working.
Found a Sachs-Huret that was slightly larger in diameter but worked out right in the end.
New Michelin World Tour tires EA-3 (26 x 1 3/8) give it such a smooth ride
Grip Shift , Cherry stop brakes, Full fenders, and super nice factory decals – who could ask for anything more?
Mike P , New Brunswick N.J.

Skydrive link

Unfortunately I couldn't download the pictures for saving here without registering for Windows Live, so please follow the link. Apologies for any inconvenience.

1974 Raleigh Sports

2011-04-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

Rob sends along a beautiful 1974 Raleigh Sports. While he's a little light in the picture department, he makes up for it in description:

My bike is a 1974 Raleigh Sports. I bought the bike for $100 and somehow ended up dumping another $800 into it, which basically makes it a bit more than a new 8-speed Linus but much less than a Pashley. It has more character than either and is actually lighter than both too.
I'm not sure if this bike is allowed on your blog because it is no longer a three-speed. I was having new aluminum wheels built, so I went ahead and found a new Sturmey Archer five-speed hub, which provides a 244% (or something like that) gear range. The bottom bracket and crank were in sorry shape, so I further upgraded the drive train with a Phil Wood bottom bracket and All City crank. The crank clearance required a little trimming of the chain guard. The Panaracer Col de la Vie gumwall tires are smooth as silk on the road. The MKS platform pedals are designed specifically for clips and straps and I found a pair of brown leather-tipped clips with matching straps that complement the faux-leather grips and genuine Brooks saddle (B17 shown, but swapping that out for a B66 shortly). I still need to polish up the chrome and paint, but this bike is looking pretty good and riding even better. It beats any modern hybrid on the road for speed, comfort and style. As they say, a man who spends more than he wans on a bike cries once, a man who spends too little on the wrong bike cries every day. In fact, my big regret is not springing for the polished rims.Special thanks to Andrew at Bicycle Therapy in Philadelphia for taking my box of parts and unridable bike and turning it into something I expect to ride for decades.

Because we here at the Old Three Speed Blog are bad at math, at least when it comes to money spent on bikes and also on excluding certain bikes based on an arbitrary number of gears, we agree with Rob and feel the bike is worthy of being featured.

1972 Raleigh Sports

2011-04-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

I've been a little remiss in my admin duties, and have left Bill's 1972 Raleigh Sports in my inbox for a few days now. Bill says

I‘ve been researching old bikes and found your gallery and I really appreciate he great stories and pictures of vintage bikes. I’m a 69 year old cyclist and have been riding since high school, I ride all types of old and new bikes. A friend gave me this 1972 Raleigh Sport that had been under his house for the last 20 years. I got looking at it and decided to fix it up so here is what it looks like. I know I might have de-valued it by painting it, bit it’s mainly “garage art” for me.

Some folks may think it's devalued, but here at the Old 3 Speed Blog any bike that is fixed up and used is valued in the truest sense of the word. Thanks for sharing, Bill.

'48 Rudge-Whitworth

2011-03-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

Mark in Florida sent some photos of a nice looking 1948 Rudge-Whitworth. Mark says of the bike

Decals on the downtube state that it is a Rudge-Whitworth Sport model. The hub and research do point to 1948 Handlebars are mounted upside down, like the look better. This bike has basically just been cleaned up, the original front and rear lights work. Decals are original, some a bit faded. The seat is vinyl from a 60’s Triumph that I have, I do have the original 3-spring seat for this bike, but the leather is too deteriorated to use it. I ride it to the park often, the gears were pretty extreme on these! Lol

A 1948 with working lights is quite a find in my book. But horrors, Mark is moving and needs to thin the herd. So if you're in the market, leave a comment below.

Rob's Raleigh Sports

2011-03-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

My old pal Rob sent a picture of his newest find, a Raleigh Sports. Rob says this about the bike:

I just bought this and have some plans to clean it up a bit, replace the tires, and add a seat (I’m not riding it like that). I’ll send an “after” photo when it’s complete. This one will serve as the “before” photo. It’ll be like one of those weight loss advertisements.

Sounds great, we look forward to seeing the finished product. And you can ride it "like that" if you want. We don't judge here at the Old 3 Speed Blog.

Johnny Cash would be proud

2011-03-07T19:34:00.000-08:00

Ray has submitted an English Three Speed to the gallery. I can't be much more specific than that without the danger of a run on sentence. I'll let Ray explain more:

I just found your wonderful website and I thought I’d submit my bike for everyone’s consideration. This is a conglomeration of a few of the English brands from the 60’s. You are looking at an Armstrong bike with Phillips fenders and Dunelt chainguard. Finishing touches include to a Lucas cyclometer and a Elite lantern. I thought the black fenders on the red and white frame & fork, along with the chrome chainguard, really combine to make this bike a standout in the crowd! Hope you like it.

Ray has really hit all the high points of English 3-speeds. Impressive that he only needed one bike to do it! I wonder if he worked at a bike factory in England and had a big lunch box...

Well, I left Kentucky back in '49
An' went to Detroit workin' on a 'sembly line
The first year they had me puttin' wheels on Cadillacs

Every day I'd watch them beauties roll by
And sometimes I'd hang my head and cry
'Cause I always wanted me one that was long and black.

One day I devised myself a plan
That should be the envy of most any man
I'd sneak it out of there in a lunchbox in my hand
Now gettin' caught meant gettin' fired
But I figured I'd have it all by the time I retired
I'd have me a car worth at least a hundred grand.

CHORUS
I'd get it one piece at a time
And it wouldn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round.

So the very next day when I punched in
With my big lunchbox and with help from my friends
I left that day with a lunch box full of gears
Now, I never considered myself a thief
GM wouldn't miss just one little piece
Especially if I strung it out over several years.

The first day I got me a fuel pump
And the next day I got me an engine and a trunk
Then I got me a transmission and all of the chrome
The little things I could get in my big lunchbox
Like nuts, an' bolts, and all four shocks
But the big stuff we snuck out in my buddy's mobile home.

Now, up to now my plan went all right
'Til we tried to put it all together one night
And that's when we noticed that something was definitely wrong.

The transmission was a '53
And the motor turned out to be a '73
And when we tried to put in the bolts all the holes were gone.

So we drilled it out so that it would fit
And with a little bit of help with an A-daptor kit
We had that engine runnin' just like a song
Now the headlight' was another sight
We had two on the left and one on the right
But when we pulled out the switch all three of 'em come on.

The back end looked kinda funny too
But we put it together and when we got thru
Well, that's when we noticed that we only had one tail-fin
About that time my wife walked out
And I could see in her eyes that she had her doubts
But she opened the door and said "Honey, take me for a spin."

So we drove up town just to get the tags
And I headed her right on down main drag
I could hear everybody laughin' for blocks around
But up there at the court house they didn't laugh
'Cause to type it up it took the whole staff
And when they got through the title weighed sixty pounds.

CHORUS
I got it one piece at a time
And it didn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is around.

(Spoken) Ugh! Yow, RED RYDER
This is the COTTON MOUTH
In the PSYCHO-BILLY CADILLAC Come on

Huh, This is the COTTON MOUTH
And negatory on the cost of this mow-chine there RED RYDER
You might say I went right up to the factory
And picked it up, it's cheaper that way
Ugh!, what model is it?

Well, It's a '49, '50, '51, '52, '53, '54, '55, '56
'57, '58' 59' automobile
It's a '60, '61, '62, '63, '64, '65, '66, '67
'68, '69, '70 automobile.

1963 Royce Union

2011-03-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

Wayne sends photos of a 1963 Royce Union three speed with a personal back story:

This bicycle was purchased new by my mother in 1963. For the past 30+ years, it has sat in the garage, collecting lots of dust and slowly corroding.

Although the brand name is Royce Union, the bicycle was built in the Raleigh factory in Nottingham, England. Upon complete dis-assembly, I noticed that some of the components are stamped with the Raleigh heron. After cleaning, lubing, re-assembling and adjusting everything, it’s probably in better shape now than it was when new. When I took the Sturmey Archer AW 3-speed hub apart, I found it to be amazing and elegant in its simplicity. I decided against repainting the frame because that would have eliminated the character shown by the slightly worn decals; it polished up quite nicely. I did replace a wheel bearing cone, tires & inner tubes, brake pads and saddle.

I'm pleased with the outcome! Everything works smoothly, and it looks great while doing it.

I think we'll all agree it looks fantastic. Thanks for sending these photos along, Wayne.

1956 Speedwell

2011-03-03T19:26:00.001-08:00

I'm sad to say these images have been languishing in my inbox for a couple of weeks now. James from Australia submitted pictures of his 1956 Speedwell (Australian brand manufactured by Malvern Star)for your appreciation. I personally am not familiar with the Speedwell badge, but it looks like a bike worthy of the Old Three-Speed Gallery.

James also has an excellent write up of the bike, along with more photos, at Perth Vintage Cycles. A great looking bike with a great story. Thanks James!

1961 Humber Special

2011-02-14T19:00:00.000-08:00

A two-for one post for Valentine's Day. For all you 3-speed lovers. Only one photo, but the narrative makes up for it.

While riding my 1970 Phillips in West Philadelphia, I saw this bicycle and took a pause. It's a 1961 Humber Sports. It's a post-Tube Investments buyout model, so it doesn't have the wild double fork blades of the truly old Humbers. The shifter cable is a replacement - the long length of housing wasn't trimmed down when it was taken out of the package. The brake cables are original. The calipers take double-ended fixed-length cables.

When I'm walking around or riding my bicycle, I notice this type of thing. Ten years ago, seeing an old three speed in this area was much more common. I would often see multiple Sturmey-equipped machines parked on the same block. Nowadays they're not exactly scarce, but a sighting is a noteworthy event. (Noteworthy to me - but I've been noting these bicycles to myself for a long time now).

Sorry about the junk-quality photo. I didn't want some girl to see me molesting her bicycle.

1973 Coffee Sports

2011-02-14T18:56:00.000-08:00

Darrell from Illinois sends some pictures of a very pristine looking 1973 Raleigh Sports. He says:

Mr. Bean is my third Raleigh Sports. I bought the bike on eBay from a gentleman in Massachusetts. It was in pretty nice condition when I received it, but I went over the bike completely to assure its mechanical condition. I cleaned the bottom bracket and headset and replaced all the ball bearings throughout. I bought a NOS Sturmey Archer Dyno Hub and laced it into a stock steel rim and wired it to a vintage Miller headlight. For comfort, I put on a new Brooks Flyer Special in Brown to complement the bike’s color. A Pletscher rack was added to the back for small packages or a trunk bag. I’m looking forward to a nice ride when I take Mr. Bean to the Lake Pepin Three Speed Tour this year.

This bike will be a welcome addition to the Lake Pepin Tour. Thanks Darryll!

Hercules

2011-02-08T18:47:00.001-08:00

Mike sent this picture of himself and an old Hercules.

He's a little scant on details about the bike, but did include this bit of wisdom:

The Three Speed Gallery is the coolest blog on the internet. You can be sure that I am a credible source because of my glasses. Here is a picture of me hovering over a Hercules. The Sturmey Archer hub is lubricated with peanut oil as per the instructions of George Washington Carver.

Sounds credible to me.

1970 Phillips

2011-02-07T19:26:00.001-08:00

Chris from Philadelphia took his 1970 Phillips out for a snowy ride in what has been a very snowy winter for most of the northern half of the U.S. I'm not sure if I'm horrified by the prospect of a lovely old steed getting exposed to the rust-causing elements or if I'm delighted by a lovely old steed getting some good, hard use after 40 years.

Thanks for the pics, Chris!

1957 Rudge

2011-01-22T15:15:00.000-08:00

Also from Tim, a lovely 1957 Rudge. I wonder if this bike has a name as well...

Here are some pics of a 1957 Rudge Sports that we restored. The bike had been left outside for years and was faded, rusted and covered with pine sap. The bike has the rare Sturmey Archer SW hub which has a reputation for unreliability, but this one works great! Surprisingly, we were able to restore the bike and salvage the great old decals. Check out the decal graphics and chain ring! The hand design on the chain ring and logo on the decal refer to the Rudge motto: Britain's Best [handbuilt] Bicycle."

Walter and Beatrice

2011-01-22T15:09:00.000-08:00

Tim sends across a pair of lovely vintage three speeds for admission to the gallery. The bikes are each named, which I find adorable. Tim says:

Here are photos of our well-loved pair of '67 Raleighs. "Walter" is a black 1967 Sports Deluxe complete with dynohub and working front headlamp and rear bullet tail lamp. All parts are vintage with the exception of new tires. We were fortunate to find a vintage Prestube rack that we repainted and installed.

"Beatrice" is a 1967 Raleigh Superbe that we purchased from the original owner who checked us pretty carefully to make certain her bike would be moving on to a good home. The bike had some issues, including a dead front dynohub that needed a new magnet (hint: NEVER remove the armature from the magnet - this causes total and permanent failure). After a full restoration, we thinks she looks pretty good!

Agreed, Tim. A good looking couple!

1968 Raleigh Sports

2010-11-22T06:23:00.000-08:00

Joe sent photos of his 1968 Raleigh Sports with this note:

1968 Raleigh Sports given to me by my son. This bike slowly accumulated all its parts from here and there. It was missing a chain guard for a long time. I was fortunate to come across a Raleigh parts bike on CraigsList for $40 that had just about everything I needed, including the Heron headlamp bracket. The best part is a Brooks leather saddle that is contemporary with the bike, although I don't see one like it in Brooks catalogs, so it may be a discontinued model.

His Flickr set shows some of the transformation of this bike from mismatched to magnificent. Go see them:

Flickr

Thanks for the pics, Joe.

Short

2010-11-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

Vaughn submitted this single, artsy, shot of what looks to be a Raleigh Sports. The description, like the number of photos, was succinct.

glad the site is back. i have three. no, four. wait... well, i love them. more pics to follow. v

We anxiously await additional pictures and descriptions.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss

2010-10-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

I answered the call, and I suppose that means this blog is under new management. So, much like Jim I'll start up with some pictures of my 3 speed. This is my Robin Hood Sports 3 speed:

According to the hub, it's a 1959 model.

I've not seen any other Robin Hoods with the white contrasting head tube. It makes me wonder if somebody has modified this at some point.

I've ridden this bike on the 3 speed tour several times.

I've done very little to this bike, it's nearly stock and virtually identical to when I got it. The only nod to comfort/modernization is that I put my newer Brooks B66 on for the 3 Speed Tour and I added a bell. Because bells are fun. The previous owner added new tires, but other than these minor changes the bike is pretty much as it would have been 50 years ago. Now, as I imagine it would have been then, it's pretty fun to ride.

help wanted

2010-10-17T23:18:00.000-07:00

I am doing a bad job of keeping up with reader submissions (even just a few per month), and frankly I lack motivation to administer this blog anymore. A lot of people are interested in looking at old 3-speeds, however, so it would be a shame to just have the blog end or go dormant forever. If you are interested in taking over this blog, let me know.

Jim

1965 Raleigh Sports

2010-06-29T20:04:00.001-07:00

Here is a pic of my 1965 Raleigh Sports. I found this bike rotting in a garage amongst a pile of others. Someone had painted it all silver, including the rims and tires to use as either advertising or art. Anyway it was completely stripped, sandblasted and epoxy painted in a red that is sort of close to the original hue that the 65's came in. The spokes were cut out and the wheels rebuilt with Wheelsmith Stainless 14 gauge. The stickers were made using Windows "Paint" program and printed on water slide decal paper which you can now buy at Staples. The saddle is a modern Brooks (of course) and all brake shoes cables tires brake levers and grips are new. The generator set is an NOS unit from 1967. I wanted to have a "new" three speed that looked old. So before anyone trashes me for not using all original parts, keep in mind it was more of a rescue mission that a faithful restoration project. It is about 98 percent done. I still need some chain guard mounting hardware and the little thing that keeps the shifter cable from slipping through the cable clamp on the top tube. I also put on a large 22 tooth rear sprocket so I can climb hills. It is a fun ride and an even more fun project.

PS My other two 3 speeds (posted Jan 2010) have found new homes. The 79 Schwinn found a new owner here in Asheville for 400 bucks and the 1969 Gold Raleigh Sports went to the Atlanta area for a cool 500.

Flying Jet and Raleigh

2010-06-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

I like your web page and have recently returned to riding a bicycle. I
wanted to find a three speed like I had when I was a kid. So I found 2
on Craigs list. Mine is a 1956 Flying Jet made in the Netherlands, and
my wifes is a late 60's or early 70's Raleigh. Both just needed lots
of cleaning and polish. Since I have bought them I have added a
Sturmey Archer Dyno Hub and light set from an old Raleigh found on
C.L. and a new seat to the Jet. My wife's bike got a new seat and a 19
tooth rear sprocket to lower the gear ratio a bit. They are really fun
to ride.

Raleigh Sports Path Racer

2010-06-29T19:55:00.000-07:00

I really think your "Old Three Speed Gallery is one fine web site. Last year I submitted my German 3 speed bike that you shared with your readers. This
is my 70's Raleigh Sports "Path Racer".

I started with a Raleigh Sports frame set I bought on e-Bay plus a '74 Coffee Brown Sports donor that was just a bit too tall for me. I stripped parts from the '74 that would be used on my project bike; all mechanical parts, wheels, fenders, chain guard and handlebars. The frame set was disassembled, the head set, bottom bracket and and crank going into my stash. The frame and fork would be used in the project.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stl914/3871127148/in/set-72157622060638695/

I had the frame and fork, fenders and chain guard sand blasted and powder coated a semi-gloss black by a local powder coater that I did business with as a result of my previous employment.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stl914/3889835743/in/set-72157622060638695/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stl914/3871127254/in/set-72157622060638695/

Once I had the frame and other parts back home, I began reassembling the bike.
All chrome pieces were thoroughly cleaned and polished The headset and bottom bracket were installed with an application of fresh grease. I added the fork, stem and cranks original North Road handlebars were installed in a flipped position for a race bike look. I finished the reassembly by installing the brakes and levers, 3 speed shifter lever, the wheels, fenders and chain guard.

I added a few personal upgrades to the bike; a Brooks B17 saddle in honey, a pair of matching leather grips, a chrome hand pump, a vintage black vinyl saddle bag, and rat trap pedals with black leather straps. I finished the bike off by adding a set of Raleigh decals.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stl914/3889835753/in/set-72157622060638695/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stl914/3934384755/in/set-72157622060638695/

Additional pictures may be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stl914/sets/72157622060638695/

1949 Schwinn World Tourer

2010-06-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

Thought this bike might be a nice addition to your site. Its a mostly original 1949 Schwinn World Tourer (original except tires, and now saddle, too. Still have the correct Brooks mattress saddle, but it's far too uncomfy for the lady). This was a step above some of the other ladies models because of the DynoHub and saddle bag (which is sadly long gone). I am the third onwer. Previous owner told me that the tires were replaced in 1963 or so (this was told to him by the original owner, who purchased the bike in '49), but the original tubes were retained (they still ride fine!). All decals are in wonderful shape, SA shifter still works flawlessly, the bike rides silently and smoothly. Even the DynoHub still works perfectly, and the lights both light up.

This bike is my girlfriend's bike, a companion to a 1946 Schwinn Continental that I ride on occasion.

More here.

Sears 3-Speed

2010-06-29T19:44:00.000-07:00

Sears 3 three-speed. I need to put the front fender back on once it is cleaned up. This bike was probably made by Steyr of Austria. The classic sears logo on the top tube is in good shape. Pedals are made in Germany; brake made in Switzerland (weinmann)

More here.

1972 and 1973 Raleigh Sports

2010-01-18T19:16:00.000-08:00

I was in your shop last week to get new tires for my bike. Here's some pictures of our Raleigh Sports. As near as I can tell, they are both late '72-early '73 bikes, judging by the serial numbers. They were both Craigslist finds.

We wanted to ride bikes for fun and excercise, and the junky, uncomfortable mountain bikes we had weren't much fun to ride. After some cleaning, lubing, tires, tubes, and new brake pads, the bikes were on the road. I fitted the Pletscher racks and set them up with baskets and saddlebags. I fit a 20T cog for my wife, and tried a 21T cog on mine to ease the gearing. I've been riding my bike to work 2-4 days a week for the past six months.

We're already looking forward to the 2010 Lake Pepin Three Speed tour.

1954 Raleigh Sportster

2010-01-18T19:10:00.000-08:00

heres a 1954 raliegh sportster 3 spd which my friend gave me,it was his grandads,who bought it new from a raliegh dealer in cockburn street,edinburgh,the frame still has the sticker on the frame,it has a 53 dated hub but i believe its a 54 as half chaingaurd and no red pinstripes on mudgaurds,it also has a smiths aftermarket speedo,hub gear driven which needs a new cable,apart from that rides as good as new...bruce

Gold 69 Raleigh and 79 Typhoon

2010-01-18T19:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of my cherished 3 speeds. The gold one is a 1969 Raleigh Sports "All-Gold Edition" in beautiful un-restored original condition. The tires and seat are new but everything else is as it was in 1969. The seat is a new Brooks Leather Saddle. Fitting to the bike. We have a Raleigh dealer here in Asheville that has been in business since 1896 (yes 1896) so the local yard sales are always turning up old Raleigh's. The Schwinn is a 1979 Schwinn Typhoon. It is my daily rider. It has new Sturmey-Archer hubs with drum brakes front and rear, laced to some modern alloy 26" rims. The front hub has a dynamo built in and the lights are 1960's Royce Union 6V 3w set. The front sprocket is a 28 tooth (and if you have ever been to Asheville NC you would know why.........) Love your site and keep up the great work.

1972 Columbia Tourist Expert III

2010-01-18T18:58:00.000-08:00

This is my 1972 Columbia Tourist Expert III. The "Expert" series had 27" wheels which makes it a bit interesting for a 3 speed.

The hub is the typical Sturmey Archer AW. Wheels are Rigida SuperChromix, and the brakes are alloy Weinmann 810s.

Thanks,
David G.

1939 Raleigh Sports

2009-11-21T19:04:00.000-08:00

This is my 1939 Raleigh Sports. I have many more sports but this is oldest one. it's got wingnuts allaround. Rear 3 speed drum brake. big dyno front hub, head and tail light. it's unrestored and rides very nice.

That one and two others in group picture.

1972 Eaton's Glider

2009-11-21T19:00:00.000-08:00

This is my 1972 Eaton's Glider, made by Raleigh for the department store Eaton's of Canada. Eaton's is no more, sadly, but the bikes live on! Sturmey Archer 3 speed, Brooks mattress saddle, Rigida rims. I had one of these as a kid and sold it years ago... and then 3 years ago, found this one, almost exactly the same as my original. Since this photo was taken, I have put on a very old Brooks B73, soaked in Proofide. Comfy! Regards, Tom in Toronto

Pair o' Huffeighs

2009-10-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

A Completed Pair:

I've recently finished restoration on a matched pair of 60s-era Huffy Sportsman 3-speed bikes. The womens bike was located in Dayton, OH and the mens bike was purchased in Lancaster, OH. The date codes on the Sturmey Archer hubs show the mens bike as 1963 and the womens bike as 1964. I originally planned to restore the womans bike and keep it, but once the mens bike became available, I saw a chance to give a unique wedding gift to my nephew and his fiance--- they'll be married in early October. If you spot the newlyweds pedaling the streets of Cincinnati, say, Hi!".

Readers can find a full set of photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39389118@N07/sets/72157622039511072/

John in Ohio

Twin Raleighs

2009-10-18T20:41:00.001-07:00

Good morning from Atlanta. Below is a pic of my 74 Raleigh Sports. Next to it is the same exact bike. I just happened to park next to this bike while visiting this downtown office building for a sales call. 3-speeds are becoming more and more popular in Atlanta. Four or five years ago, bicycle racks would be flooded with fixies. Not true anymore. People are steady trading in their fixed cogs for bicycles with more character and comfort.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickb/3950945453/

best,
mick

1984 Dawes Atlantis

2009-10-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

A friend directed me you your site to see his 3 Spires. Seeing people still ride old 3 speeds always puts a smile on my face and I am always amazed how many are still on campuses in Boston every Spring. About my bike, 3 speed enthusiasts love or hate my bike. Here is its story:

I bought a Raleigh Team USA frame for $15 back in the good old days before prices went crazy. I think it was two years ago. The seller gave me another frame from a discarded former single speed with a broken dropout and a bad brushed on paint job. This turned out to be the Dawes.

The cast rear dropout said Dawes and scraping off the paint the Reynolds 531 Butted frame tubes, stays and fork sticker was still clear and so was the blue faded paint job. The badly corroded brakes and cranks that were dated to 1984 and matched only one Dawes bike, an Atlantis.

Restoring it was impractical but it was too good not to fix so I decided to make it the cleanest 3 speed I could. I brought the frame to Circle A Cycles in Providence to have the dropout welded but they had a Campagnolo dropout without a derailleur hanger that matched the Dawes perfectly so it was meant to be. Since the bike would have no derailleur hanger and I was screwing it up I might as well add cable stops for the rear brake and the shift cable to eliminate the chrome cable clips.

Nitto supplied the stem via Harris Cyclery, the handlebars and brakes were from a mixte with a questionable past. The brakes and crank are Shimano 600 arabesque and when I find a chainguard I like I can get rid of the outside ring and chainguard. The rear rim is a Araya700c mounted to a Sturmey Archer AW and the front was a handy 700c Mavik that wasn’t attached to a bike. The seat is a Brooks B72 from the Raleigh Sport that donated the AW and just belongs on a 3 speed.

Some think it is a waste of a good Dawes frame to make a 3 speed and some think it is a waste of a good AW to put it in a race bike. To me the key is to keep the 3 speeds on the road and at about 24 pounds I sure like it better than a Tourist on the hills!

Now what to do with that 1948 Raleigh Rod Brake Dawn Tourist …….

If you like I can send a picture with the chainguard and a couple of other changes I plan.

Ron
Newton, MA

Gary's German 3-speed

2009-09-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share the newest addition to my 3 speed bicycle collection, a 1971 dated 3 speed made in Germany
with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed rear hub and shifter. I brought the bike home as shown in the pictures, having done nothing to it at this point. The paint is almost flawless, no noticeable rust and the chrome shines brightly. The only
issue that is apparent is a brocken plastic fulcrum for the shift cable, an easy repair.

The brand of brakes are unknown to me; Altenberger Brillant. The tires, Continental white walls in size 26" x 1-3/8", state they were made in Germany and appear to be original to the bike. The crank set, stem and handle bars and aluminum fenders have no markings that I have found. The SA hub is dated 71 as the year and 7 as the month; July of 1971.

The decals on the bike have not provided me with a definate answer as to its brand or model. Is it a Sport 70 Super Deluxe or a Super Deluxe Sport 70? Perhaps someone seeing these pictures can shed some light on this bike for me.

My current plans are to dismantle the bike to the frame, clean and polish, replace if necessary and relube all bearings,
replace all cables and housings, replace tubes, replace the tires with suitable white wall tires, [keeping the originals] and to adjust the SA hub if needed and lube, and reassemble. Oh yeah, clean and polish. Ride like it was meant to be!!

More photos here.

Gary
O'Fallon, MO

John's Schwinns

2009-09-11T20:22:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a shortage of Schwinns on the site. By reading I've learned a lot about Raleighs and their ilk, but to me the Schwinns are just plain prettier. I think the site needs some color; hope my lightweight three speed Schwinns add some.

The blue Speedster is from 1977 and Lincoln, Nebraska. It was very clean; it seemed to have hung in a garage for most of its life but one year. The head and bottom bracket were completely frozen and just needed a good cleaning and greasing - easy on a Schwinn.

The red Racer is a 1968 and from suburban Denver. It had been used and had more modern brake pads. Well taken care of and ready to ride, I got it last November.

Of course these have Sturmey-Archers three speeds and 26 inch Schwinn steel rims.

Maybe the Raleighs have something going for them; they're classic British and certainly designed for serious adult usage. But Schwinns have wonderful, bright colors; are pretty durable themselves with unique electro-forged frames; are examples of proud Chicago manufacturing and German heritage so I like them best.

- John / Cheyenne -

1961 JC Higgins

2009-09-01T05:44:00.001-07:00

I've really enjoyed your blog, so I thought I'd share my project.

This is a 1961 JC Higgins...actually my first bike that I remember picking out of the Sears catalog as an eight year old. It had been hanging in my folks' garage for over 40 years.

It's made in Austria by Steyr/Puch, with a JC HIggins branded Austrian 3 spd. hub. The frame is fully lugged with 3 piece cottered cranks.

This is the bike that I first cut my cycling teeth on; it took me to school, delivered papers, and eventually took me on several century rides. The last time I rode it, I had obviously outgrown it, as shown by my attempts to turn it into a racing bike. It eventually gave way to sexier thoroughbreds, but you never forget your first.

Plans are to return it to it's former glory with the original upright touring bars and chrome fenders it came with, along with the distinctive JC Higgins crank. I'm still missing the chainguard, head tube badge and front "ratrap" carrier. If anyone has a lead on those items, let me know! I'll send more photos as work progresses.

John from Bellingham, WA

1964 Huffy Sportsman restoration-in-progress

2009-08-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

Well, when it rains, it pours. I enjoyed reading the posting regarding Charlie's mom's Raleigh Sport. While seeking out my next project bike, this one became available:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2627/3805214083_cd2507aa6c.jpg
1964 Nottingham Huffy Sportsman. 100% original (except tires?) and 99.9% complete (missing one spoke and 2 cable clips). Paint is pretty tired, but I strongly suspect it will rub out and come back fine. Fenders are nearly 'dingless'! Very light rust and pitting. A real 'survivor' and a real sweetie. I post project images at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39389118@N07/

John in Central Ohio

1968 Schwinn Racer from Chris S.

2009-08-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

This started life as a 1968 Schwinn Racer. After Intermittent stops and starts on the build, she is done. She consists of: white Velocity Aerohead rim laced to Sturmey-Archer 3 speed hub with red spokes, 105 hub/ Velocity rim in the front, custom hand cut brake lever, hand cut and laced grips, lots of the frame was replaced with stainless steel and finished in high polish, Carbon Forte fork, stainless steel basket frame over the back wheel, and lots of other little hand finished bits.

Charlie's Mom's 1959 or 1960 Raleigh Sports

2009-07-19T20:40:00.001-07:00

I was viewing your bike pictures on your site. I live by Lake Nokomis, and just ran across these pictures on my Mom's 59/60 Raleigh (I'm on the back), in 1961. I loved these bikes, but they got sold at a garage sale when I was in college.

Charlie

1966 Hercules

2009-07-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

1966 Hercules, made by Raleigh as I understand. I paid $60 for it, and have put a few hundred into getting the look right. I really enjoy the odd chainguard and the little baby rear fender. It also has a grip shift as apposed to the standard issue Sturmey-Archer thumb shift. Hope you enjoy.

Chris

1970 Hercules

2009-06-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

(more here)
This is my 1970 Hercules 3 Speed. I paid $37 dollars for it...sort of. I found a clean Schwinn ladies 10 speed and swapped it with a neigbor for the Herc. I cleaned and oiled the bike, adjusted the brakes, shifter, chain tension and read Sheldon Browns page on English 3 Speeds. I added the Wald Basket and Pletscher Rack for getting groceries. The paint and chrome are very clean and yes those are the original Dunlop tires and tubes.
Paul in Ohio

1955 Huffy Sportsman

2009-06-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

John, in Central Ohio, has completed a preservation on a 1955 Huffy Sportsman manufactured in the Raleigh Nottinghan plant in England. John was lucky in finding this example as it was virtually rust-free. The bike was disassembled, surface cleaned/polished and clear acrylic was lightly applied to fenders, chainguard and frame in order to protect decals/transfers and to guard against further UV light damage.
Parts/components of 'dubious' origin were; 3rd party front fork (branded 'Yama' or 'Yoma'), aluminum seat post and a Taiwanese mattress saddle. More here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39389118@N07

1978(?) Raleigh

2009-06-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

Bought this lovely Raleigh in 1978 for getting me to work,a year later I fitted a saddle on the bar for my child,the year after I fitted a seat at the back for my second child. We have great memories of our journeys together around holiday spots in Ireland and I now carry my grandchildren on the very same bike. Wonderful bike...Pat

1971 Triumph

2009-06-10T19:45:00.001-07:00

This is my 1971 Triumph. When I bought this bike she was in pretty rough shape. The original rubber block pedals fell apart within a couple of days, the original Brooks Mattress saddle was nearly broken in half, and the front wheel had a nasty bend in the rim. I have put on a Brooks B-17, MKS touring pedals with MKS clips and leather straps, and elk hide leather grips from Velo Orange. I also flipped the original northroad bars since I'm used to riding in dropbars and this gives me a slightly more aggressive riding position. With the rear rack and basket, this has become my day trip and camping bike. I routinely ride her to a blufftop winery off the Missouri River that is located on the Katy Trail.

1957 Three Spires

2009-06-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Jim!

I really liked looking over your Old Three Speed Gallery. A friend tipped me off when he saw the pix of the Huffy Sportsman by Raleigh.

I wish I were better at photography, but I sent you a link to some pix of my Three Spires 3-Speed anyway. Bought it for $40 last week.
http://gallery.me.com/rowingmurphy#100137

My bike was in grubby and greasy original condition and I think very lightly used. The rubber on the pedals is pristine. Each one clearly bears the Raleigh Industries logo, which is repeated all over the bike. The Dunlop tires were in fair shape, but the rear tended to lift its bead off the rim, so I've upgraded to a used gumwall on hand. The original gray rubber grips had congealed into a real mess. Other than the grips and the rear tire, it's all original. After a good cleaning and lubrication it works great.

The 26 X 1 3/8 Dunlops bear the precise inflation instruction: "Inflate Hard."

Of interest is the SA type SW 3 speed hub, with wider range than the AW. This one works perfectly. It's a delight to have the wider range.

Stock rear is 18T. I plan to try out a 20T and 22T rear to see how that feels. I have a 20T on my 1960s Huffy Sportsman, also by Raleigh. That's my in-town stealth bike for use in downtown Boston. DK the Huffy's true year, since I upgraded the very rusty rear wheel before I knew about date coding on SA hubs. It's always there when I return! I've had that one for about 20 years, since rescuing it from the curb on trash day.

Winston's Tweed Ride in The Windy City!

2009-04-22T07:16:00.000-07:00

A chap named Garth asked me to advertise this event:

Inspired by The London Fixed-Gear and Single-Speed Forum's Tweed Run and challenged by San Francisco's Thursday Tweed Ride, I would like to announce the 1st Annual Winston's Tweed Ride! This celebration of herringbone, hip flasks, and our noble steeds will be hosted by British Bicycles of Chicago, or the BBC.

Everyone is invited! If you have a Brit bike, do ride. If you don't,
but enjoy tweedy elegance, do ride. If you do both, CERTAINLY DO RIDE!!!

2 May 2009 marks the 80th anniversary of Winston Churchill’s invention of his exquisitely dry martini: gin poured over crushed ice while he observed the vermouth from across the room. The route, designed by the Right Honorable Lee Diamond, is 10 civilized miles meandering past (and into) some of The Windy City's
most infamous (and still open) speakeasies. Where else but in these
lively establishments would the ladies & gents find more bracing
refreshments and hearty victuals?

As with our fellow tweed runs, we hope to offer small, but significant, prizes for

Most Dapper Chap

Most Snappy Lass

Most Stylish Noble Steed

Most Inspired Interpretation of Tweediness

Best Mustache
(open to both lads and inventive lasses)

1963 Huffy Sportsman

2009-04-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

I loved looking at your 3-speed gallery and thought I'd send along some pics of my 1963 Huffy Sportsman made by Raleigh. It was given to me and only needed to have some steel wool taken to the chrome, a wax job, new shifter, cotters, tires, tubes and cables and fresh oil in the hubs and bottom bracket. My son helped me and learned about the history of these all steel bikes as we disassembled and reassembled it. The old fellow rides like a dream and is really comfortable!

More here.

updated photos

2009-04-05T09:08:00.001-07:00

You posted my bike on December 1. Here are some fresh pictures from March 20 to put up on Old Three Speed Gallery if you would like. Note the new Schwalbe Delta Cruiser tires.

A pic showing my view from the saddle.

Parked outside the pub.

They let me bring it inside.

And one of me riding it.

Cheers!

Paul H.

1973 Fuji 3sp conversion

2009-04-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

My name's Matt and I live in Worcester, Massachusetts. I have a couple three speed bikes, including an old Raleigh I restored and then loaned to my father. This bike is something I had been thinking about for a while, after I saw some pictures of British club racers from the 1940s and 50s.

The frame is a 1973 Fuji S10S, the first successful Japanese road bike sold in the US. I stripped it completely, installed a sealed bottom bracket and headset, picked up a micro-adjust seatpost, and used parts out of my bin for the rest. The rear wheel is built up around a 1969 Sturmey Archer AW three speed. I put an additional spacer on both sides of the axle to fill out the 120mm spacing and laced it to a Sun rim. I used a high flange track hub up front. At first I used a Suntour barcon to shift, but the shifting wasn't great. I switched to flat bars for a while with a SA trigger shifter, but found the ride uncomfortable.

Finally, I removed the plastic face plate from the shifter and was able to mount it on the drop bar below the brake lever. It's not perfect, but it's the best solution I've tried. I spent a lot of time cleaning up this set up Dia Comp center pull brakes, but after putting the bike together, I realized the fork was bent (and the rear triange, but not as bad). I tried to straighten the fork but was unhappy with the results. Instead, I now have a Tange chro-mo fork with a modern Dia Comp side pull. The fork doesn't look as nice, and I can't run my original brake, but it feels a lot more like a modern road bike. So far, it's the lightest, fastest, best handling three speed I've ever ridden. I might upgrade to a lighter frame some day.

1981 Raleigh Popular

2008-12-28T20:01:00.001-08:00

I was looking around for a bike to restore when one of my employees, who couldn't have know about my search, asked me if i was interested in 'an old bike' she had in her shed. Did I want it? If not, it was going to the tip. I asked what it was and she told me it was an 'old-man's bike'.
I said I would come for a look but wasn't too optimistic from her description. A couple of weeks passed and I thought I had better go and see, just to be polite, and if it was something I wasn't interested in, I'd take it to the Re-Cycle charity in the city.
When I arrived at her house, the bike was leaning against a wall probably 50 feet away and I was excited already. It had been stood next to a wood saw for the last ten years and was covered in sawdust, but even so, I could see it was just what I had been after and appeared complete.
I asked what she wanted for it and she said that it was mine and that I was doing her a favour by getting out of the way.

It was in the back of my car in seconds and my wheels probably spun as I pulled away - just in case she changed her mind or there was a catch! When I got it home I wheeled it around my house and went to work on it. Within 20 minutes I was riding it and since then, I have spent only another hour or two on titivation.
It is a 1981 (from the hub stamp) Raleigh Popular, the last year they were made after a run of more than 60 years. I'm not sure if they always had rod brakes or whether they were made like this in the final year to commemorate the past. It has the original tyres, pedals etc. The only thing I have had to replace, rather than just cleaning up/oiling/polishing/painting, is the bell. The only thing that is missing is the printed plate on the gear select.

I would love to restore it at some point but the paintwork, with its gold and red pinstripes would cost a lot to renew.
For now, it's fine as it is and still turns heads whenever I ride it.

By the way, I gave the lady a larged, framed photograph I'd taken (not of the bike) and knew she liked. We were both happy.

Chapeau,
Ian.

Lots more here.

1969 Raleigh Sports

2008-12-17T19:33:00.000-08:00

Just got it this past month on craigslist for my first bike since childhood. I had no idea on the heritage of Raleigh's til I started reading more about them. So to pay homage to the bike, I added some components that would really showcase it's classic features and history. Hope you like!

More here.

Raleigh with nice chaincase and top-tube shifter

2008-12-16T07:47:00.000-08:00

From this bike's owner:

Trash rescue, had to replace saddle, tubes, tires, one brake cable, pedals and grips.

Added non-standard (transparent) pie-plate, non-standard (rectifier+regulator+LED) head and taillight.

Replaced spoke, trued wheels, rebuilt front hub.

Later had rear hub partially rebuilt, upsized the cog, and replaced the chain.
Also added a frame lock, and it no longer has toe clips.

It's "ALL STEEL".

1966 Raleigh DL-1

2008-12-01T20:13:00.001-08:00

From PH in Fort Worth:

When I got back from my trip, I made good (so far, anyway) on commuting more often. I also got another look at that Raleigh. It had two flat tires, rusty chrome everywhere, an old, cracked, leather seat (oh... um... on bicycles I understand they are referred to as saddles by those who are knowledgeable about such things), some wires hanging limply that went from a generator to a headlight, a 3-speed hub and some weird looking, funky brakes.

I decided to buy The Old Gentleman, as I've begun to call him, and took him home. I took some pictures that first night. Not much to look at- an old, worn-out saddle, a saddle bag with broken straps, the wires hanging around...

The final result:

Lots more background and pictures here.

1973 Raleigh DL-1

2008-11-30T11:00:00.000-08:00

Jim,

Here's a photo taken a couple of years ago of me and my Raleigh DL-1. I think I bought this one around 1973 (new). It came from Charlie the Bicycle Man, in Lima, Ohio. With 24-inch frame, low angles, and 28 x 1 1/2 tires it's perfect for the brick streets in the neighborhood where I used to work. It looks rough but still is in good mechanical condition.

I had an earlier one, bought new in 1969, that got stolen. I had retrofitted it with an AW-4 hub. For a while I had it set up with a 3-step sprocket assembly and derailleur by Cyclo, that gave me 12 speeds. I had already removed the derailleur setup before the bike was stolen. Someplace I have a photo of that rig; I'll scan it if it turns up.

1951 Robin Hood

2008-11-17T11:45:00.000-08:00

More here.

1962 Robin Hood

2008-09-04T20:03:00.000-07:00

More images here.

Garth K.

1963 or 1968 Raleigh Sports

2008-09-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

It sat out in the elements for several years with an antique store’s sign attached to it. Luckily the store owner seems to have brought it inside on occasion.

Since the photos I have completed my work and put a solid 30mi ride in on it and I must say it looks and rides fantastic! New photos and details of the clean up to follow.

Eric D.

More images here.

1971 Columbia Sports III

2008-08-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

More here and here and here.

Thanks to Thom in San Diego for this submission.

1961 Ranger

2008-06-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

The date code on the S-A hub is 61. I put it on the C&V forum on Bike Forums and responders have suggested that it is a rebranded Hercules or Phillips. The guy at the fleamarket said it was a very good bike and was "made in France," as clearly indicated on the top tube where it reads "Made in England." Elsewhere on the bike are the words "Genuine English Light Weight." There's a cowboy on the badge.

I'm planning on cleaning it up next weekend and maybe even driving it to work.

John
Savannah, Georgia

1963 ladies Dunelt

2008-06-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

From the owner of this bike:

I've just finished fixing up a 1963 Dunelt 3 speed womens' bike (black). Works well, except for the twist shifter, which is a little rough. I suppose I could change it over to a trigger type. If my wife rides it much at all I'll probably put new tires/tubes on it.
Found the bike behind the dumpster at 8100 Knox in Bloomington. They redid their parking lot and got rid of all the bikes left unclaimed and chained to signposts in the lot. There was a nice Free Spirit mens 3 speed also but it was still chained to two other and in a pile of about a dozen bikes, you know how they can get tangled up when piled that way. The Dunelt was on the outside of the pile and when I was looking at it the maintenence man came along and said I could take anything I wanted. I quietly pushed that baby away, got it in the car and after about 4 hours of work it's ready to go, my wife will love it.

Pat
Minneapolis, Minnesota

1971 Raleigh Superbe

2008-05-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

More info here.

1937 Phillips City

2008-05-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

Esteban sent these photos along:

1967 Robin Hood

2008-05-10T16:01:00.000-07:00

The bike I fixed up for my mom to ride on the 2008 Lake Pepin 3 Speed Tour. New alloy rims and seatpost, new saddle, new grips, new brake pads.

Raleigh Tourist

2008-05-07T18:56:00.000-07:00

This Raleigh roadster belongs to Rob, who resides in Minneapolis.

a sample of the weekend

2008-05-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

A couple of 3-speeds that came through the shop during the past few days.

1973 Raleigh Sports

Late 1960s Dunelt ladies coaster brake:

Ride awheel on Sheffield Steel!

More to come.

Early 1950s Merlin 4-speed

2008-05-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

Early 50's build. Bob Jackson owned Merlin at the time. 531 DB tubing throughout. Prugnat lugs. Original paint and hand striping of lugs, decals. Built specifically for a 4 speed FM SA Hub. Stronglight cranks; Campy Tipo front hubs. Bleumels fenders. Original rack. Rides like a dream.
Cheers,
KM
St Paul, MN

1963 Montgomery Ward Hawthorne

2008-05-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

Here's my 1963 Montgomery Ward Hawthorne, which was built by Hercules. By 1963, Hercules was owned by Raleigh, which means my bicycle probably rolled off the Raleigh assembly line in Nottingham, England.

I bought it for $40. I spent about $7 on spray paint and a couple bucks for the pinstripe stickers. Cheers .

Jack D.
McKinleyville
Humboldt County
California

1960 Raleigh Sports with modern refinements

2008-05-02T08:49:00.000-07:00

This is my main 3-speed.

I added a new saddle, alloy seatpost, alloy rims, sealed cartridge bottom bracket, alloy crank, and new Continental tires.

Jim Thill
Minneapolis, MN