Bigfella's Raleigh commuter project

[bigfella]

Bigfella's Raleigh single speed project - 99% COMPLETE with photos!

Well instead of buying a new road bike. I have started to revive my old one - from around 11 years ago when I was 14! Its a massive 25" frame and I remember it took ages to find!

Its an old Raleigh racing bike made from 501 steel. I plan to have it powder coated, flat bars and run it on a single speed free wheel (unless I get talked into running gears still!

Hopefully I can get some advice from some of the others on here who have done the same as I am not 100% sure about a few things.

I will use this for commuting to work instead of my MTB and hopefully (it will be) faster.

Photos to follow...

 

[bigfella]

As you can see the frame isn't in great condition, but should be OK after some paint.

I won't be using the bars, but the centre looks good with the "Road Champion" engraved on it. I think they are made by Custom, along with the stem.

 

[Joe24]

Can we talk you into riding it fixed instead of singlespeed?
Its much better, and easier.

 

[bigfella]

Another photo of the frame showing the 501 sticker.

Now, the bad part, in my youth I decided to drill two holes and fit another bottle cage. Don't ask why, I was 14 years old - bit annoyed I did it now! I hope to take it to a fabrication shop and see if they can weld on two threaded bosses as the original bottle cage mounts are.

I hope to use the original rims and will give them to a wheel builder to build wheels with new hubs and spokes. They are 36h and should hopefully be strong enough for me. I'm not sure if I can fit 28mm tyres instead of the 25mm originally fitted - maybe someone could clarify?

They are branded "ETRIO - 622 x 15 / Alesa Alloy 215 - 700c". Has anyone heard of these and perhaps know if they are of decent quality?

 

[bigfella]

Photos of what is printed on the rims....

 

[bigfella]

As you can see here, the brakes - not sure if these are worth replacing. They are Shimano EXAGE. If I were to use these I want to replace the bolt as the chrome has gone rusty - unless these can be bought?

Crank is a Sugino GT - if I were to go down the single speed/fixed route do you need to remove one of the crain rings or is a new crank required altogether?

Stem is also made by Custom - it need repainting or replacing. I want to use one of the newer style stems that clamps onto the forks, how do these work as not enough material from the forks protrudes from the head?

 

[bonj2]

not much use now but if you ever find yourself in that situation again you can get strap-on bottle cage mounts, i've got one on my raleigh

 

[bigfella]

Photo of saddle and seat post, plan to get a carbon seat post instead as this one is scratched quite badly.

I remember at the age of 15 the saddle cost a lot!

 

[bigfella]

Can we talk you into riding it fixed instead of singlespeed?
Its much better, and easier.

You can try, I plan on running what I know as a "flip flop" rear wheel so I can turn it around to run it fixed, or free wheel?

Right, time to start buying stuff....

 

[Joe24]

For the cranks, you can just remove one ring and either space up the chainring bolts, or get some single ring chainring bolts and use those.
Flip flop is good. Dont be put off by the stories of fixed, its much better then singlespeed, and when you get used to it you can absolutly love it. Its great fun to ride, nice to maintain.
Much more fun riding fixed compared to singlespeed, and on fixed you will learn how to keep the momentum of the bike going so you can go up hills easier.
Fixed all the way!!!
I have a fixed/fixed hub, but thats because i wanted a bigger gear on the other side for doing TTs and stuff

 

[bigfella]

not much use now but if you ever find yourself in that situation again you can get strap-on bottle cage mounts, i've got one on my raleigh

Thanks for the info - would have been good at the time, I noticed one of the holes isn't in the right place but I'm sure something can be done to make good.

 

[bigfella]

For the cranks, you can just remove one ring and either space up the chainring bolts, or get some single ring chainring bolts and use those.
Flip flop is good. Dont be put off by the stories of fixed, its much better then singlespeed, and when you get used to it you can absolutly love it. Its great fun to ride, nice to maintain.
Much more fun riding fixed compared to singlespeed, and on fixed you will learn how to keep the momentum of the bike going so you can go up hills easier.
Fixed all the way!!!
I have a fixed/fixed hub, but thats because i wanted a bigger gear on the other side for doing TTs and stuff

Good idea, never thought of running two different gears on each side. I'm not sure about the crank and a lot of these bits. I have a bit of money in my budget to do the job so I might replace it as they are very scratched. I will look out for a crank with a single chain ring and thats not painted I think. Ratio's are the next thing, I will have a look on eBay now.

 

[Joe24]

Good idea, never thought of running two different gears on each side. I'm not sure about the crank and a lot of these bits. I have a bit of money in my budget to do the job so I might replace it as they are very scratched. I will look out for a crank with a single chain ring and thats not painted I think. Ratio's are the next thing, I will have a look on eBay now.

The two different gears are good. You can have a smaller gear on the other side for if it gets hilly, or a bigger gear on the other side.
You could get a flip flop hub and put a sprocket on the freewheel side, but you wont have a lockring, so you will have to put the sprocket on tight enough that it wont come off.

 

[bigfella]

I will have to learn some more about this, why can a lock ring not be used?

 

[Joe24]

I will have to learn some more about this, why can a lock ring not be used?

On the freewheel side, its just one thread.
On the fixed side, theres a thread for your sprocket, then a thread thats for the lockring.
The lockring goes on the opposit way to what the sprocket does.
You could put a BB lockring on the freewheel side if you want to put a fixed sprocket on there to act as sort of a lockring.
But, if your going to just have fixed on both sides, then get a fixed/fixed hub.