Freecycle Raleigh Courier Rebuild

[casper-d]

Hello,

I thought I would share a few pics of the Freecycle bike I was lucky enough to be given and what I have finally done with it.

I got the bike almost 2 years ago but it wasn't until this summer that I finally had time to play. This is what it looked like when I rode it home:

Chain guard above a beautiful cottered crank...

Decall on top tube...

Lovely 18-23 carbon steel frame - not 531 or 501 but still nice, strong, and kinda light...

The obligatory Heron badge - an 80s bike so not one of the old ones...

And this is what I did with Her. I stripped Her down and gave Her a good clean! I didn't want to go fixed but did want either a single speed or a full 3 speed Sturmey Archer restoration. I have the AW hub and an extra rim and perhaps one day I will restore the the 3spd and rebuild a wheel for fitting to this joyfull cycle! For the meantime, though, she is single I did, however, have to get good grips on Her!!

I think she liked my touch...

Obligatory B17 saddle in honey...

Shiny and sexy...

And ready to fly!!

Gotta say, I love her and she rides like a dream! It has been so much fun restoring and modifying this little 80s gem. Lots of polishing and hours of pleasure! But please excuse my bad language - look away now if you are easily offended... If it wasn't for the w@nker that stole the bike from my garden that my recently deceased Dad gave me as a wedding present 10 years ago I probably wouldn't have got back into building bikes. You took away something I treasured but also put me back to my 80s youth, a time when cow horns on my 3 speed Raleigh were just excellent, and modifying my Diamond Back were the best days of my life

Hope you enjoy..

casper - d

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

nicely done, nice. i like the padded grips, looks classy with the seat. chapeau!!

 

[casper-d]

Thank you! The grips need to succumb to the same tone as the saddle, but that will happen in time.
The bar ends are going to be seeing some new stoppers soon!

 

[SKoob]

Looks great casper

 

[Nick Salt]

Lovely bike! I'd use champagne corks as stoppers on the bars if it was mine!

 

[casper-d]

Haha... You know the plan!

I have a few, but no two the same! Just need a good occassion to obtain the final parts and finish the job.
Did you see flyfixies stoppers?

 

[2PedalsTez]

That is a wonderful looking bike and your work has transformed it in a classy way.
I wish I could find a bike like that AND more importantly have the skill to make it look as good as that!

 

[Nick Salt]

Did you see flyfixies stoppers?

No do you have a link?

BTW, those grips are lovely, did you use a leather punch to get the holes in for lacing?

 

[casper-d]

Thanks 2PT - check out your local dump, freegle / freecycle and I am sure you will find one

Nick - here you go:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/flyfixie/5918803305/

What a beaut!! Must have been fun!!

 

[casper-d]

BTW, those grips are lovely, did you use a leather punch to get the holes in for lacing?

No - I used an old Tannoy Mercury pointed speaker stand thingumyjiggumy

The grips were my first attempt at bespoke bicycle handle bar-clutching hand-holds. A little trimming and tidying is still needed

 

[Jezston]

Lovely!

I would have kept the guards and rack for shopping purposes, but you've turned that into a nice little café racer

The chainring is GORGEOUS.

I need to start looking at those freegle emails again!

 

[Goldie]

That's absolutely gorgeous - the handlebar grips are a work of art. I keep meaning to do something similar with a Raleigh town bike myself...

 

[casper-d]

Jez - I freegled the guards. I figured someone else could put them to better use than I could. They had a few dents, a few scratches, and to be honest weren't really my cup of tea That said, I have kept the rack and it WILL become part of the bike in due course. It will be placed over the front forks, with a wicker basket on it and a comfy pillow inside.... my little pooch had better get used to country rides!

Goldie - thank you - do it! But if you do, please please take plenty of pictures and post them here

 

[Chris-H]

What an amazing looking retro bike,you've done that bike proud mate,top job

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Lovely finish. I love it.

My gf has a 1980's Post Office bike that she dreams of doing up and this has inspired her, expecially the Brooks saddle and leather grips combo, also she is mad for schwalbe delta cruise tyres but GPO bike has a wheel size that we don't think they'll fit unfortunately.




What type of leather and thread did you use? We are thinking about covering the grips and the ends of the rod brake levers too.