It Can Be So Frustrating!!

[Rockn Robin]

Anyway ... Patience my friend.

Marry in haste, repent at leisure. Buy a bike in haste, bash your bits on the crossbar at leisure.

Exactly. I'm in no hurry. I know that eventually the right bike will come around. I agree with what you say about marrying in haste. I've got the greatest woman for sure. Courted for many years before tying the knot. It's always wise to never act in haste, for whatever the reason.

 

[Rockn Robin]

That's lovely - beautiful colour too.

I was fortunate to find an 80s Raleigh Royal touring frame locally a couple of years ago and built it up from mostly period parts found on eBay, and it's my most ridden bike now.

It is a lovely bike, and the color is awesome. Just wish it was the right size as it would be at home right now.

Love to see your Raleigh Royal. Post a picture when you can.

 

[Alan O]

Love to see your Raleigh Royal. Post a picture when you can.

I'll do that - it'll give me a reason to wash the mud off

 

[Rockn Robin]

I'll do that - it'll give me a reason to wash the mud off

Lovely jubley!

 

[raleighnut]

Me too. I used to be 6' 1'. Now I'm just a tad over 6' now. maybe it's all the discs in our back degenerating over time. I know I have a number of them that have thinned out, so to speak.

That's what I was told but also apparently we get shorter during the day as discs compress too.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

That's what I was told but also apparently we get shorter during the day as discs compress too.

That's true. I'm nearly half an inch taller first thing in the morning than I am last thing at night after a long day spent on my feet carrying stuff about.

 

[Alan O]

Love to see your Raleigh Royal. Post a picture when you can.

I finally got it hosed down, so here's what it looks like until I take it out and get it dirty again tomorrow...

 

[Rockn Robin]

I finally got it hosed down, so here's what it looks like until I take it out and get it dirty again tomorrow...

View attachment 435728

Lovely "beedin" jubley. Absolutely beautiful. Just my cup of tea. First time I have seen how they write Raleigh on the down tube. I like that. Thanks for posting. It's such a beauty you should always keep it clean.

 

[Alan O]

It's such a beauty you should always keep it clean.

I'll clean it again as soon as I get home tomorrow - just for you

 

[rogerzilla]

You probably know this already, but Raleigh were still using 26tpi threading until the mid-80s on some bikes. The better road bikes changed to BSC/ISO well before that but the exact cutoff date varies by model. You really don't want 26tpi threading; you're restricted to NOS Raleigh headsets, unless you change the fork, and they are getting rare and expensive; they're also not especially good as they are super-heavy, have no seals and use U-shaped bearing races, so there is some slop even when properly adjusted. The BB is almost as bad but you can at least drop $200 on a Phil Wood with Raleigh cups!

 

[Alan O]

You probably know this already, but Raleigh were still using 26tpi threading until the mid-80s on some bikes. The better road bikes changed to BSC/ISO well before that but the exact cutoff date varies by model. You really don't want 26tpi threading; you're restricted to NOS Raleigh headsets, unless you change the fork, and they are getting rare and expensive; they're also not especially good as they are super-heavy, have no seals and use U-shaped bearing races, so there is some slop even when properly adjusted. The BB is almost as bad but you can at least drop $200 on a Phil Wood with Raleigh cups!

I didn't know that. Fortunately my frame took a nice cheap standard headset and square taper bottom bracket just fine.

 

[Rockn Robin]

I'll clean it again as soon as I get home tomorrow - just for you

Lovely jubley.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

here's what it looks like until I take it out and get it dirty again tomorrow...

View attachment 435728

Very nice, but a purpose-built Touring frame like that without any mudguards looks naked to me. It's not a racer!

 

[Alan O]

Very nice, but a purpose-built Touring frame like that without any mudguards looks naked to me. It's not a racer!

Agreed. They're off at the moment because there's insufficient clearance with those tyres for the rear mudguard - I need to reshape the clip that mounts it at the brake, to lift it up a bit (or find a different clip).

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I'll be looking for a tall bike soon. Our youngest is healing up after his crash (skull fracture, haematoma, collar bone, spine - was lucky he crashed 1 mile from the world's foremost neuro unit!) and wants to get rolling again.
He's 6'6".