My Raleigh Bike. The Start.

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southcoast

Über Member
Me and my bike were chatting the other day about him having new tyres as the 20mm Gatorskins he had were shot and I didn't like the brake calipers: plus he needed new brake blocks which would cost me £8.00 so we worked out a plan.
I only have either Conti 4000's or Michelin Endurance Pro's spare (at £60 pair which I thought was too much to spend on him as he only cost me £62.)
So what we agreed on is this, I would give him the Endurance Pro's and in return I'll buy some Shimano 105 calipers at £22 (out of his pocket money) so I would save the £8.00 on buying brake blocks making the calipers £14.00.
This now makes sense so he's spent £22.00 on brake calipers, £8.00 on inner/outer brake cables and £10.00 new hood/levers. Total £40.00 for bits and £62.00 buying him in the first place so we are both happy.
I'm not going to charge him the price of a saddle, pedals or bar tape as I have all of them so it won't cost me - he's a lucky bike to have found me!


Yes he is a lucky bike. It doesn’t take much to spend more than the purchasing price on new bits for these old bikes.
But it’s well worth it in my opinion as they can be great fun ride.
I purchased an old Falcon about eighteen months ago for £70 and it’s now running on a pair of continental Grand Prix 4 seasons tyres. Which cost about as much to buy as the bike! Lol
 
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Boon 51

Boon 51

Veteran
Location
Deal. Kent.
View attachment 447853 View attachment 447852 I mentioned upthread that I’d ditched the aero levers on my Carlton Kermesse in favour of non-aero ones.
Here are before and after pics.......

That's nice but I think the loops are a bit high for me but very nice all the same I do like that type of lever. :smile:
 
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Boon 51

Boon 51

Veteran
Location
Deal. Kent.
Yes he is a lucky bike. It doesn’t take much to spend more than the purchasing price on new bits for these old bikes.
But it’s well worth it in my opinion as they can be great fun ride.
I purchased an old Falcon about eighteen months ago for £70 and it’s now running on a pair of continental Grand Prix 4 seasons tyres. Which cost about as much to buy as the bike! Lol

Its worth spending a bit I think I want to look at it and think.. That's a really nice bike.
 

Alwaysbroken

Well-Known Member
What’s the cost of contentment?

I have replaced every bearing, nut, bolt cable any any part that showed signs of use on my worthless old Raleigh, financially pointless but I look at it and it makes me happy for a number of reasons.
Plenty of far worse ways of spending money.

It will look great once finished so keep spending :smile:
 

EltonFrog

Legendary Member
What’s the cost of contentment?

I have replaced every bearing, nut, bolt cable any any part that showed signs of use on my worthless old Raleigh, financially pointless but I look at it and it makes me happy for a number of reasons.
Plenty of far worse ways of spending money.

It will look great once finished so keep spending :smile:
Quite agree, spent far too much on the BSA, worth every penny.
 

12boy

Guru
Location
Casper WY USA
As I have pointed out to my wife, there are far worse things than bikes to get hooked on. Boon 51, aren't there any bike coops in your area? When I drive the 300 miles to Denver to see my boys, I try to fit in a visit to one so I can go through their parts bins for tasty little treats. Then you could get proper nonaero brake levers and maybe some other groovy stuff. This talking to your bike is dangerous though...pretty soon you will be ordered to buy more and more goodies, and as we know resistance is futile!
 
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Boon 51

Boon 51

Veteran
Location
Deal. Kent.
As I have pointed out to my wife, there are far worse things than bikes to get hooked on. Boon 51, aren't there any bike coops in your area? When I drive the 300 miles to Denver to see my boys, I try to fit in a visit to one so I can go through their parts bins for tasty little treats. Then you could get proper nonaero brake levers and maybe some other groovy stuff. This talking to your bike is dangerous though...pretty soon you will be ordered to buy more and more goodies, and as we know resistance is futile!

A few more goodies is always a good thing.. ^_^
 
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Boon 51

Boon 51

Veteran
Location
Deal. Kent.
Is there an alternative lever to the Shimano 600ex that would suit loop cables. I have put a bid on and as yet no reply but the others are dearer.
 

midlife

Guru
By "loop cables" do you mean like this?

photo19.jpg
 

carpenter

Über Member
Location
suffolk
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