Show us your Raleigh?!?

[SkipdiverJohn]

I seem to manage to avoid the slippery slope of project expense. I'm extremely strict with myself when I budget for a purchase and fix up of some old steel machinery. It's bike, sale price tyres, tubes, and cables at the most. If I need stuff like a saddle or pedal, I get one out of my donor parts pile. None of mine are show queens though, nor would I want them to be, TBH. Tidy-ish is nice to have, but not so immaculate I am frightened to use the things.

 

[Illaveago]

This is my Raleigh Record Ace that I have built up from a frame using spare parts and bits robbed from my other bikes.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I've already clocked up about a hundred miles on these two during the course of this week, and will probably easily exceed 120 by the end of the Bank Holiday. A surprising number of those miles have been on the rod braked 3-speed!

Pioneer Trail, now on proper roadster bars not the MTB style ones Raleigh built it with. It makes a huge improvement to comfort on longer rides.

I've been getting the Dawn Tourist out more lately, as the sprung saddle is great on bumpy tracks, especially if I've already ridden 25 or 30 miles on the Pioneer that day!
It's got two working brakes now rather than just one!

Rear view showing a Lidl cycling specials "crivit" bar bag being used as a saddlebag. I carry my water bottle and bits & bobs in it. Does the job, not too out of place looks wise - and didn't cost more than the bike, which a Carradice would!

The worst thing about having several old Raleighs, what with my hybrids, roadster, tourer, and MTB's - is choosing which one to ride......

 

[teaboy]

I've already clocked up about a hundred miles on these two during the course of this week, and will probably easily exceed 120 by the end of the Bank Holiday. A surprising number of those miles have been on the rod braked 3-speed!

Pioneer Trail, now on proper roadster bars not the MTB style ones Raleigh built it with. It makes a huge improvement to comfort on longer rides.
View attachment 514531

View attachment 514535

I've been getting the Dawn Tourist out more lately, as the sprung saddle is great on bumpy tracks, especially if I've already ridden 25 or 30 miles on the Pioneer that day!
It's got two working brakes now rather than just one!
View attachment 514538
Rear view showing a Lidl cycling specials "crivit" bar bag being used as a saddlebag. I carry my water bottle and bits & bobs in it. Does the job, not too out of place looks wise - and didn't cost more than the bike, which a Carradice would!
View attachment 514543
The worst thing about having several old Raleighs, what with my hybrids, roadster, tourer, and MTB's - is choosing which one to ride......

 

[teaboy]

what model tourer do have?

 

[rogerzilla]

Whatever happened to large flange hubs? Back then they were as necessary as those flares and wide belts.

There was a theory that they made the wheel stiffer, not that flexy wheels are a problem waiting to be solved.

They still have a place on track bikes, where (assuming you're running a track-sized sprocket) you can swap out a broken spoke without removing the sprocket. But modern spokes rarely break.

 

[raleighnut]

I've already clocked up about a hundred miles on these two during the course of this week, and will probably easily exceed 120 by the end of the Bank Holiday. A surprising number of those miles have been on the rod braked 3-speed!

Pioneer Trail, now on proper roadster bars not the MTB style ones Raleigh built it with. It makes a huge improvement to comfort on longer rides.
View attachment 514531

View attachment 514535

I've been getting the Dawn Tourist out more lately, as the sprung saddle is great on bumpy tracks, especially if I've already ridden 25 or 30 miles on the Pioneer that day!
It's got two working brakes now rather than just one!
View attachment 514538
Rear view showing a Lidl cycling specials "crivit" bar bag being used as a saddlebag. I carry my water bottle and bits & bobs in it. Does the job, not too out of place looks wise - and didn't cost more than the bike, which a Carradice would!
View attachment 514543
The worst thing about having several old Raleighs, what with my hybrids, roadster, tourer, and MTB's - is choosing which one to ride......

Ah but what you need to realise is that a Carradice will probably outlast you.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

what model tourer do have?

Raleigh Royal, 1985. Acquired last year, have posted it on here before.. Don't use it for touring, just fair weather leisure rides, so I run minus mudguards and rack which keeps the weight under 26lbs. It's the best riding frame I own, comfort-wise - even on 1 1/8" tyres. Just seems to glide over everything, without transmitting much vibration to me.


.

Ah but what you need to realise is that a Carradice will probably outlast you.

No argument from me on that score, I know Carradice is quality gear. My steel frames will probably outlast me too, unlike throwaway plastic ones. If I was a serious tourist, I'd probably use Carradice, but I'm only a casual rider and I travel pretty light.

 

[Gunk]

Raleigh Royal 1982

R

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I'm really impressed with that, it's turned out smart and the tanwall tyres do add the finishing touch.
How good/bad was the chrome on the rear carrier when you started refurbing? Mine has a few bits of surface rust on the chrome that spoils the appearance. I've taken it off anyway as I don't use my Royal as a workhorse, but if I can make it more presentable I might transfer it to another bike

 

[Gunk]

I'm really impressed with that, it's turned out smart and the tanwall tyres do add the finishing touch.
How good/bad was the chrome on the rear carrier when you started refurbing? Mine has a few bits of surface rust on the chrome that spoils the appearance. I've taken it off anyway as I don't use my Royal as a workhorse, but if I can make it more presentable I might transfer it to another bike

Chrome was pretty bad and I thought it wouldn’t come up, I used a wire brush attachment on the end of a small drill, then Autosol and wire wool.

 

[Gunk]

Here is a better photo of it now almost finished (just the front brake to assemble)

 

[Petalpower]

Here's my trusty steed...

Recently bought as my first bike in many, many years and I'm loving being back in the saddle. I get the impression Raleigh isn't as trendy as some of the other brands on the market but I'm happy to be seen with mine . Never been much of a trend setter anyway
Raleigh RXW Elite

 

[Chris S]

A 1990 Chiltern. Just about everything on it has been replaced apart from the handlebars, chainset and frameset. Most of the rest came from Apollo and Ammaco donor bikes. The parts were much better quality than what the Nottingham factory was producing towards the end.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Here's my trusty steed... View attachment 527413

Recently bought as my first bike in many, many years and I'm loving being back in the saddle. I get the impression Raleigh isn't as trendy as some of the other brands on the market but I'm happy to be seen with mine . Never been much of a trend setter anyway
Raleigh RXW Elite

looks fine to me, if you dont mind, where did you get it?