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Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
One serviceable bike less in landfill can only be a good thing @wafter 
That's really coming up nicely, makes the elbow grease worthwhile. And Decathlon is a good place to get sundries.
Mine looked far better than it actually was once I started stripping it down - the drivetrain was completely shot and the rear axle bent like a banana. I've bit the bullet and gone for a new wheelset, and am upgrading to 8 speed if I can get the clearance. It does mean I now have the dubious delight of having to spread the rear triangle...
What I find rather intriguing is that some of the parts Raleigh used didn't change much in the interval between your bike and mine. I guess they must've had deals for serious job lots on things.
That's really coming up nicely, makes the elbow grease worthwhile. And Decathlon is a good place to get sundries.Mine looked far better than it actually was once I started stripping it down - the drivetrain was completely shot and the rear axle bent like a banana. I've bit the bullet and gone for a new wheelset, and am upgrading to 8 speed if I can get the clearance. It does mean I now have the dubious delight of having to spread the rear triangle...
What I find rather intriguing is that some of the parts Raleigh used didn't change much in the interval between your bike and mine. I guess they must've had deals for serious job lots on things.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Do not 'wax' the rims, you'll never stop in the rain, also those abrasive brake blocks are designed to work on steel rims, if you had aluminium wheels they'd chew through them in short order but they're meant to 'bite'on the harder steel rimThanks
As per my previous post I agree about the spending - in fact I have a stark reminder of this in the form of my ofo; which despite costing me nowt initially now owes me a little over a ton and if I sell it (to be replaced by the Raleigh as a utility hack) I suspect I'll struggle to get back what I've spent.
Ta for the thoughts about the brakes - funnily enough I was only thinking last night how, while being acceptable in the dry they'd probably be a bit of a nightmare in the wet. They occasionally elicit mild terror on the 10% ish descent into the city and any more wouldn't really be appreciated!
While I have a spare set of ally rims salvaged from another bike I'm reluctant to use them as the hubs are tatty and I don't really want the hassle / scope for cock-ups of re-lacing them. I will at some point strip and rebuild the hubsand maybe just try dropping the rims on complete (they have an apparently compatable 5-speed freewheel as well) although I think the slick 40mm tyres will probably struggle to clear the rear mudguard given the issues I had with the knobbly 32mm efforts currently on there..
Also I'm impressed by how these steel rims have held their trueness so far (especially having taken such a beating) and I'm not sure how much I can expect from a set of cheapo Chinesium rims off a battered, stolen, abused budget hybrid..
I'm not sure what the existing pads are made from but they look like some sort of felt material.. bargain-basement rubber replacements appear pretty cheap and I'm currently considering either a set of four Jagwire blocks for a fiver which apparently have good reviews, or if I end up placing and order with Planex X for other stuff two pairs of Jobsworth blocks (either socket cap bolt or acorn nut fitment) for all of £2.80 for two pairs after their promo discount has been applied.. obviously lower costs are always welcomed but the Jagwire ones look more period correct and I can't find any reviews for the Jobsworths.. as always I'd welcome any thoughts on either if anyone has any
My only remaining concern is that replacement fully-rubber blocks might be less accommodating of imperfections in the rim in comparison to the current fuzzy-felt items.
Thanks - I'll see how it goes but it might come to that! I guess in any case I really ought to have it all apart again and properly grease both upper and lower races now I've got some decent moly grease in my possession!
A little more progress was had today; thanks to the bike offering a welcome route of procrastination relative to some more important tasks I should have been doing
As previously mentioned the bars have taken a bit of a beating; the RH side being bent downwards, rearwards and twisted clockwise (when viewed from the RHS). I was musing last night over how I might remedy this and today got busy with a breaker bar, levering the bottom rear of the drop outwards against the top rear of the stem (with a bit of padding to protect the latter). This has straightened the downward bend a fair bit but it's still present to an extent. I also had a go at addressing the bends in other planes, but it's difficult to restrain the bars appropriately to apply enough force.
In addition being ally I suspect all the deformation has caused them to work-harden; the upward-bending at first going fairly easily then pretty much resolutely refusing to go any further - suggesting it'd need a lot more force and may risk breakage and I suspect I've probably got them about as good as I can.
All the talk above about not spending any more money notwithstanding I have noticed a seemingly lovely set of Nitto flared "Randonneur" bars at an apparently fantastic price (approximately 14 packets of pork scratchings and not far off what I'd pay with postage for a set of used originals from ebay), so might plump for a pair of these with the justification that they could go on the vintage steel frame / modern groupset road bike I definitely don't intend to build in future...
View attachment 540497
I am - tbh it's a welcome escape / distration from other areas of life and appeals to me on every level; being a nearly-free, thoroughly useful item that I have the power to make so much more from than the undeserved fate of being recycled into Chinese bean tins it would have been destined for otherwise
It's only a rolling resto out of necessity really; I lack the facilities to practically keep it in bits for long periods, as well as the decisiveness and funds to pull it all to bits and do everything in one hit. If I had a garage and workstand it would probably wouldn't see the light of day until this time next year
Absolutely - I'm always for a bit of "make do and mend" and I love the fact that viable, well-made transport can be had for such a small amount of money (perhaps if you're prepared to put the work in as this one owes me a lot of time).One serviceable bike less in landfill can only be a good thing @wafter
Mine looked far better than it actually was once I started stripping it down - the drivetrain was completely shot and the rear axle bent like a banana. I've bit the bullet and gone for a new wheelset, and am upgrading to 8 speed if I can get the clearance. It does mean I now have the dubious delight of having to spread the rear triangle...
What I find rather intriguing is that some of the parts Raleigh used didn't change much in the interval between your bike and mine. I guess they must've had deals for serious job lots on things.
Sorry to hear that yours was in such a state; however this is always the way with complex mechanical items - you'll never find / have the facility to check many potential faults when buying. For me it's an anxiety-watershed moment with anything like a bike, car etc when I've finally pulled every major sub assembly to bits and have an idea of how healthy it is (facilities permittin of course).
So what are the specs at the moment - I'm guessing 24" rims and a 5 speed freehub on 120mm axle spacing? I'm not too familiar with standards for MTBs and junior stuff. It's funny you mention the pasts as I've found similar; despite the fact that the widespread use of 5 speed freewheels died (I'd guess) around the early '90s on road bikes, I acquired a "Professional" (anything but) hybrid from 2011 that has this setup, while I think more modern ones are only running 6-speed freewheels. I guess the older stuff does still have some advantages over newer gear; probably enjoys some economy of scale thanks to emerging markets too.
Are you keeping the straight bars and friction shifters?
Thanks - the wax would only have been applied / left on the pitted centre sections of the rims, but I appreciate the thought. So you reckon that plain rubber pads would be worse on steel? I'd like to improve the braking if I can as it's fine in anticpatory situations, less pleasant when a guy hobbles across the tow path in front of you, or some pillock pulls out of a junction without looking because he's yapping to his mrs
Today I experienced the Raleigh in the wet for the first time; my two major takeaways being that a) yes; the already crap brakes are significantly worse and b) the mudguards protect everything from my lower shins up, comprehensively soaking everything beneath including the bottom bracket, crank and chain; so looks like a "bespoke handmade" extension is on the cards!
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Well, this one owes me £25 that I paid for it at the local tip / recycling centre. Stripping and re-building a bike to my personal spec is something I'd always wanted to have a go at, and this one turned up in the right size and at the right price, which is a miracle in the current situation. Good junior bikes in decent nick are hard to find under normal circumstances. The joys of being 4ft 11, I suppose...
As best I can tell, the chain got jammed in the drivetrain, and that some considerable force was then used to free it. On the brief test ride I had, it felt like riding through treacle; hardly surprising given what I've found as I've stripped it down. The rear wheel was crabbing sideways even though it was ostensibly sitting square.
Yes, 24" rims, 5-speed 14-28 freewheel, 130mm spacing, 42-32-22 triple on the front is the original spec.
The bars are going, as they have (probably) been in a vice and are damaged, but I'll be replacing like for like. Current shifters are indexed gripshifts, and they're going as they are quite frankly horrible. As are the plastic brake levers. All being well, I'm upgrading to 8-speed cassette, as the new rear wheel comes with a freehub, and am fitting trigger shifters.
Btw, my thread on the project is HERE
P.S. My previous junior MTB (a mid-80s Emmelle) had chromed steel rims. Stopping, especially in dusty or wet conditions, required serious advance planning...
I bet - these fibre ones were bad enough and it seems they're supposed to be better than plain rubber. Mine have been OK so far with some defensive riding but tbh if I had to perform and emergency stop I'd have no chance..
Thanks - will give it some thought although I'm not sure it'd necessarily be long enough.
Cool - you've got to love a budget project! I'd love to do similar one day with an old steel frame; actually spotted a totally stripped (Well, this one owes me £25 that I paid for it at the local tip / recycling centre. Stripping and re-building a bike to my personal spec is something I'd always wanted to have a go at, and this one turned up in the right size and at the right price, which is a miracle in the current situation. Good junior bikes in decent nick are hard to find under normal circumstances. The joys of being 4ft 11, I suppose...
As best I can tell, the chain got jammed in the drivetrain, and that some considerable force was then used to free it. On the brief test ride I had, it felt like riding through treacle; hardly surprising given what I've found as I've stripped it down. The rear wheel was crabbing sideways even though it was ostensibly sitting square.
Yes, 24" rims, 5-speed 14-28 freewheel, 130mm spacing, 42-32-22 triple on the front is the original spec.
The bars are going, as they have (probably) been in a vice and are damaged, but I'll be replacing like for like. Current shifters are indexed gripshifts, and they're going as they are quite frankly horrible. As are the plastic brake levers. All being well, I'm upgrading to 8-speed cassette, as the new rear wheel comes with a freehub, and am fitting trigger shifters.
Btw, my thread on the project is HERE
P.S. My previous junior MTB (a mid-80s Emmelle) had chromed steel rims. Stopping, especially in dusty or wet conditions, required serious advance planning...
) Raleigh / Reynolds frame D-locked to a fence earlier, but of course it's still someone else's property; despite the high probability that it's been abandoned.At least you're making the most of your skinny-end-of-the-bell-curve size and the cheap frames it makes viable!
That's interesting about the rear spacing, which is 10mm more than I'd expect on a road bike. I guess an alternative to spreading the dropouts would be to rebuild the rear wheel with a road hub (IIRC 11sp is still 130mm) although I appreciate that this would have its shortcomings and might bring issues with component compatability too.
Have you looked into changing the axle spacing? There are some good guides on youtube; I'd personally want access to some decent kit to make sure it was done aligned properly when I'd finished as it's probably quite easy to cock up. Park do some nice gear but I'm sure far too expensive to justify for a one-off project.
Sounds like you've got it all sussed anyway - I'll take a look at your thread when I get a minute to save you having to duplicate it all over here
I gave the Routier a bit more of a tickle today. The wonky brake levers were irritating me so I did my best to make them a bit less so; electing to drop the one on the (undamage) LH side as I preferred the lower position of the RH one. I unplugged and unwrapped the bar tape, disconnected the rear brake cable to get access to the clamp bolt in the brake lever, slackened it off and dropped it by around 10mm from where it was before repeating the whole procedure in reverse. I also gave the tatty tape a bit of a scrub afterwards, with mediocre results..
It's certainly better but obviously not perfect given the bars are still bent; I think I might have some luck by putting a lever on / in each drop and forcing them against each other (one up, one down) although I don't currently have anything that fits.
How the bars look now - still pished but arguably less-so. Looking at the image it appears the LH shifter could have done with being dropped more, however this also alters is angle relative to the RH one - it's impossible to get both the the angles and heights correct due to the bent bars while measuring their positions is difficult due to the lack of repeatable reference points....
I also took some shots of the roll-stamping on the bars as I love its aesthetic...
..before covering it up with more important things:
The bell is from my CdF (which got fitted with the one off my Boardman as that bike doesn't need one since I don't usually ride it in any situations where pedestrians need to be moved on). They're all the same cheap, generic bundled-to-appease-the-law items anyway; but aside from the questionable live plastic hinge on the striker not bad little units.
The speedo is from my old Giant and has been recalibrated to the Raleigh's wheel size using the superior "rolling along the floor" method. I couldn't find its magnet but re-fitted the one that was already on the bike when I got it, and had to use a bit of the perpertually useful and abundant "old bit of innertube" to both stop the speedo mount from slipping around on the bars (in leiu of the original rubber pad) and pack the bell clamp out to properly fit the skinny bars.
Note also that the image above illustrates how the RH end of the bars is bent backwards (and down) relative to the LHS.
I took the bike out for a little pootle; the 20 miles covered proving more enjoyable for a) having a legit way of suggesting that pedestrians GTF out of my way, and b) knowing how fast and far I'd travelled.
In other news the drivetrain continues to be joyfully quiet (when correctly indexed at least) although the chain has gone a little rusty from yesterdays rainy escapade. Thankfully it's still squeak-free though.
Somewhere on the journey I also lost the old, holed sock I'd lashed between the rear mudguard and reflector to stop it rattling; so really ought to pull my finger out and sort a replacement guard bracket from somewhere.
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A little more today but no pics.
While rummaging in my "bike bits box" I found one of those cheap pressed steel "spanners" with four hexagonal holes of varying sizes punched through it. I decided to chance a fiddle with my front caliper retaining nut (as it'd come loose again) and thanks to some slop in the spanner and some fortuitous positioning of the thread inside the locking nut I managed to get it all nipped up with the half nut and locking nut roughly aligned; allowing me to remove the spanner.
I also had more of a play with the front caliper position. It seems that the resting place of the brake blocks relative to the rim is controlled by the return spring for the caliper arms; which passes through a horizonal slot in the caliper retaining boss. Rotating the caliper mounting stud alters the orientation of this slot, the spring and hence the bias of the pads to one side of the rim or the other.
I'd had trouble centring the caliper / blocks about the rim as it always seemed to creep back over to give a fat gap on one side and sod all on the other. This was apparently because the plastic boss on the caliper that contains the spring slot is sloppy, allowing some movement. Today I slackened the cable tension right off to get more displacement in the caliper, re-aligned it again and nipped it up. I think it's worked this time and the blocks now have a fairly consistant 2mm-or-so clearance with the rim
At the same time I also fitted a stainless M5 washer beneath the nut for the front caliper mount as I didn't like the small diameter anti-shake washer alone separating the nut and mudguard mount.
Finally I re-adjusted the rear brakes to give a shorter lever pull to try to match that of the front, however really I need to true the rim a bit better as my efforts to stop the tyre rubbing the rear guard have made it a bit wibbly..
While rummaging in my "bike bits box" I found one of those cheap pressed steel "spanners" with four hexagonal holes of varying sizes punched through it. I decided to chance a fiddle with my front caliper retaining nut (as it'd come loose again) and thanks to some slop in the spanner and some fortuitous positioning of the thread inside the locking nut I managed to get it all nipped up with the half nut and locking nut roughly aligned; allowing me to remove the spanner.
I also had more of a play with the front caliper position. It seems that the resting place of the brake blocks relative to the rim is controlled by the return spring for the caliper arms; which passes through a horizonal slot in the caliper retaining boss. Rotating the caliper mounting stud alters the orientation of this slot, the spring and hence the bias of the pads to one side of the rim or the other.
I'd had trouble centring the caliper / blocks about the rim as it always seemed to creep back over to give a fat gap on one side and sod all on the other. This was apparently because the plastic boss on the caliper that contains the spring slot is sloppy, allowing some movement. Today I slackened the cable tension right off to get more displacement in the caliper, re-aligned it again and nipped it up. I think it's worked this time and the blocks now have a fairly consistant 2mm-or-so clearance with the rim
At the same time I also fitted a stainless M5 washer beneath the nut for the front caliper mount as I didn't like the small diameter anti-shake washer alone separating the nut and mudguard mount.
Finally I re-adjusted the rear brakes to give a shorter lever pull to try to match that of the front, however really I need to true the rim a bit better as my efforts to stop the tyre rubbing the rear guard have made it a bit wibbly..
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Yeah, they're not too splendid but they work and I have to keep reminding myself not to spend any money on it!
As it happens having had some success centring them has allowed me to run tighter clearances with the rims, which in turn has made them bite earlier in the lever travel at a preferable point (more advantage to the fingers I guess) so they inspire more confidence (less terror) than they did. Also, it might be my imagination but they seem to be less rough in use now (I'd guess as some of the high spots on the rim take a beating).
I've made a bit more minimal but satisfying progress. My hand-crafted-upcycled-artisan-polymer-stealth mudguard extension from the ofo has been fitted and it works perfectly - after a puddle-strewn thrash into town and back earlier I can report the worst it got was a bit of mist to the shins, rather than the constant bow-wave soaking my feet, the BB and crank as was the case previously
I also had a eureka moment with the panier; finally twigging that the mounting tabs on the rack itself are just folded around and slide fore-aft (I thought they were integral, despite being a different colour
) so everything has been slackened off and the rack punted forward as far as it'll go; making it just about level 
The guard, actually really pleased with this for a bit of recycled pop bottle:
Rack mounts, now in a far more appropriate position. Note the contrast in rust content between both sides of the mount; after having a go at the RHS with steel wool I reckon it must be made of stainless as it's cleaned up a lot better than the chrome elsewhere has..
As it currently stands.. I like how visually unobtrusive the addition to the guard is, but the aesthetic of the tatty saddle and bar tape are starting to grate..
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
The guard, actually really pleased with this for a bit of recycled pop bottle:
View attachment 542127
As it currently stands.. I like how visually unobtrusive the addition to the guard is, but the aesthetic of the tatty saddle and bar tape are starting to grate..
View attachment 542129
Accept it's cosmetically challenged imperfection and leave it as it is. Remember this is supposed to be a cheapo hack bike you can thrash around town and not worry about it. You don't want it to look too decent. Your saddle isn't that bad anyway.
Here's the one I removed from a skip Apollo MTB, that I repaired with duct tape and fitted to my el cheapo Puch 3-speed. The chrome on the bars was so bad I ended up binning them as razor sharp flakes were cutting my hands! I've got some old MTB ones on now, off another scrapper. Believe it or not the bike rides lovely!
Yeah, yeah - I know... it's in my nature to try and improve things though! In my defence the saddle may well become a practical issue soon as the fabric beneath the outer covering is wearing and I suspect will get water-logged if it gets wet. Did think of the gaffer tape approach and it might come to that yet. Have been peering into skips for potential re-covering materials, but so far no luck.
That looks like a tidy little score - how old do you think it is? Looks like it pre-dates MTBs by a long way tbh! I think a lot of old steel frames probably ride a lot better than many would give them credit for; and likewise many names we now fully associate with crap (such as Apollo) might not have been so shifty back in the day.
Funnily enough I saw an abandoned ladies Apollo on the Cowley rd recently - was tempted to snaffle it but it needed a load of work and given what it was figured it was probably unlikely to be worth flogging it on, while I also didn't fancy pushing it 3 miles home and attempting to ride at the same time would probably have ended in disaster
ffs I'm in bed now after an exhausting day but can feel the pull of the night and all the abandoned two-wheeled jewels a trawl of the city might reveal!
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Upholstery vinyl and a staple gun should do it...
Thanks - it's obtaining it that's the issue as the rest of the saddle is tatty and I could probably replace it with a cheapo one for £15 off the 'bay (IIRC the bike it came off only cost £100 new).. need to befrend an upholsterer so I can purloin their offcuts
